Shawnee Backpack Wilderness Side Trail
- 5.5 mi
- one way
- 1,026 ft
- climb
- 1,235 ft
- high point
- Point to point
- route
- Aug–Nov
- best months
The Shawnee Backpack Wilderness Side Trail is a 5.5-mile point-to-point hike in Shawnee State Forest in southern Ohio, managed by the State Department of Natural Resources. The route rises steadily from a low of about 740 feet to a high of about 1,235 feet, with a total elevation gain of 1,026 feet. The climb is moderate, and the trail is not open to bikes or horses. The most comfortable months for a visit are typically late spring and early fall. Typical averages from a nearby weather station run from highs around 76°F in May to about 80°F in September, with September also seeing the fewest wet days of the year. The hike takes about 2.5 hours. East Fork Creek lies about 2 miles away, and the Shawnee Backpack Trail is about 3 miles off. Across the state line in Kentucky, Buckhorn Ridge is about 3.6 miles away, and paddlers can find South Fork Scioto Brush Creek about 7.5 miles away.
Best time to go · Aug–Nov
Best time to visit Shawnee Backpack Wilderness Side Trail
Best months: August–November. 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.
Jan
42° / 24°
14 wet
Feb
46° / 26°
13 wet
Mar
56° / 32°
14 wet
Apr
69° / 41°
14 wet
May
76° / 50°
14 wet
Jun
82° / 59°
13 wet
Jul
86° / 63°
14 wet
Aug
85° / 61°
12 wet
Sep
80° / 55°
10 wet
Oct
69° / 42°
11 wet
Nov
57° / 32°
12 wet
Dec
47° / 28°
14 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Warnock 2, KY, 19.5 mi away at 910 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive
HIKE
East Fork Creek
~3 min drive
1.65-mile out-and-back trail in Ohio with 247 ft elevation gain.
HIKE
Shawnee Backpack Trail
~5 min drive
26.79-mile point-to-point trail in Ohio with 3,653 ft elevation gain.
HIKE
Buckhorn Ridge
~6 min drive
5.38-mile out-and-back trail in Kentucky with 818 ft elevation gain
HIKE
Silver Arrow Bridle Trail
~12 min drive
14.18-mile out-and-back trail in Ohio with 2,701 ft elevation gain and loss.
HIKE
Bridle Trail 12
~9 min drive
1.9-mile out-and-back trail in Ohio with 418 ft elevation gain
HIKE
Mackletree Bridle Trail
~7 min drive
5.02-mile out-and-back trail in Ohio with 1,224 ft elevation gain
HIKE
Conley's Run Bridle Trail
~15 min drive
11.64-mile out-and-back trail in Ohio with 1,953 ft elevation gain
HIKE
Beach Trail
~9 min drive
Beach Trail is a 0.49-mile out-and-back in Ohio with 124 ft gain.
HIKE
Red Trillium Loop
~10 min drive
4.92-mile out-and-back trail in Kentucky with 1,454 ft elevation gain
HIKE
Lake Trail
~10 min drive
0.77-mile out-and-back hike in Ohio with 467 ft elevation gain.
Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
