Ohio · Hiking

School House Loop

School House LoopPhoto: Wayne National Forest, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)
7.7 mi
loop
371 ft
climb
943 ft
high point
Loop
route
Aug–Oct
best months

Is School House Loop open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Wayne National Forest. It doesn't name School House Loop, so check the source for the area it covers.

As of · Source: USFS · Wayne National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

School House Loop is a hard, 7.7-mile loop on natural surface in the Ironton Ranger District of Wayne National Forest in Ohio. The trail runs from a low point of 637 feet to a high point of 943 feet, with a steepest grade of 16% around the 0.9-mile mark. The Forest Service manages the land, and the route is not accessible. The most comfortable time to go is late spring or early fall. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Waterloo, Ohio, put May highs around 75°F and October highs around 68°F. That station sits roughly 300 feet lower than the trail's high point, so temperatures on the loop run cooler. The trail is open year-round, and other hikes start right around it. Ridge Loop is about 0.1 mile away, Coal Branch Loop is about half a mile off, and Symmes Creek South and the Symmes Creek Connector are within a mile.

  • Best time to go · Aug–Oct

    Best time to visit School House Loop

    Best months: August–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      41° / 20°

      13 wet

    2. Feb

      45° / 22°

      12 wet

    3. Mar

      54° / 29°

      13 wet

    4. Apr

      67° / 38°

      13 wet

    5. May

      75° / 49°

      15 wet

    6. Jun

      83° / 57°

      13 wet

    7. Jul

      86° / 62°

      12 wet

    8. Aug

      85° / 60°

      11 wet

    9. Sep

      79° / 52°

      10 wet

    10. Oct

      68° / 40°

      10 wet

    11. Nov

      55° / 30°

      11 wet

    12. Dec

      45° / 25°

      13 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Waterloo, OH, 7.6 mi away at 625 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

Ridge LoopPhoto: Wayne National Forest, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

Ridge Loop

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Telegraph TrailPhoto: Wayne National Forest, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

Telegraph Trail

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Lyra TrailPhoto: Wayne National Forest, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

Lyra Trail

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Coal Branch LoopPhoto: Wayne National Forest, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

Coal Branch Loop

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Vesuvius Main LoopPhoto: Wayne National Forest, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

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Wolcot TrailPhoto: Wayne National Forest, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

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Whiskey RunPhoto: Wayne National Forest, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

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Lake ShorePhoto: Wayne National Forest, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

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Power Line TrailPhoto: Wayne National Forest, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

Power Line Trail

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Hungry Hollow ConnectorPhoto: Wayne National Forest, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

Hungry Hollow Connector

~27 min drive

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