Buckeye Trail Wildcat Hollow Connection

This forgotten section of Ohio’s Buckeye Trail cuts through Wildcat Hollow State Forest, following old logging roads from the 1940s that wind between sandstone cliffs and through seasonal creek beds. The route picks up near Mineral Wells and threads its way through some of the steepest terrain in southeastern Ohio, with multiple creek crossings at Bear Run and a particularly gnarly rock ledge climb just past the abandoned Hollow Creek mining operation. Most overlanders skip this segment in favor of easier forest roads, but you’ll miss the real character of Appalachian Ohio if you do.

This is legitimate moderate-level wheeling that demands high clearance and 4WD low range for the rock steps and creek crossings. Stock vehicles can handle it, but you’ll want skid plates and recovery gear. Best attempted April through October when creek levels are manageable. No permits required, but camping is limited to designated areas only. The payoff is 18 miles of genuine backcountry solitude in a state that doesn’t offer much of it, plus access to some of the best dispersed camping sites in southeastern Ohio.