Hocking HillsWhere all the best roads lead . . .HIKE. STAY. PLAY. YOUR HOCKING HILLS ADVENTURE BEGINS HERE!

Trailhead for:

Grouse Point, Copperhead Trail, Bobcat Trail, Wildcat Trail

Accessible on a gravel road past the cabins at Lake Hope. There is a large kiosk at the trailhead (above).

For Wildcat at Grouse Point, you take a short excursion along a gravel side road (at the kiosk and to the right of the image) to a parking lot with a picnic table. (39.336581, -82.362968)

The other trails are clearly marked with signs near the kiosk - Copperhead and Wildcat just past the Kiosk where Jeep is sitting. (39.337046, -82.367217)

Yosemite Falls Trail (Accessible from Copperhead as sidetrack: (39.358821, -82.354585)

Lake Hope Grouse Point Mountain Bike Trailhead - Wildcat Trail (take the short gravel road by kiosk) ( 39.336441, -82.362990)

You can also catch Wildcat just past the kiosk (a marker identifies the trail)

Across the road from the kiosk. (39.337237, -82.367511)

Trailhead for:

Little Sandy (toward the beach and picnic area) 2 miles

Accessible just off State Route 278 on Park Road 9 going towards the beach and the Lake Hope State Park cabins. (39.319141, -82.356927)

Lake Hope State Park Map

 

Lake Hope State Park provides the following information on their trails:

(Please keep in mind that trail structure may change due to unforeseen circumstances - flooding, maintenance, tree falls, etc)

Hope Furnace Trail Loop (4.5 miles/6.5 miles)
Hope Furnace Trail hugs the lakeshore, providing beautiful views and not much elevation gain. Technical bridge crossings, roots, and a few short, steep ups-and-downs keep you on your toes (and we hope not on your head). As this is one of the park’s most heavily used trails, be sure to yield to hikers and look out for other cyclists—Park either at the Furnace Parking Lot or the Trailhead Parking Lot. Ride the trail in one direction and return to your starting point via State Route 278 (total ride mileage ~4.5 miles), or double back and enjoy the course in the opposite direction (total ride mileage ~6.5 miles).

Copperhead Loop (10 miles)
This loop features fantastic ridge riding on Copperhead Trail. Be careful — tight turns come up unexpectedly on this trail. This loop also will let you roll alongside the lake on Hope Furnace Trail — then you will push your bike up Grouse Point Trail to finish the loop. Park at the Grouse Point Picnic Area near the Copperhead/Little Sandy intersection. Ride Copperhead Trail, intersecting Long Ridge Road two times before crossing Lake Ridge Road. Continue on Copperhead for almost four more miles, eventually taking a right on Habron Trail. Follow Habron for 1.1 miles, then turn right onto Hope Furnace Trail. Ride for 1.5 miles, watching for the Grouse Point intersection. Take a right and push your bike up this steep hill, and you have finished the loop.

Sidewinder Loop (5.5 miles)
This twisty trail is full of tight turns, steep climbs and descents, switchbacks, roots, fun little dips, and a tricky bridge crossing. Because Sidewinder is a climb from the Trailhead Parking Lot to Cabin Ridge Road, it has become most popular in the opposite direction (but there are those of us who like to climb it, too). However, you still need to get to the top of the hill if you want to ride Sidewinder down, and there are two options:
a) Head on to Sidewinder from the Trailhead Parking Lot. Ride for about .5 mile to the Little Sandy/Sidewinder intersection. Go left and down the hill, then immediately turn right onto Little Sandy. Climb (and oh, you will climb) to the top of the ridge. Take a right onto Sidewinder, then ride back down to the Trailhead Parking Lot. b) From the Trailhead Parking Lot, ride up the paved Cabin Ridge Road, through the vacation cabins, to the Little Sandy/Copperhead intersection (almost 2 miles). Turn left onto Little Sandy; nearly immediately, you will see Sidewinder heading into the woods on your left. Follow Sidewinder to the Trailhead Parking Lot.

The Big Loop (16 miles, and equally fun in either direction)
This loop features some of the best mountain bike trails at Lake Hope: Hope Furnace, Habron, Copperhead, and Sidewinder. And, if once is not enough, turn around and ride the loop in the opposite direction — you will log more than 30 miles of sweet southeastern Ohio single-track.
Begin at the Furnace Parking Lot and ride Hope Furnace Trail for approximately .7 miles. Watch out for bridges — they might be slippery or have steps! At the Habron intersection, turn right and continue on Habron past the Red Oak intersection. Climb up a fun switchback (it is a doer!), continuing up the ridge to the Copperhead intersection. Turn left onto Copperhead and let some fun, fast ridgetop riding begins. Watch out for tight turns at high speed! Cross Lake Ridge Road and continue on Copperhead for nearly a mile. Turn left onto Long Ridge Road for just a few hundred yards, then left again back into the woods on Copperhead for another mile of twisty, fast trail. Turn left onto Lake Ridge Road again, bear left at the fork in the road, then turn left into the woods for the final, 1.4-mile section of Copperhead. Cross over Cabin Ridge Road onto Little Sandy. Very soon, you will see the Sidewinder intersection on your left. Follow Sidewinder to the Trailhead Parking Lot, then take a left onto the paved road and ride past the Beach House to the entrance to Hope Furnace Trail (approx. .6 miles on paved road). Follow Hope Furnace Trail 3.25 miles back to the Furnace Parking Lot.

Ride the Ridgetop (various distances)
If you would like to practice your single-track skills without riding up major climbs or riding for a long period, drive to the top of the ridge and ride some of Copperhead Trail. Park either at the Cabin Ridge Road / Little Sandy intersection or along Long Ridge Road near the Lake Ridge Road intersection. Ride any or all of the three sections of Copperhead that intersect Long Ridge and Cabin Ridge roads.

Good Things to Know
If you would like to add 2 miles to your ride, look for Wildcat Trail right next to Copperhead off of Lake Ridge road. This out-and-back trail will add some fun mileage.
There are several “bailout” options on the Lake Hope trails. You can easily access park roads that will take you back to the main parking lots from these. (See map for further information.)
From Sidewinder: Approximately 1.25 miles from the Cabin Ridge Road intersection, you can hop off Sidewinder and walk or ride a few hundred feet to Cabin Ridge Road. OR just a bit further down the trail, you can take the Cabin Ridge Road Connector out to Cabin Ridge Road (or over to Little Sandy Trail).
From Copperhead: There are several intersections and near intersections with Long Ridge Road, which will eventually intersect with Cabin Ridge Road and take you back to the Trailhead Parking Lot.
From Hope Furnace Trail/Cabin Ridge Road: Grouse Point, Oak Point, and Keeton Trail all are steep, quick connectors between Hope Furnace Trail and Cabin Ridge Road.

The Lake Hope Mountain Bike Trails are multi-use trails, and users should observe the International Mountain Bicycling Association’s (IMBA) Rules of the Trail:

Ride on open trails only.

Leave no trace.

Control your bicycle.

Always yield trail.

Never scare animals.

Plan ahead.