Our Stories

Lisa Snook: NCNST Long Distance Hiker

Lisa Snook

Vermont, Ohio + 3000 Miles
(Previously received the central patch + Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, Mackinac Bridge, 1000 Miles, and 2000 Miles.)

The Many Ohios of the North Country Trail 

Ever since my hiking partner Barb Whittington and I decided to attempt to complete the entire NCT, the goal has been hiking unique miles and connecting the dots to finish all 4,800 miles. As we hiked sections in Ohio the focus was more on the process rather than the end result since we could now see the end and didn’t want to lose sight of the joy of the present. 

Our Ohio hike moments exceeded my expectations from the outset. Although Ohio has been my home for most of my life, when we planned to hike Ohio, I did not see it as a beautiful nature hike. I envisioned a lot of road walks with a bit of beauty here and there. What I found while hiking was a rich history with many different Ohios I had not known before.

Being from Northwest Ohio, I was well aware of the rails-to-trails and of the beautiful Oak Openings section of the NCT. However, I was surprised to learn that the NCT/Buckeye Trail followed the remnants of the Miami/Erie canal system. It was a pleasure to see how well cared for the small towns were as we headed south following the canal. We enjoyed the State Parks and the bike paths from Yellow Springs heading south skirting the Cincinnati area. It wasn’t until we got into southern Ohio that I entered new territory. Most people think of Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, Dayton and Toledo when they think of Ohio but we had the experience of walking through southeastern Ohio where the largest city has 25,000 people. The area is known for either prior or current “extraction economy” – logging, mining and oil and gas drilling. We loved seeing the Serpent Mound, reading the historic markers and seeing the covered bridges and the vintage homes.

There are 32 Ohio counties that are considered Appalachia. While we did walk through areas where there were signs of poverty, we were welcomed with smiles and encouragement on our trek. Southeastern Ohio is home to the Wayne National Forest and to the jewel of Ohio’s parks system: Hocking Hills. The hike through Hocking Hills on the NCT hits all of the high spots. It is truly awe inspiring as far as natural beauty but also it is an inspiration for how well the park is taken care of. It was a pleasure to see people enjoying their parks and to see that even though there are a lot of visitors, it is in pristine condition. One of the pleasant surprises for me was the hike through Boch Hollow. The relatively new addition to the Hocking Hills area was a gorgeous hike where we were the only visitors judging from the empty parking lots on both ends. It is definitely not to be missed.

On our way to Pennsylvania, we went through a few areas where Amish families lived. We saw the Amish buggies the same day we saw the oil and gas vehicles. We also walked through the once-communal settlement of Zoar where many of the structures are on the National Register of Historic Places.  

Ohio can be the Japanese word for good morning, it can be “the heart of it all” as in the Ohio ad campaign or it can even be a Gen Z social media slam “only in Ohio” to describe Ohio’s oddities. From this Buckeye’s perspective, they are all pretty representative of the Ohio I have come to know.

As with all of our NCT hikes, regardless of the state, in Ohio we were met with kindness and respect. People offered water, asked if we needed anything and showed pride for the place they called home. They held doors for us and answered our sometimes-stupid questions while we were in their towns. So, whether it’s a good morning greeting, the heart of it all or unexpected uniqueness, Ohio’s NCT, mostly following the Buckeye Trail, has been a wonderful and unique hiking pleasure.

Learn more about long distance hiker recognition at explorenct.info/NoCoLo/index.htm.