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West Branch State Park

Name of trail: West Branch
Location of trail: West Branch State Park, www.ohiostateparks.org
Directions from nearest main route: Located off of Rocksprings Rd. Rocksprings Rd. runs North and South between SR 5 and SR 18. East of the city of Ravenna
Trail Land Manager: West Branch State Park 330-296-3239 Portage County Sheriff 330-296-5100
Trail description: see trail rating below
Type of trail: bridle/hiking
Trail surface: Clay
Normal trail condition: dry hard base with some wet spots
Trail condition during winter/wet weather: deep mud, some trails are not passable
Length of trail: 20 miles
Trailhead parking description: gravel lot off the main camp road
Trailhead horse facilities: none
Trailhead human facilities: One port-a-john and dumpster May thru October. Picnic tables and mounting block.
Unique /scenic trail features: none
Trail hazards: Boggy/swampy areas. Trails west of Rocksprings Road is open to hunting year round. Some trails run next to active railroad.
Trail rating:
Moderate – Rolling to hilly terrain; short steeper slopes; water crossings; irregular trail surface; narrower trail surface
Challenging – Steeper hills; unimproved trail surface; deeper water crossings; wider water crossings; boggy areas
Comments: The trails at West Branch are moderate to challenging depending on the time of year and weather conditions. They can be anywhere from 30% - 100% muddy throughout the year. Because of the clay base, some hills become very slick with the least bit of moisture. All the trails have some mud holes on them even at the driest times. Some trails go through boggy areas that are not recommended during wet weather. Trails at this time are poorly marked and not well maintained. Some trails run along an active railroad line with trains going by about every 20 – 30 minutes. Although the trails on the west side of Rocksprings Rd. are open to hunting, we have never had a problem with any hunters. The scenery is a combination of open fields, hardwood/conifer forest and swamps. You can pick up a trail map at the Park Visitor Booth.
The parking lot is a gravel lot. It is big enough to turn around a rig, but if it partially full you may have to back your rig in or out. There are no facilities for tying your horse. There is a picnic area and mounting block. A port-a-john and dumpster are provided by the park May through October. Camping is by reservation only. Camping is open from May through October. A lottery is held in March for camping dates. Contact the Park for more information regarding this. Please note: You can call the park anytime you would like to camp to see if any sites are available. Not all sites or dates are filled by the lottery. NO LOOSE DOGS ARE PERMITTED ON THE TRAILS.