Ohio · Hiking

Shay Ridge

6.5 mi
round trip
1,373 ft
climb
1,117 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Apr, Jun–Oct
best months

Is Shay Ridge open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Athens Ranger District. It doesn't name Shay Ridge, so check the source for the area it covers (2 listed).

As of · Source: USFS · Athens Ranger District. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Shay Ridge is a hard hike in the Athens Ranger District of Wayne National Forest in southeastern Ohio, about 6.5 miles long and roughly 1,200 feet of climbing one way. The trail is a steady out-and-back, with the steepest stretch around 3.1 miles in, where the grade reaches about 23 percent. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail is natural-surface, not accessible, and bikes are allowed. For comfortable weather, aim for late spring or early fall. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Newport put May highs around 74°F and September highs around 78°F, with September also seeing the fewest wet days of the year. Covered Bridge and Hune Bridge are both about 1.2 miles away, and the Archers Fork TH Connector is about 2.6 miles off. Climbers can find Road 410 Boulders about 3.1 miles away.

  • Best time to go · Apr, Jun–Oct

    Best time to visit Shay Ridge

    Best months: April and June–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

      39° / 22°

      14 wet

    2. Feb

      43° / 23°

      12 wet

    3. Mar

      53° / 30°

      12 wet

    4. Apr

      66° / 39°

      12 wet

    5. May

      74° / 50°

      13 wet

    6. Jun

      81° / 59°

      11 wet

    7. Jul

      84° / 64°

      11 wet

    8. Aug

      83° / 62°

      9 wet

    9. Sep

      78° / 55°

      8 wet

    10. Oct

      67° / 43°

      9 wet

    11. Nov

      54° / 33°

      10 wet

    12. Dec

      44° / 27°

      13 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Newport, OH, 8.3 mi away at 676 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

Archers Fork TH ConnectorPhoto: Wayne National Forest, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

Archers Fork TH Connector

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0.33-mile out-and-back trail in Ohio with 46 ft of elevation gain.

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

Archers Fork Loop

~6 min drive

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Kinderhook PawpawPhoto: Wayne National Forest, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

Kinderhook Pawpaw

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Bt/nct Marietta

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56.11-mile point-to-point trail in Ohio with 7,446 ft elevation gain.

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

Green Wood Loop

~10 min drive

1.37-mile out-and-back trail in Ohio with 599 ft of elevation gain.

Kinderhook Long LoopPhoto: Erjkprunczyk - Sporadic, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Kinderhook Long Loop

~12 min drive

10.37-mile loop trail in Ohio with 1,508 ft elevation gain/loss.

Lamping HomesteadPhoto: Wayne National Forest, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

Lamping Homestead

~14 min drive

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Ohio View Trail

~12 min drive

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Leith Run Gazebo TrailPhoto: Wayne National Forest, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

Leith Run Gazebo Trail

~11 min drive

0.49-mile out-and-back trail in Ohio with 611 ft max elevation.

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Covered Bridge

~2 min drive

8.08-mile out-and-back trail in Ohio with 963 ft elevation gain.