| Current
East Fork Park Weather |
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| Total Length = 75+ miles |
Overall Rating = Do it! |
| Usage = HIKING / HORSE RIDING
/ |
Easy / Moderate Trail |
Trail Picks for East
Fork:
Hiking and Horseback Riding -The
Red
Fox Trail. At 6 miles you'll be on the
trail for a few hours, but with the lake overviews, it's well worth the effort.
Mountain Biking
- Take the Advanced
Trail for a nice blend of
technical features and sweeping turns.
With dedicated hiking,
biking, and horse riding trails, and within a
half hour driving distance from
Cincinnati, Ohio, East Fork State Park is well
worth the trip.
Of Special Note:
The
East
Fork State Park Volunteer Mounted Search and
Rescue helps keep East Fork Park patrons and
others in the community safe by assisting local
law enforcement agencies in finding those who
become lost or injured.
Individual Trail Details
Campground
Trail
Connecting
the Horsemen's day use and horsemen's campground
areas this two an one half mile trail makes it
easy for horse campers to enjoy the convenience
of modern facilities while having access to all
of East Fork's bridle paths.
Pin Oak Trail
Start and end at the
Horsemen's day use area when you take this just
over two and one half mile loop trail. Follow
the RED Blazes through predominately flat
terrain. Easy jump offs onto the Red Fox and
Twin Bridges trails allow you to expand your
ride or hike as suits you best.
Red Fox Trail
This is a more challenging six mile
trail that will test your saddle's breast collar
and crupper as it crosses several steep ravines.
Depart the horsemen's day use area heading
Southwest along the abandoned road. You'll see
trail markers as well as ORANGE blazes to guide
your way. The midpoint of this ride overlooks Harsha Lake and is a spectacular sight.
Cascades Trail
Follow the
WHITE Blazes for a ride or hike of a little over
three miles on this fun loop trail.
Crossing
the road from the Horsemen's day use area you'll
proceed down what appears to be one of the East
Forks abandoned roads. left behind after the
park was created. The first main intersection
marks the start of the loop. Regardless of
taking the right or left spur in a couple a
miles you'll be back at the crossing as long as
you follow the White Blazes. The Twin Bridges
and Perimeter Trails can also be accessed from
the Cascades trail, giving you the option of a
much longer trip if you wish.
Twin Bridges
Trail
Cross
creeks, roads, and ravines in this nine mile
loop trail as you travel through the north side
of Lake Harsha.
The trail,
with its YELLOW Blazes, can be easily accessed
from either the Day use area or the Horse
campground.
The many
intersecting trails make it easy to shorten the
ride should you choose.
One of my
areas areas is the ravine to the west (behind)
the horse camp. Go left (south) and you'll soon
be heading through huge patches of horsetail
ferns along the bottom of the ravine, before
heading up a steep path on the other side.
The trail
levels out considerably at this point, staying
mostly level until you cross the park road.
Perimeter Trail
For
horseback riders the northern portion of the
perimeter trail is the best maintained.
Ride or
hike from river to river of this nine mile
stretch of trail. Easily accessed from the horse
campground (trail head is directly East, across
the street) or from the horse day use area ( by
way of the Cascades trail) you'll traverse
abandoned road beds, challenging ravines, and
stream crossings,
The
southern section frequently has blow downs and
various debris crossing the trail. On the south
section you also stand a chance of encountering
mountain bikers despite the bike prohibition on
this trail.
MOUNTAIN BIKE TRAILS
Mountain
Bike Easy
Just over
two miles (2.5 to be more precise) of mostly
flat to gently rolling terrain. The only
obstacles you'll get here are the numerous tree
roots and the occasional muddy spot.
These
trails get used regardless of the weather. Be
prepared to meet lots of people.
Mountain
Bike Advanced
No
intermediate trail at East Fork! Here you
graduate straight from Easy to Advanced then you
go to Technical school.
Just over
three miles of slightly more challenging trail
than the easy course. This trail also offers a
few sections of man made obstacles in addition
to the myriad tree roots you'll encounter.
Several
great sweeping turns are to be had on this
trail. Good fun if
not overly challenging.
Mountain
Bike Technical
The only
point to point bike trail at East Fork so be
prepared for an out and back ride (or hop on the
road and take it easy for your return to the
parking area!)
The terrain
covered is more severe than either the Easy or
Advanced courses but offers nothing different
just steep hills, roots and mud.
You'll
cross a creek not far from the start and
immediately begin a long climb.
 
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