Edge of Appalachia: Buzzardroost Rock (Blog Hike #149)

Trail: Buzzardroost Rock Trail

Hike Location: Edge of Appalachia Preserve, Christian and Emma Goetz Buzzardroost Rock

Geographic Location: east of West Union, OH (38.77465, -83.43481)

Length: 4.4 miles

Difficulty: 6/10 (Moderate)

Dates Hiked: June 2004, October 2015

Overview: A rolling hike to possibly the best view in Ohio.

Trail Information: https://www.nature.org/en-us/get-involved/how-to-help/places-we-protect/edge-of-appalachia-buzzardroost-rock-trail/

Hike Route Map: http://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=472929
Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: From West Union, head east on SR 125.  Take SR 125 east 7.6 miles to the signed gravel parking area access road on the right.  Turn right and drive the short access road to the parking area. 

The hike: Located in hilly, rural Adams County, the Edge of Appalachia Preserve contains 13,000 acres of some of the most rugged land in Ohio.  The preserve is managed jointly by the Nature Conservancy and the Cincinnati Museum Center.  Purchase of property began in 1958, and subsequent small additions have grown the total preserve to the size mentioned above.  The preserve’s name comes from its location in the “knobs” region between glaciated central Ohio and unglaciated Appalachia.  In this sense, Adams County is located on the edge of Appalachia, the hilly unglaciated region of southeast Ohio.

            Of the three public trails located within the Edge of Appalachia Preserve, the Buzzardroost Rock Trail is by far the most popular.  One trip up this trail and you will know why.  The overlook at the end of this trail rivals any in Ohio, and it makes for a scenic destination any time of year.

            In the early 2010’s the Nature Conservancy built a new parking area, trailhead, and trail to Buzzardroost Rock that replaced the ones that had previously served the area.  The new route is somewhat longer but much less steep than the old one.  The rerouted hike also takes you along some of the limestone dolomite cliffs that line many of the ravines in this area, thus adding to the scenery.  I hiked the old route in June 2004 and the new route in October 2015, and I greatly prefer the new to the old.  The upgrade has transformed Buzzardroost Rock from a B to an A+ hiking destination, so much so that the parking area may need to be expanded soon.

New trailhead

            From the new parking area, a yellow and brown Nature Conservancy entrance sign points to a narrow dirt trail.  The trail curves left to cross a small prairie before diving into the woods.  Orange paint blazes mark the trail, but the path was obvious and easy to follow on my visit.

Your first view of the region’s famous dolomite cliffs comes through the trees to the right.  An unnamed tributary of Easter Run lies less than 50 feet below you, but it is a vertical drop to get there.  SR 125 can be heard beyond the ravine.  Some nice beech, maple, hickory, and oak trees live at various points along this hike, and they make Buzzardroost Rock an excellent destination for fall leaf peeping.  My October 2015 visit came one week before peak leaf color, and many of the trees along this trail were showing brilliant yellow and orange colors.

Fall colors near Buzzardroost Rock

At 0.3 miles, the trail curves left to cross the first of 6 small creeks on small wooden footbridges.  For the next 0.7 miles the trail weaves in and out of small ravines, climbing and descending slightly each time.  More dolomite cliffs come into view.  Sometimes the cliffs appear above you to the left, and sometimes they appear below you to the right.

1 mile into the hike, you reach the edge of a prairie called Steward Grassland.  The trail curves right to cross what was a more substantial creek 500 feet behind you but is now another small creek with another small footbridge.  Future plans call for the construction of a short loop trail through the prairie, but those plans were still future as of my visit even though the loop was shown on the signboard at the trailhead.  Some red cedars are starting to invade the grassland, so soon a decision will need to be made whether to use controlled burns to maintain the area as a prairie or allow the forest to slowly reclaim it.

Steward Grassland

The trail climbs a ridge via a single switchback as sweeping views of the prairie unfold to your left.  Upon reaching the ridge, the trail curves left to begin heading west/southwest along the narrow ridge.  Some larger dolomite cliffs appear downhill to the right, and a barbed wire fence keeps visitors from getting too close to the edge.  Partial views of the Ohio Brush Creek valley appear through the trees over the cliffs.

Dolomite cliffs

The remainder of the hike stays on or near the ridge crest.  2 miles into the hike, the trail curves left to take the long route around and up a final steep knob.  Upon regaining the ridge crest, a short downhill stint brings you to the overlook.

            Standing atop the weathered dolomite rock, views explode in three directions.  To the right, Ohio Brush Creek can be seen 300 feet below.  Straight ahead looking south, some farms can be seen as Brush Creek flows toward the Ohio River.  To the left, the heavily forested ravine of Sam’s Run snakes off into the distance.  There are some benches at the overlook, which is protected with steel railings, and a nice breeze keeps the overlook cool even on warm summer days.

Ohio Brush Creek valley

View south from overlook

            After spending some time at the overlook, begin heading back to the parking area.  The Buzzardroost Rock portion of the Edge of Appalachia Preserve has only this one public trail; other routes either cross private land or have been abandoned.  Thus, assuming the loop through the prairie has not been finished you will have to retrace your steps for 2.2 miles back to your car.  While you are here, consider hiking either the Wilderness Trail and/or the Lynx Prairie Trail, both of which are located within a very short drive of Buzzardroost Rock.