Place is amazing. Family owned. Members are super nice also. Weekdays are quite with lots to do…read moreduring the week. Cabins are basic but have everything you need to be comfortable. Beds are comfy. Cafe serves food on the weekends and is affordable & delicious. Worth a visit. We came here for our first time nude and this place is why we are booked to the lifestyle

The good is that the hike through the beautiful woods was great, and the pool area well kept. The…read morepool table area needs improvement. I really enjoyed my hike.

My husband and I sort of spontaneously decided to camp at Wayne National Forest this past weekend…read morebecause 1) it was going to be 90+ degrees all weekend 2) we were seeking an adventure for our 3rd anniversary From northeast Ohio, this has got to be the farthest you can go without leaving the state, yet all four hours of this drive were worth it. Due to our last minute decision to to make this trip, reservations online were unavailable. We were left with the non-reservable walk-in only sites. When we got there, I assumed the Pine Knob Loop was where we would stay since it was, according to the website, first come-first serve tent only sites. But when we got there, all the sites were already reserved and all had campers! What??? The nearby Oak Hill campground was also taken. Feeling discouraged, I tried Iron Ridge campground. Only at the very end of the campground where cars turn around, we found our spot! There were only a handful still available. The site we chose had a parking spot on the road with stairs descending into your site. Actually, it was the perfect little spot for us. We proceeded to stuff $30 in an envelope ($15/night) and into the drop box to pay. For those of you who aren't used to camping, this is how you reserve a walk-in site. Luckily we had cash when we usually do not! Once we got settled in, we went to the beach which was in the most beautiful wooded setting. The water was the perfect temperature for cooling down and even on this hot weekend, the beach never felt overpopulated. There were many families there enjoying themselves, playing with floats and cooking out. But please be aware of the long winding road to get there. You'll fall off a cliff if you don't stay on the road. Also, there was a sign saying you have to pay $3 to access the beach (you're supposed to put money in an envelope like with camping) but we didn't because we already had a hang tag permit on our car from the campsite. The next day we braved the 8 mile Lakeshore Trail. This trail takes you around the entire perimeter of Lake Vesuvius. The views are stunning and the hike isn't too strenuous (unless of course you're me and decide to hike in the blazing heat). Take several bottles of water and some food! Even with the aid of the woods shading us, it took us four hours to complete. It was so rewarding though. My husband and I usually opt for several shorter hikes as opposed to one big one, but when I read about Lake Vesuvius, this trail kept coming up as one of the popular things to do, and I gave in to curiosity. The beach is even on the trail for a cool off spot. We saw many kayakers enjoying themselves as well. Before I close this out, I want to say that this is the first time that camp nazis didn't bother us on a camping trip. The park does have county sheriffs patrolling it so don't be alarmed. The negatives, why was Pine Knob falsely advertised? Why doesn't the website say cash-only for walk-ins? Why was there a glass vial in the fire pit? I disposed of it...but still. I won't even take stars off because I had such a fantastic weekend and would return again. There are trails we haven't hiked yet and I would return to that beach in a heartbeat. PS there is a helpful ranger station just around the corner for maps and tips, as well as a couple corner stores for camping needs!

Trails were not bad. The lake was empty due to repairs on the Damn. Parking was easy. The trails…read moreare marked but not well. No map at trail head to indicate trails and highlights of the area.

Currently is having construction in some areas but was very beautiful!!! The trails were nice!!!read more

I am a little hesitant in writing this review. I have been coming here for over 30 years, and the…read morelast thing I want to see is more people, but it is better to share. It started with our grandmother bringing us here to burn off energy, and to get some background in nature. what was good intentions has now blossomed into a full fledged love affair with nature. granted I am from southern ohia, (ohio for yall not along the Ohia river, I have grown up in nature. There are no restrooms (to my knowledge), so you will need to empty your bladder in the city of Jackson or use a bottle or bag (remember to clean up after yourself please). there are approx. 5 1\2 miles of trails, moderate in traversing. All trails start and end at the parking lot. the pine ridge trail takes you along the lake, and the salt creek trail takes you along salt creek and along sandstone cliffs. In autumn, the foliage is outstanding and smell of hemlock is inspiring. On a side note, due to state budget cuts, park rangers need our help in cleaning up after unruly visitors. just yesterday, I removed two bags of refuse consisting of shirts, socks, a diaper, soda pop cans, and a pair of shoes. this is a nature preserve, lets keep it that way.

This state park has so much to offer! The trails are well maintained and easily accessible, the…read morelodge is beautiful with a delicious restaurant inside, and there are even cave tours! Some caves only run seasonally, but I took two tours on a Sunday, and it felt like a good amount at a time. Tickets for tours are purchased at the Welcome Center, day of. There's a self explore cave, too, but you need two adults minimum in your party and each with a flashlight. The arches and natural bridges in this park were amazing sites, scattered along the park. I took on the challenge of hitting each arch / bridge, and it was doable in under 5 miles if you move between accesses.

I started visiting Carter Caves State Park when I was young. Fast forward to 2024. I planned a…read morevisit with my nieces and their kids when I was in town. None of my great nieces and nephews had been inside a cave. We arrived at roughly 11:15 AM. I purchased tickets at the Welcome Center for everyone to tour Saltpetre (AKA Saltpeter) Cave at 11:30 AM. It was $54 for three adults and four children. We followed our tour guide across the street, up a hill, then down the stairs and into the earth we went. This cave was used in the War of 1812 to make gunpowder. We got a history lesson from our tour guide who was so patient with the kids. This cave was the driest of all the caves at the park, so no stalactites hanging from the ceiling. But bonus was, no water on our shoes. If you want to see bats, this is not the cave. The cave used to have thousands of bats. The park conservationists are working to increase bat living in this cave. After the tour, we had to turn up our feet, one at a time, so the tour guide could spray the bottom of our shoes with soap and water. He told us this was done to prevent carrying germs/bacteria out of the cave that could harm the bat population at the park. The tour lasted roughly 45 minutes. It was worth the time and money! The kids had a blast. Only one was scared when the lights were turned off momentarily so we could experience total darkness and silence. My nephew Cooper lasted about 3 minutes, then, in his little whimpering voice, he asked if the lights could be turned back on. I can't say enough great things about our cave guide. We left the Welcome Center and headed to the public pool. The pool was free for those camping and staying in cabins. We went on a Monday, so everyone was $3. Pretty good deal! The pool was clean. Only light snacks available, icecream, chips and soda. I highly recommend you add Carter Caves to your summer fun list!

One of Nitro's best kept secrets, conveniently close to town but far enough out to be the perfect…read moreway to escape the hustle and bustle for a little while. Beautiful and peaceful place to relax, spend time with the family (including the canine members of the family), fish, hike (with a mix of clear gravel trails or rougher dirt trails), or even take a canoe or kayak out on the lake. Also great for group picnics, community events, weddings, birthday parties, or just gathering with friends for a relaxing day by the lake.

Nice walk around the lake and (if you like) through the woods. Picnic areas. Gazebo. Dog run. I go…read morethere in all seasons.

This state park that very much centers on the lake of its name, which offers both boating and…read morefishing opportunities. There's a boat launch area, where they are also currently constructing what looks like a boat house, and a couple of piers. Across the street from the boat launch are two parking areas and two picnic shelters, one uphill and one downhill. The downhill shelterhouse also has a nice playground nearby. Unless you are in a boat, this park feels a bit smaller than others, as there's not a lot to do on land. The views are very nice, however. It was foggy on our visit, which made for some fun photography!

The tour offered an extensive amount of information on the history of Serpent Mound. It was neat…read morewalking the sidewalk around the mound and climbing the tower for the view.

When we were visiting family they thought we might enjoy coming here. It's kind of cool place with…read morenice trails to walk and to go around the mound itself is not a long or strenuous walk. There is what appears to be a look out that doesn't really have anything special to see. The observation deck that would allow you to see the entire mound is in disrepair and unusable at this time. There is a cute little gift shop with some museum items in the back. Can't say it's worth coming out of your way too much for, but if you're nearby and like hiking it would be nice. Plenty of parking and there was no one at the gate when we were there and it was free.

This is a very cool park! My children tend to gravitate toward parks and playgrounds where there…read moreare open-ended and tactile features available, and this park has that. There are boulders to climb, outdoor musical instruments to play, a treehouse to play pretend in (and is wheelchair accessible!), a merry-go-round, swings, a traditional playground structure with slides, and lots more. The playground area is lined with wood chips. There is also lots of space to run around, and lots of trees. Like the name of the park suggests, this is a very sensory-friendly park, and there are nature stations set up all around where you can use your senses to explore. There is also a short, paved trail that goes around the park, which is wide and smooth enough for strollers and wheelchairs. The trail goes by a creek, which is nice. As of right now, this is the only sensory-friendly park in the state of Ohio! It's definitely worth a visit.

This is a really neat and wonderfully inclusive park. This features a short, paved path that is…read morewheelchair and walker accessible. Along the path are a variety of interactive stations that are also designed to be accessible. If you start near the entry sign, you'll find a Little Free Library, which, on our recent visit, was loaded with a lot of great kids options. Just ahead is a variety of benches and a little music garden, featuring musical instruments that can be played, and you can also interact with the Rough Bark Tactile Display to learn more about different tree barks. A little further down are the cutest animal looking instruments that can also be used. As you continue down the path, you find a swingset with a variety of swings that include both traditional and accessible options. There's a nice little shaded bench area with information about the creek, Fetter's Run, that can be seen from the location. As you proceed along, a very exciting find is the Treehouse, which is built within the forest trees as opposed to up in one, which allows a wheelchair ramp to make it accessible. This overlooks the creek and has things to explore, like neat nature art and a second floor (not accessible) with a fire pole. At the end of the path is a shelter house with picnic tables and nearby grills. Most, if not all, of the signage included Braille translations, as well. There is a large parking lot here, but I do note that this is located behind a school, so I'm not sure how that would affect parking for a visit during a school day.

This beautiful red bridge was completed in 1887 and it originally spanned the Tug Fork of Big Mill…read moreCreek. It was named after Enoch Staats, whose water-powered mill and store anchored the surrounding community. The Staats family were early settlers, arriving around 1780. Enoch's father, Isaac Staats, built the first mill on the site. H.T. Hartley built it using the Long Truss system, patented by Stephen Long in 1830, featuring distinctive "X"-braced diagonals across 11 panels. In 1971, the bridge was modified with steel girders inside the original trusses to support modern loads and in 1983, it was relocated about three miles to here and converted to pedestrian only use. The park can get quite busy on beautiful summer days so be prepared to be challenged finding a parking space. [Review 571 of 2025 - 156 in West Virginia - 24132 overall]

This lovely piece of history has been a constant in my life growing up. We have many outings at…read moreCedar Lakes Park in Ripley, and this lovely red wooden historical covered bridge has been in the scenery backdrop all those many years. The bridge is well built since 1887. Built in 1887, the Staats Mill Covered Bridge originally crossed the Tug Fork of Big Mill Creek and was named for Enoch Staats' water-powered mill.. The Staats family were early settlers to the area, arriving around 1780. The bridge is a 97-foot-long "long truss" built by Henry Hartley This location is not the original location it was moved here for safe keeping and easy public access. My people use this lovely old bridge as a back drop in photo ops for weddings, prom, graduation, birthday pics, various different ideas. This is a lovely bridge and FREE to enjoy