Archers Fork Loop

Wayne National Forest, Marietta Unit (near New Matamoras)

The Archers Fork Loop climbs and drops through the ravines of the Wayne National Forest’s Marietta Unit in Washington County. The Forest Service’s 2015 trail brochure calls it “possibly the Wayne’s most scenic section of the NCT, and is also among the most rugged and unique,” and its trail page highlights the Irish Run Natural Bridge and a rockshelter.

There are no designated campsites, but the loop is lined with established spots, and part of it follows the North Country and Buckeye trails.

The hike

The primary trailhead is beside the historic St. Patrick’s Cemetery, according to the brochure. Great American Hikes, in a 2023 trip report by Dan Wagner, says the lot holds about six vehicles and that the kiosk in its corner is not the trailhead; the trail starts just left of the cemetery, and a signed junction at 0.35 mile begins the loop. Mileages below follow his counterclockwise route.

At 0.55 mile, a 100-foot spur leads to the Great Cave, which the brochure lists among several rock shelters along the trail. Around 1.3 miles, another short spur reaches the 50-foot Irish Run Natural Bridge; Hiking Project notes it isn’t visible from the main loop. Wagner then passes the remains of an old oil pump shed around 3.5 miles and an abandoned white house at 3.7. BackpackOhio says the area’s first oil wells were drilled in 1860.

The biggest climb comes after the third stream crossing, around mile 4.4: about a mile up, the longest and steepest ascent on the loop, per Great American Hikes. Near Township Road 58 the trail seems to vanish, and hikers follow the gravel road right for a quarter mile to pick it up again. Around 7.3 miles the loop meets the North Country Trail and descends toward Jackson Run, where most of the water and the best camps are. A second mile-long climb of about 300 feet follows mile 8.5.

BackpackOhio counts four steep climbs of about 300 feet and says the route is generally well marked; Hiking Project mentions wooden signs at intersections, yellow blazes, rock gardens, and switchbacks. Great American Hikes warns of no cell coverage and says this is a forest hike for solitude rather than big views. BackpackOhio lists bear, turkey, bobcat, and coyote, plus copperheads and timber rattlesnakes in warmer months.

The loop can be stretched. BackpackOhio says connections to the 9 Bell, Scenic River, Greenwood, and Buckeye trails make loops up to about 30 miles. Mountain bikes share the trail from mid-April through mid-December (Forest Service).

For another Wayne National Forest loop with dispersed camping, see Wildcat Hollow.

Tips

Download maps first. Great American Hikes reports no cell service on the loop.
Carry water or a plan for it. The Forest Service advises against drinking the forest’s stream water because of past mining.
Bring camp shoes for the stream crossings; one can mean taking boots off.
Keep fires out of rock shelters and at least 150 feet from the trail.
Wear blaze orange in deer season.
Expect mountain bikers between mid-April and mid-December.

Camping

Camping is allowed anywhere on the Wayne National Forest except in developed recreation areas, where you must use designated sites, per the Forest Service brochure. Don’t cut vegetation, keep campfires 150 feet from any trail and out of rock shelters, burn only dead and down wood, and dig cat holes at least 200 feet from water, camp, and trails. Portable stoves are recommended, and groups larger than 25 need a permit. No permit or fee is needed otherwise (BackpackOhio, Great American Hikes).

Inside Intel: Great American Hikes rates the site at about mile 8.2 (counterclockwise) as the best on the loop: set back from the trail on a pine-needle floor, with the largest fire ring on the route, stone and log benches, and Jackson Run about 50 feet away. The author also likes the site at mile 10.1, a dozen feet above Jackson Run, though an old gas line and a rusted tank sit about 100 feet upstream.

Trail facts

Distance: 14 miles (Forest Service); 11 to 14.5 miles in other sources
Route type: Loop
Difficulty: Strenuous
Campsites: Dispersed; many established sites, especially along Jackson Run
Water: Streams such as Jackson Run; the Forest Service advises carrying your own
Permits: None (groups over 25 need one)
Fires: 150 feet from trails; none in rock shelters
Trailhead: St. Patrick’s Cemetery, off Ohio 260 north of New Matamoras
Last verified: October 17, 2026

The Lowdown

No campfires in the Great Cave:

The Forest Service bans fires in rock shelters like the ones on Archers Fork and wants them 150 feet from the trail, so a stove makes the easier kitchen. See the stoves testers rate.

See what testers chose →

Where this comes from

This page draws on the sources below, along with other guides and trip reports. Links go to the original pages.

Before you go: This page is based on published trail guides, trip reports, and reviews, along with official park and agency information where we could find it. It’s meant to help backpackers discover new trails, not to replace current, official information. Conditions, closures, permits, campsites, and water sources change, and some details here may be out of date or wrong. Confirm everything with the managing agency and check current conditions before you head out, and don’t rely on this page alone for safety or navigation. Backcountry travel involves risk.