Date: 10/17/2020 – Distance: 6.6 mi – Elapsed Time: 4.0 hr – Ascent: 912 ft – Descent: 794 ft – Difficulty: Medium
I was keeping this park in my back pocket because it was somewhat close and easy to get into. This weekend I decided to pull it out and camp for a couple days. Blue Rock State Park is a beautiful little park southeast of Zanesville, Ohio. It has beautiful forest and a small lake. The main campground is below the dam and is primitive with no electric or sewer. There is a small beach on the lake, with a camp store, which also has showers. There is also an bridle campground which also has some additional sites for tent campers up on the hill above the south end of the dam. There is also Blue Rock State Forest to the north, which has additional bridle trails to hike.
I was on campsite #80.
Walking toward the dam. The foundations on the left are old camper cabins which are no longer there.
The spillway is fairly new, but the dam has been there for many years.
Top of the spillway looking back at the campground below.
Directly below the dam is a group camp area with a shelter.
There is a bridge across the top of the spillway to get to the other side. The building in the distance is the beach store where the showers are.
Great color. The red leaves are sweetgum.
Cutler Lake.
The trailhead for the Hollow Rock Trail.
Shelf fungi.
Aster.
Hollow Rock.
It has a small shelter.
Wow. Hickory.
I believe this is Ash.
State Park Trails. I’m right in the middle heading toward the east end of the lake.
Heal-All.
That’s the beach house.
Fall creates some amazing variations on the leaves.
The Hollow Rock Trail traverses the south side of Cutler Lake.
The trail comes out on Cutler Lake Road.
Milkweed seed heads.
Just east of the end of where the Hollow Rock Trail comes out on Cutler Lake Road is the beginning of the Ruffled Grouse Trail.
She sees me.
The acorns are like walking on marbles sometimes.
Pileated Woodpecker.
After this first leg of the hike on the southern side of Cutler Lake, I took a quick lunch break, then ventured out again, to complete the rest of the trails in the State Park.
Heading back toward the dam. There is an undocumented trail up the hill just to the right.
One of the regular campsites up on the hill at the Bridle Camp.
More non-bridle sites in the “upper” camp.
This kiosk is the registration spot for the bridle camp.
The Ground Cedar Trail and the Vista Trail leave from the bridle camp.
Box of crayons.
The Ground Cedar Trail continues straight to the amphitheater on the west end of the main campground. The Vista View Trail goes left and loops back around to the Ground Cedar Trail.
The Maples get amazing color.
Vista View Trail. If the leaves were down there is a great view to the north west.
Amphitheater.
I had to do some off trail to find this bridle trail north of the campground.
White pine plantation.
Always makes me nervous to see this.
This intersection is on Cutler Lake Road just east of the bridge over an inlet and the beach. The trail I’m search for is right across the road to the left.
Beginning of the Beechnut Trail.
Upper Shelter is beautiful.
It’s quite large.
Large Chestnut timbers and rustic stone fireplaces on each end.
Backtracking on the Beechnut Trail a bit and you come to this bridge where the trail continues to the lower shelter.
The beach.
Here’s that archery range right by the beach. I thought it a weird location, but I really think it’s not for “real” hunters, which would make it even scarier to be on that trail I was on during the summer.
The next morning I decided to catch the sunrise over the lake from the dam.
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