Nov 10th Southeast Ohio ride, anyone?

[Chuck78]

EDIT: I started this thread just for one ride I wanted to do, but that has long since passed, and I turned this into a wealth of information on really fun twisty scenic Southeast Ohio routes.

I mapped out three tentative 2014 route maps that I plan to do, if anyone cares to join me, I may post on GSR for any interest.
I am always heading out of Columbus, OH, so the routes start at the beginnings of the hills 35 minutes south of here or from points south/east of Columbus off of US-33.

11/16/2013 ride:
https://www.google.com/maps?saddr=I-70+E&daddr=E+Canal+St+to:OH-685+to:OH-685+to:Broad+St+to:7th+St+to:W+Court+St+to:OH-26+S%2FOH-800+S+to:OH-255+E+to:OH-800+N+to:OH-26+S%2FOH-260+S+to:Greene+St+to:OH-676+W+to:OH-555+N+to:OH-669+W+to:OH-669+W+to:OH-204+W+to:OH-204+W%2FBlacklick-Eastern+Rd+NW+to:Blacklick-Eastern+Rd+NW+to:Cole+St&hl=en&ll=39.681826,-81.936035&spn=1.665637,2.463684&sll=39.493444,-81.911316&sspn=1.670171,2.463684&geocode=FTikYQIdsh0O-w%3BFRz4WQIdUmcZ-w%3BFQwsWgIdbhYa-w%3BFYMpWgIdXlkb-w%3BFZzdWgIdtaIb-w%3BFbAOXQIdeOce-w%3BFUO7XgIdy0Qq-w%3BFcFCXgIdE0kq-w%3BFSHOXAId9FAt-w%3BFf3UXQIdB6Aq-w%3BFd-uWwIdneUo-w%3BFSNcWQIdZiQl-w%3BFfwlWgIdufIh-w%3BFcC3WwIdHkId-w%3BFVZKXgIdjCMc-w%3BFX0zXwIdYosa-w%3BFXv2YAIdeHQX-w%3BFbPjYAIdIZkS-w%3BFehFYQIdYr8Q-w%3BFUamYQIdXyYO-w&t=h&mra=ls&z=9
local thread on this route plan:
http://ohioriders.net/index.php?/to...woodsfield-then-26-vs-255-7-260-26/?p=1363248

There are a TON of awesome twisties to explore in Southeast Ohio, just go to google maps, click the "Terrain View" option in the map layers menu, and you can see where the hills start in eastern and southern Ohio, just zoom in and pick your routes on the interesting looking winding roads!

 

[Govee]

I wish I could be there. I grew up in that neck of the woods. Much of my family lives in Lancaster/Logan/Laurelville. Seems strange to see the by pass around Lancaster. I left there in 84 to join the USMC and there was no by pass. Such a great bike ride full of great twisty action mixed with fall rural Americana views.

 

[Chuck78]

Springtime RIDE #1

Springtime RIDE #1

https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=...wW-w&t=p&mra=dme&mrsp=1&sz=13&via=5,6,15&z=13

CLICK THE LINK ABOVE OR SEE THE MAP IN POST #6 FOR A BETTER DETAIL ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THIS ROUTE, POST#8 FOR THE 12 MILES ABOVE POINT "P" AT BURR OAK LAKE, WAY MORE TWISTY THAN IT APPEARS HERE:

This route combines my favorites of central Southeast Ohio through Hocking Hills/Zaleski/Burr Oak State Forests and Wayne National Forest, aside from the awesome roads around OH-26 that are a bit further out of reach from Columbus (255/565/260/537/800/536). I hope to get a few people together to do this one.
http://ohioriders.net/index.php?/to...hope-area-278-vs-328-vs-691-vs-356/?p=1365636

 

[eil]

Next spring, this ride will combine the best of Southeast Ohio, aside from the awesome roads around OH-26 that are a bit further out of reach from Columbus (255/565/260/537/800/536)

http://ohioriders.net/index.php?/to...hope-area-278-vs-328-vs-691-vs-356/?p=1365636

Columbus is about a 3-4 hour ride from where I live.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

 

[Chuck78]

Columbus is about a 3-4 hour ride from where I live.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Well then...Eastern and Southeast Ohio are the best riding terrain close to you! Rolling foothills at the northern end of the Appalachians make for wonderful riding terrain. Not quite Tail of the Dragon or US33 around the WV/VA border, but some darn fine riding & excellent scenery! Tons of hiking to do for waterfalls, cliffs, and cliff caves in the Hocking Hills region! Sounds like you and some buddies and maybe some more GSR members should book a cabin (or go camping or hotel) on the south end of the Hocking Hills region or in the Zaleski State Forest/Lake Hope area and make a 3 day weekend out of it, slabbing it on a Thursday night, ride & sightsee Fri& Sat, home Sun!


Here's a rundown of my favorite twisty/scenic roads south and east of Columbus, Ohio (from memory):
Revenge Rd (great curvy and technical fun - ride Christmas Rock Rd into it, the last 150 yards of leading into Revenge Rd by a prison has very tight and fun uphill slalom series leading to Revenge Rd),
ClearCreek Rd (scenic, lotsa hiking, twisty, gas stop at eastern end), 374 (great start to finish minus a few farm/valley sections between hills, major rollercoaster ride elevation changes, great scenery and hiking spots, some very twisty sections and nice tight curves, some decent sweepers sections),
56 from South Bloomingville eastward (one of my fav's the short section taking 374 S and turning right on 56W a few miles to South Bloomingville gas stop and then backtrack on 56E or catch Chapel Ridge Rd east {nice curvy hill climb and decreasing radius/sharp turns} back to 374S to 56E),
Thompson Rd/Thompson Ridge Rd aka The Little Blue Ridge (nice sweepers and hills leading to some pretty high ridgetop vistas with views for miles, turn around at the end at 56 and ride it again, this northwestern part of 56 & westward land is very flat),
Big Pine Rd (nice heavily forested side road following a creek with great sweepers and some tighter turns),
664 (nice pavement and some great curves and elevation changes, more straights/less extreme than 374 but similar),
Harble-Griffith Rd (pretty tricky & challenging very twisty road through smaller hills &farms - watchout for downhill decreasing radius off camber turns!!!!!)...
Hiking spots (the more popular ones) - Cedar Falls, Cantwell Cliffs, Rock House, Conkle's Hollow, Clear Creek MetroPark, Old Man's Cave, Parrish Rocks, etc in Hocking. Snortin Ridge Rd, Jack Run Rd, Kreashbaum Rd, etc are some others that I skipped.

The Zaleski State Forest area just South/SouthEast of the Hocking Hills State Forest -
328 (S of 56 - curves like a snake!),
278 (southbound is better for hill climb outta nelsonville - nice sweepers and a handful of real tight curves, goes through State Forest),
691 (nice curves all over and new pavement) &
356 (fun twisty and technical all the way to 50!)...
All are good to great roads with endless sweepers and some good twisties. The Hocking Hills Region has more "15mph" or so tight turns due to the lay of the land - obvious from the amount of cliffs and rock faces you see all over. I love to lean in hard on those and drag my muffler through the turns!

On the NE side of Zaleski State Forest across US33 in Nelsonville,
685E gives you a very awesome 7 mile detour off of 78 onto(to 13N back to 78) which is 4 or so miles of twisty rollercoaster AWESOMENESS, forested ascent up to a ridgetop jog and then descent down, with great great curves and fresh pavement. once you link back up to
78 East into the southern ridgetop border of Burr Oak State Park, this section of 78 is nonstop really awesome riding with endless sweepers and some tighter twisties, with a very long jaunt of amazingly high (for Ohio) views forever into the hills both directions 400 feet above Burr Oak Lake State Park and overlooking that and many other lower ridges and valleys from a many miles nice Vistas. after that 12 miles or so, 78 is decent, then boring after McConnelsville for a little while, and then gets really good again halfway to Caldwell/I77. the roads all around Caldwell to the SouthEast are really great/tight/twisty all the way to the Ohio River south and southeast/ south of 78.

Thompson Ridge Rd in Hocking got the nickname "the Little Blue Ridge," and it has some pretty great vistas and elevation, but OH-78 around Burr Oak really is closer to a Blue Ridge Parkway setting, and is often referred to as "The Rim of the World" due to the really really great and very long twisty ride on the ridge at high elevations with such awesome views forever both directions into the valleys and the lesser ridges miles off in the distance. Another official "Scenic Byway" route, and one of the twistiest!

State Route 78 (SR 78) is a state highway that runs for 105 miles (169 km) from Nelsonville to Clarington in the U.S. state of Ohio. Car and Driver magazine has called it one of the most scenic highways nationwide.[2] The stretch of this highway that runs along the south side of Burr Oak State Park in Morgan County, Ohio, is well known for its extreme curves and views, and is sometimes locally referred to as the "Rim of the World." Much of this highway runs through old coal-producing areas. SR 78 is part of the Morgan County Scenic Byway

 

[Chuck78]

Look at maps and search for motorcycle road website listings for anything of east I-77 and south of State Route 78 all the way down to the Ohio River from those two roads. This is where you can spend A LOT of time exploring all of the twisty non gravel backroads. OH-26 is a GREAT road, similar to 78's curves but follows the Little Muskingham riverbed with some hill jogs. "the most twisted road in the state" many call it. "Covered Bridge Scenic Byway" is what it is designated. 3 covered bridges along this route from Woodsfield to Marietta. There are three great roads in the corner of the state that run southward to the Ohio River Valley. 255 from 800 to the Ohio River is very curvy & technical. 536 is even more twisty & technical but I've read several reports of needing repaved (probably the most challenging State Route in Ohio). 800 is full of fun sweepers from Woodsfield/OH-26 to the Ohio River.

If looking for very simple directions 78 from Nelsonville to Woodsfield and then 26 from there to Marietta are the best looonnngggg stretches you can do on one state route that stay fun almost the entire time. 78 after McConnelsville eastbound is a bore for a little bit, but definitely picks up as you get closer to I77 and Caldwell. past I77 south of 78 are some better roads than that section of 78, so detours and exploring will give you lots more fun, but 78 still isn't bad there. Just mellow past Caldwell. South on Frostyville Rd or State Route 260 aka Road Fork Rd will lead you to the best shorter distance roads in that part of the state aside from some roads south and east of Woodsfield (255/536/556/800).

Some of the shorter roads worthwhile that I know of so far (this area is a bit further from home for me to know like the back of my hand, ...in time!) are around 260 & 26. A jog off 260S for two shorter awesome roads takes you 260 (forward on 145?) to 565 east to jog north on 260 to 537 east to 26. Those two roads are awesome. part of the skipped section of 260 there is great, as the best section of 260 is from 26 at the south up past 537 north/east several miles. Closer to I-77, Frostyville Rd is a fun one that follows a creek.
I know there are a lot of incredible back roads down that way that can be explored also.

if you are basing your trip out of hocking or the zaleski/lake hope area, from Nelsonville/US33, you can take 78/685/13/78 thru the best of 78, head south on 555 aka the triple nickel for a few miles of my favorite section of one of the most fabled technical roads in Ohio (not as scenic, but nonstop tight/challenging turns). I would recommend taking 78 to 555 south to 550 West into Athens Ohio(550 from 555 to 377 is GREAT) and then you are back close to Zaleski. That'd make a really fun loop for a several hour long ride returning back to the area I recommended basing your trip out of.

FYI for early springtime riding, they use sand and cinders on the roads in the winter for traction instead of salt to melt the ice and snow, so you have to wait for a lot of heavy spring rains to wash the roads off before they are good and rideable.

there are better roads in the eastern and southern portion of WV, and areas of Kentucky as well, but the Southeast Ohio roads are definitely ranking up there among some of the best in this nation. I would encourage any of you looking to ride fun twisties and sweepers all day long in the hills to make this trip if WV is too far, or if you have been there and done that many times already.

 

[Chuck78]

OH-78 in the Burr Oak State Park and Lake area, basically all ridgetop rollercoaster riding with endless sweepers and some tighter turns at very high elevations for Ohio at least, GREAT ridgetop scenic views for miles and miles and miles and miles!
"The Rim of the World" is the nickname for this section of route 78, due to the epic nature of the high ridge top elevations and the twisting winding road that is well over 400 feet above the valleys below. You would think it is the highest point in Ohio, but the flatter portions of Ohio are actually higher above sea level.

 

[eil]

Wow, you appear to know these areas very well! Those roads look like a blast, pity Michigan is so flat around here.

No promises at this point, but I'll see if I can make it down for the spring ride. I have a friend with a Honda Magna who is generally up for adventure, it would be great if I could drag him along too.

 

[Guest]

Posting for reference.
Thanks Much!

 

[Guest]

The wife and I rode 78 a couple of years ago. Really fun road with lots of great scenery. Liked it much better than 555.

OH-78 in the Burr Oak State Park and Reservoir area, mostly ridgetop riding with climbs and descents, GREAT ridgetop scenic views for miles and miles and miles and miles!

 

[storm 64]

It looks like you the man with the plan Chuck. You can count me it for that spring ride. Now if we could get this winter behind us.

 

[Chuck78]

It looks like you the man with the plan Chuck. You can count me it for that spring ride. Now if we could get this winter behind us.

Tell me about it! I'm going to go stir crazy looking at these topographical/satellite maps of awesome forested twisty roads, I'd better get back to finishing this massive house remodel before I get a divorce over it!

I strongly encourage anyone within a state or so of here to make a weekend trip to Southeast Ohio for some great riding. http://www.motorcycleroads.us http://www.bestbikingroads.com http://www.motorcycleroads.com are awesome resources to explore further, but I thought I would cut to the chase and highlight the best rides that I know of and/or have done in the area to help share all of the awesome times I have had riding those roads with the rest of you.

If anyone gets a group together for a weekend stay in that area, I would be more than happy to help lead the ride or give more pointers. I'm definitely planning on doing the springtime route I mentioned with some other riders if anyone wants to dust off the old GS in April or May and meet up this way!

 

[Chuck78]

The short but really fun & twisty OH-685 near Nelsonville, the quick detour off of the beginnings of OH-78 before getting to the Burr Oak State Park section on 78 aka "the rim of the world." 685 is just east of Nelsonville, Ohio. Great twisty fun with non-stop elevation changes and very fresh pavement! Photos by drc32-0

Notice that looking at 685 on the map does not give you the impression that it would be anything like how fun to ride that these pictures show it to be!

 

[Govee]

Oh my gosh. I was reading the roads you have listed and couldn't believe you have "Jack Run" listed. Not many people on the planet except those that have an address on Jack Run, know that road exist. My brother lives just off Jack Run and I can attest that those are some serious windy very lightly traveled roads. Watch Clear Creek, that's where my brother hit a donkey. Think a deer can do some damage....

 

[Chuck78]

RIDE #2 deep into SE OH, more twisty and technical & near Huntington WV

RIDE #2 deep into SE OH, more twisty and technical & near Huntington WV

I've been talking to a couple of sport bike riders on ohioriders.net about finding the most twisty and tight roads in SouthEast Ohio.
What I ended up with is a ride that cuts through some familiar areas to and from (Zaleski/Lake Hope and Hocking Hills) with some boring riding before and after, but at the southern end of the trek lies some of the most twisty terrain in all of Ohio, with roads like Greasy Ridge Rd, 790, 775 between 790 and 141, 217, 218, and some unknown township roads to potentially explore.

Here's a map that I made from Columbus.

https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=...-w&t=p&mra=dme&mrsp=0&sz=15&via=6,7,8,20&z=15

Here's the very bottom half of the ride, the real destination. Of the upper 60%, 2/3 is a route to and from this and 1/3 of it cuts through really great familiar roads in the Hocking Hills and Zaleski State Forests to get to and from this map:

Greasy Ridge Rd here is an obscure county road packed full of curves nonstop.... South of 217 may have bad pavement still, so a detour on 217 may be in order. Greasy Ridge Rd and 217 from the intersection of 218 east to Rt 7 on the Ohio River are the biggest twisty highlights of this area, and some of the twistiest roads in the entire state. 217 and 775 are great fun the entire length in this region if you are looking to explore more. the section of 218 here is also very curvy and fun, a must ride!
Southeast Ohio is filled with TONS of awesome roads to ride and tons that are waiting to be discovered (often after they get a much needed repaving after a decade or two of decay and not being on the radar for riders...

 

[Chuck78]

RIDE #3 - 8 hours - THE MOST TECHNICAL TIGHT TWISTY ROADS IN SE OHIO

RIDE #3 - 8 hours - THE MOST TECHNICAL TIGHT TWISTY ROADS IN SE OHIO

7+ hour revised ride of some of the best and most technical tight twisty roads SE Ohio has to offer east of 33 extending east of I77 a bit.
Here is the right half of the map. The not shown left half uses the must-ride Oh-78 through the Burr Oak "Rim of the World" section of ridgetop sweepers and & rollercoaster rides BOTH DIRECTIONS to and from the area in this map image, with the return trip jumping in halfway on 78 at the OH-555 aka the Triple Nickel on the return trip to catch the best sections of both 78 and 555.
https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=...sWgIdzCsa-w;FTIPWgIdhIsZ-w&t=p&mra=mivtw&z=10

This route doesn't go as far as 800/255/536/556/etc due to time and distance required from central Ohio where I live, but includes some of the best really tight really really twisty really technical backroads thanks to tips from a few serious corner carvers on another forum... Probably the tightest curviest roads in Ohio. 536 is right up there, but pavement is in bad shape until a 2014-2015 repaving scheduled.

 

[Chuck78]

I hope posting this information will help get a lot of you GSR riders out here to check out these awesome WV type roads in SE Ohio. They are GREAT riding... Just don't take stuff too fast the first time through unless you can judge the entire turn, and watch for gravel, left of center oncoming cars, blind low speed turns just over the crests of hills, decreasing radius turns (they will bite ya bad), and DEER especially near dusk! Lots of hazards, but MILES AND MILES AND MILES OF SMILES to be had from riding this stuff!

Some areas in Hocking on the main routes get a little congested in the warm weather on weekends due to all the really amazing cliffs, waterfalls, and hiking destinations, but the Hocking routes only touch the main roads less than half of the time. Luckily on 664 and 374, there are some straighter sections that you can pass cars, and lots of cars typically will want to sightsee and will pull over for motorcycles to pass them.

 

[storm 64]

Sounds great Chuck. Thanks for all the leg work you're putting into this. I never really explored S/W Ohio.

 

[Dogma]

Sounds great Chuck. Thanks for all the leg work you're putting into this. I never really explored S/W Ohio.

It's been on my list for a while, and I hope to get in on it this spring. With a scary, new (to me) bike, no less.

 

[winfield]

I would love to get over that way sometime. Definitely need some new rubber on my bike first. Probably make it part of a camping trip. We (family) like Hocking Hills.

I notice some of the routes you outlined go around Big Bottom State Park. Do you know which Indian chief's wife they named that park after?