Lake Alma State Park: Old Pine and Sassafras Trails (Blog Hike #1036)

Trails: Old Pine and Sassafras Trails
Hike Location: Lake Alma State Park
Geographic Location: north of Wellston, OH (39.14869, -82.51227)
Length: 1.5 miles
Difficulty: 7/10 (Moderate/Difficult)
Date Hiked: October 2024
Overview: A loop hike, first on steep and primitive trails, then on a lakeside paved bike path.
Park Information: https://ohiodnr.gov/go-and-do/plan-a-visit/find-a-property/lake-alma-state-park
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=974903
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming September 12)

Directions to the trailhead: From Wellston, take SR 93 north 0.7 miles to SR 349 and turn right on SR 349.  Drive SR 349 north 1.5 miles to the signed entrance for Lake Alma State Park on the right, crossing the lake's dam on the way.  Turn right to enter the park, and drive the one way park road 0.3 miles to the beach parking area on the right.  Park here.

The hike: Tucked deep in the hills and hollows of rural and rustic Vinton County, Ohio, Lake Alma State Park has the odd distinction of occupying the site of an old amusement park.  The amusement park was built in 1903 by Charles Ketterer Davis, a wealthy coal operator whose company was located in nearby Wellston.  The amusement park lasted only until 1910, but the 60-acre lake Davis constructed for the park was then purchased by the City of Wellston as a municipal water supply.

            Today the State of Ohio leases 292 acres on and around the old amusement park lake, which it operates as Lake Alma State Park.  The cozy park features a 76-site developed campground, boating, fishing, and swimming on Lake Alma, several picnic areas, and 4 nature trails totaling over 3 miles.  The problem with this park's trail system is that none of the 4 natural surface trails form a loop, but a loop can be formed by using a roadside bike path to return to the start after hiking 1, 2, or 3 of this park's natural surface trails.  Such is the route described here.

Old Pine Trail trailhead

            Start by walking north through the beach parking area and then crossing the park road to find the signed trailhead for the Old Pine Trail.  Marked with dark green paint blazes, the trail heads into the woods and starts climbing.  As will come as no surprise to anyone who has done significant hiking in this part of the country, the trail heads straight up the hill with no grading or switchbacks.  The hills surrounding Lake Alma are only about 150 feet tall, but the steepness and quantity of the ups and downs make this hike quite challenging.

Climbing on the Old Pine Trail

            At 0.2 miles, you reach the top of the hill only to begin descending just as steeply.  In all of the steepness, it is easy to ignore the nice oak/hickory forest and the occasional clusters of nice beech trees.  The trail curves left to begin treading the side of the hill before curving right to descend to the park's main campground at 0.5 miles.  The Old Pine Trail ends here.  Angle left and then right to walk southeast on a paved campground road that heads into a steep-sided hollow.

Start of Sassafras Trail

            0.7 miles into the hike, you reach the rear of the campground and the start of the Sassafras Trail, which is marked with red paint blazes.  This point is marked as Point B.  After crossing a creek on a nice wooden bridge, the trail heads steeply uphill again.  Near the top of the hill you see some orange blazes; they mark the park's south boundary, which is immediately to your left.  Do not mistake the orange "blazes" for a trail.

Hiking the Sassafras Trail

            After descending into the next hollow, you reach another trail intersection.  The brown-blazed Acorn Trail exits left here, and you could go that way if you want another mile of steep hiking through nice forest.  I had a decent ways to drive on the afternoon I came here, so I continued straight to stay with the red-blazed Sassafras Trail.

Gazebo at Lake Alma

            At 1.1 miles, the Sassafras Trail ends at the asphalt bike trail and park road.  Turn right to begin heading back to the beach parking area.  The last segment of this hike is flat and easy, and nice views open up across Lake Alma to the left.  At 1.5 miles, you return to the beach parking area to complete the hike.