20 Best 4×4 Off-Road Trails in Ohio

Let’s face it: off-roading is awesome. If you live in the right parts of the country, you have a wide variety of places to choose from when looking for a good off-road adventure. In Ohio, there are many great options to choose from. They all offer something different and unique to those who seek out their paths.

20 best 4×4 off-roading trails in Ohio include:

1. Wayne Tecumseh Trails – Hemlock OH
   
2. Wayne National Forest Off-Roading Trails
   
3. Walhonding Hills Campground – Walhonding OH
   
4. Scenic Trails Recreational Land – Corning OH
   
5. Bear Creek Ranch KOA – East Sparta OH
   
6. Buds (Hidden Springs Ranch) – Springfield, OH
   
7. Renegade Ridge – Bloomingdale OH
   
8. Perry State Forest – Blue Rock OH
   
9. Pike State Forest – Latham OH
   
10. Pine Lake Raceway And Trails
    
11. Holy Trail Off-Road Park
    
12. Phoenix Off-Road Racer Park
    
13. Hanging Rock State Park
    
14. Superior Trail System
    
15. Pine Creek Trail System
    
16. Southington Offroad Park
    
17. Forbidden Zone Park
    
18. Tecumseh Trails
    
19. Heiney Farm
    
20. Powerline Park

We have created the infographic below that covers the 20 Best 4×4 Off-Road Trails in Ohio. (You are welcome to use and share but please credit us if you do so.)

1-Wayne Tecumseh Trail – Hemlock OH:

As the most popular and largest trail system in the state, this is a must-do for any offroad enthusiast. The Wayne trails are about 20 miles of mostly easy to moderate trails that wind through scenic areas and over hills and ridges.

The trails cross creeks and pass by majestic rock outcroppings, making it an excellent place to spend a day or more 4 wheeling with family and friends. The park has nice restrooms at both ends and picnic tables just off the main entrance on State Route 558.

Address: 4550 State Route 558 SE, Greenville, OH 45682

Contact Number: Greenville Ranger Station at (937) 548-7779

2-Wayne National Forest Off-Roading Trails:

The best 4×4 off-roading trails in Ohio can be found at the Wayne National Forest, located in Athens County. The forest has over 300 miles of scenic trails for all vehicles, including cars, trucks, jeeps, and motorcycles.

Many different trailheads on the east side of the forest allow users to access thousands of acres for four-wheel drive touring.

Roads are generally open year-round unless they have been impacted by recent wet weather or are otherwise affected by current road conditions. The trails are rated on a scale of one to five according to difficulty, with five being the most challenging rating.

All trails are marked with an easy-to-see color system that helps users navigate throughout the trail system while providing information about difficulty ratings and the degree of difficulty for some obstacles.

3-Walhonding Hills Campground – Walhonding OH:

Walhonding Hills Campground is a small but fun trail for off-roading vehicles. Depending on your driver’s abilities, it has a few technical rock crawls that may require a spotter. The trail itself is mostly flat with scenic views of the Ohio River, which you can enjoy from multiple look outlook-out points along the way.

Address: Address: 12684 SR 93, Bellaire OH 43318

Contact Number: (740) 563-6100

4-Scenic Trails Recreational Land – Corning OH:

Scenic Trails Recreational Land is about 14 miles of trails over rolling hills and through woods with small water crossings at either end of this section. This is an easy to moderate trail, even for beginners. It’s suitable for all types of road-type vehicles; however, better-equipped rigs have more fun on this one.

The trails are well marked, and there is camping available at both ends, although it’s probably best suited for Overnight stays or at least an overnight trip.

Address: 1475 Scenic Trail Rd., Corning, OH 43710

Contact Number: (740) 662-9966

5-Bear Creek Ranch KOA – East Sparta OH:

Bear Creek Ranch KOA has a few miles of trails, but they are not publically accessible except by staying the night in their campground. Their trails are enjoyable, though, even if you can’t drive them.

The difficulty level on these trails is average with rocks that might require you to do some spotting but nothing too difficult. Though it’s recommended to better-equipped rigs, smaller rigs can navigate them.

Address: 888-KOA-6887

Contact Number: (800) 562 -9644

6-Buds (Hidden Springs Ranch) – Springfield OH:

Hidden Springs Ranch is about 10 miles of trails, all of which are easy to moderate with nothing too difficult, so it’s good for less experienced drivers or beginners. It has some nice views of the surrounding hills, but there isn’t much in the way of scenery here, so if your looking for spectacular nature scenes, this probably isn’t the place for you.

It does have plenty of camping opportunities at both ends, and the trail system is well maintained. If you go, be sure to pick up a free map at either end of this trail system. Just ask.

Address: 4296 Willis Rd., Springfield, Ohio 45501

Contact Number: (937) 399-0206

7-Renegade Ridge – Bloomingdale OH:

Renegade Ridge is about 10 miles of trails with a good bit of hills and some off-camber sections to give you a little challenge. It has one area where you can get down and dirty if you want to do so, and it’s got some nice views at the top.

It’s best suited for well-equipped rigs and doesn’t offer much in the way of scenery or recreation besides driving through it. Despite that, this trail system offers campgrounds at either end for overnight stays, which is always fun!

Address: 10131 New Knoxville Rd., West Alexandria, OH 45381

Contact Number: (937) 839-4653

8-Perry State Forest – Blue Rock OH:

Perry State Forest trail system is about 30 miles of mostly well-maintained trails that have a few challenging sections interspersed. It has some nice views and caves to explore along the way if you want to stretch your legs for a bit.

This would be a good choice for beginners or experienced drivers alike though it’s probably best suited for intermediate or advanced drivers due to the nature of its many challenges.

There are a couple of campgrounds in the area, which makes this a great spot for an overnight trip, but there aren’t any restrooms in the area, so plan!

Address: 11069 Perry Hwy, Orient OH 43146

Contact Number: (419) 547-5167

9-Pike State Forest – Latham OH:

Pike State Forest is about 25 miles of trails with a good mix of hills and a few challenging sections to make things interesting. This is a very scenic trail that has been used for competitions in the past, so it’s not just made up of jeep trails but the double track as well, which makes it fun for all types of vehicles.

In addition to being scenic, this trail system also offers camping opportunities at either end if you want to spend the night away from civilization or enjoy an overnight trip through these beautifully maintained lands.

This would be a good choice for beginners and advanced drivers, though better-equipped rigs have more fun.

Address: 1066 Hayes Rd., Waverly, OH 45690

Contact Number: (937) 742-3444

10-Pine Lake Raceway and Trails:

Pine Lake Raceway and Trails is about 25 miles of trails that range from easy to advanced. It’s got water crossings and mud bogs for those who like their fun wet and wild.

There are also a few hills and tight sections within this trail system, so if you get bored or lose momentum during your drive, it’s always good to have a challenge at the next part of the trail!

This is another great choice for beginners and experienced drivers because it has enough challenges to keep everyone interested but nothing too difficult.

This trail system has lodging available at either end, which is a nice touch for those who want to make an overnight trip or enjoy a quick getaway from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. It’s also got restroom facilities to help keep your trips enjoyable!

Address: 10889 W State Route 185, Bellefontaine, OH 43311

Contact Number: (937) 592-4402

11- Holy Trail Off-Road Park:

Located in Athens, Ohio, just off of State Route 664, the Holy Trail Off-Road Park is a privately owned OHV park designed to provide a challenging environment for all riders.

There are miles of trails throughout the 138 acres that a color system has marked to help riders navigate their way through the park while providing information for obstacles encountered along trails marked with a certain amount of difficulty.

For example, several trails with an orange diamond marker show easy obstacles, while red diamonds show more difficult obstacles.           

There are also trails with black diamonds, which are the most difficult to navigate but allow for hours of fun for experienced drivers. Even trails allow riders to get up some decent speed for this type of facility, which allows for some extra fun while learning new tricks.

12- Phoenix Off-Road Racer Park:

Phoenix Offroad Racer Park has been around for over 15 years and can be found near Eaton, Ohio. It offers a lot, including RV camping spots that come with a 50amp electrical hookup and bathhouses on-site, including showers and flushable toilets. The trails themselves range from beginner-level green trails to hardcore black diamond trails.

• Green Trails (easy)
• Blue Trails(intermediate)
• Black Diamonds (intermediate/hardcore)

Two-track roads that are remote and very primitive are challenging enough for the most experienced offroaders but can also be enjoyed by beginners just looking to have an enjoyable ride in their four-wheel-drive vehicle. 

The mud is deep, so it may not be ideal for vehicles with low ground clearance or little weight over the drive wheels; they will get stuck if you don’t have some power under your hood! These two tracks require high clearance 4×4 trucks with large diameter or off-road tires.

13- Hanging Rock State Park:

Hanging Rock State Park is a great place to go if you’re looking for things to do in Ohio and love the outdoors, especially if you’re looking for something different from your normal park visit throughout the year.

Visiting this state park should be on everyone’s bucket list. One of the main attractions here is four-wheeling, which takes place on three unique trails that range from easy to moderate difficulty.

The trails themselves are very scenic and have many points of interest along their paths, including waterfalls and beautiful landscapes.

Four Wheelers must follow a 50 MPH speed limit when going through campgrounds at all times.

14- Superior Trail System:

The Superior trail system is one of the more modern rigged trail systems in Ohio, and it’s very easy to see why. From beginner-level green trails to advanced-level black diamond trails, there is something here for everyone looking for a good time.

Superior OHV Trail System is currently 16.5 miles long. A trailhead off State Route 52 accesses this section of trail. The trail also has two connector trails to the Pine Creek OHV System for continuous riding opportunities and additional traihead access points.

Since this trail system was built with a big emphasis on a safe ride as well as having fun, you’ll find obstacle challenges that include rock crawls and hill climbs along all of the different trails throughout the offroad park.

Six main trails make up this ATV/ORV Park: Amber Trail-intermediate Amber Loop A & B, yellow Blaze line-beginner Blaze line and Blaze line A and B, green trail -Intermediate Green trail and blue trail – Intermediate blue trail and mocha trail – Advanced Mocha trail.

15- Pine Creek Trail System:

The Pine Creek trail system is one of the most modernly equipped offroad parks where visitors can enjoy four-wheeling and mud bogging.

Countless trails range from beginner to moderate level black diamond trails, all of which offer various features, including rock, crawls, and hill climbs along their paths that allow you to test your vehicle’s limitations.

The existing facility offers a lot during your stay there, not only with its abundance of trails but also with amenities like water spigots along every intersection, a coin-operated car wash, and a dump station.

16- Southington Offroad Park:

Located near Moraine, Ohio, the Southington offroad park offers dirt bike riding and four-wheeling that takes place on two main trails. These two trails can be easily described as green trail/blaze line beginner level trails.

They’re so easy to ride that just about anyone with a love for adventure will have a great time exploring them during their next visit to this park. This facility also includes bathroom facilities, picnic areas, and water spigots along every trail intersection within the actual offroad park itself. This sports complex offers a total of 31 trails.

17- Forbidden Zone Park:

Forbidden zone park lies on the outskirts of Akron, Ohio, and offers visitors an unparalleled experience for off-roading adventures.

Not only does this facility provide nearly every type of obstacle imaginable (including mud bogs) for four-wheelers to enjoy, but it also hosts various types of terrain that vary in difficulty level depending on what kind of trail you choose to ride during your visit there.

Although this is one of the more difficult offroad parks, beginners can still find trails suitable for their abilities thanks to the flat nature of most green trails here and how easy they are to navigate.

18- Tecumseh Trails:

Tecumseh trails is another offroad park that offers numerous green trail/blaze line beginner-level trails to enjoy, all of which are relatively easy to ride.

Throughout the journey down these trails, the scenery ranges from beautiful landscapes to challenging obstacles that require you to slow down to traverse them successfully.

This means that beginners will have no trouble finding trails suitable for their abilities here. Remember that your vehicle must be street legal before you come here, as the rules of this facility state that visitors must follow certain guidelines when it comes to what kind of vehicle they bring with them.

19- Heiney Farm:

Located near New Paris, Ohio, Heiney Farm is home to one of the more difficult trails in this area. Although there are multiple green trails/blaze line beginner-level trails at Heiney farm, none of them contain obstacles that require you to slow down to successfully navigate them as they do at Tecumseh Trails (although there are some challenging elements along these routes).

More experienced riders will love the White Trail, the only intermediate trail offered here. It can be fairly challenging for beginners who tackle it without any previous experience on off-road vehicles.

20- Powerline Park:

Located near Springfield, Ohio, powerline park offers four different types of off-road vehicle riding opportunities, including ATVs, dirt bikes, UTV’s and 4×4 vehicles.

The only type of trails currently available at this park is green trails which means they’re beginner-level trails (although there are some challenging elements along these routes).

Because the main purpose of this offroad park is to provide facilities for dirt bike riding, most people who visit here will have a blast on the numerous green trails that can be found throughout this facility – remember that you must bring your vehicle with you as this facility does not rent out any equipment.

Also Read:

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