Shop our Store
Great Seal State Park Hiking Trail Pictures Movie

Great Seal State Park Hiking Trail Pictures Movie

Great Seal State Park Hiking Pictures Movie

Great Seal State Park is located in Ross County Ohio. Twenty-two miles of trails are available to hikers, mountain bikers, and horsemen. The terrain varies from steep to gently rolling. It is advised that horses and hikers be well conditioned for these trails. The Sugarloaf Mountain Trail (yellow), 2.1 miles, climbs through dense maple-dominated forests to the crest of Sugarloaf. This loop is short and rises almost 500 feet in less than a quarter mile.

Shawnee Ridge Trail (blue), 7.8 miles, comprises Bald Hill, Sand Hills and parts of Rocky Knob. Several steep sections are part of this forested trail.
Mt. Ives Trail (orange), 6.4 miles, winds along Mt. Ives and provides several scenic vistas. The trail is strenuous.

For Great Seal State Park Hiking Trail Pictures In Order Click Here
Three hiking trails (Grouse Rock, Spring Run and Picnic Loop) are available. The Spring Run Trail may be used for cross-country skiing when weather conditions permit.

A scenic picnic area offers water, latrines, playground equipment, disc golf course, and shelterhouse. The picnic area and vista shelterhouses may be reserved for a fee.

Nature of the Area:
Ancient history is recorded in the sandstone hills that comprise Great Seal State Park. It lies upon the Appalachian escarpment, a line of hills stretching across Ohio's mid section which outline the edge of the Appalachian plateau in the state. North and west of the line are glaciated plains while south and east rugged hills extend to the foothills of the mountains. This definition is obvious from the trails in the park where one can see Columbus on a clear day to the north and unbroken forested ridges to the south.

These sharply etched ridges harbor a fine stand of hardwoods. Due to the underlying rock strata, one unexpectedly finds chestnut oaks on the slopes and sugar maples on the crests of the hills where the opposite are more common. Spring wildflowers are abundant in the moist coves, while papaws and persimmons entice wildlife in autumn.

History of the Area:
Great Seal State Park is located just north of the town of Chillicothe where the history of Ohio and the culture of the Indian shroud the land. In the mid to late 1700s, the Scioto River Valley was the home of the Shawnee. Three Shawnee towns, all named Chillicothe, were located just below the hills that comprise Great Seal State Park. North of here was the intersection of five major Indian trails. The Scioto River was utilized by the Shawnee as their primary means of transportation from one village to another. The great Shawnee warrior Tecumseh was born north of here near what is now Circleville. Not far from the park is where Logan, chief of the Mingoes, gave his most eloquent speech ending his vengeance against the white settlers for murdering all his relatives.

The first settlers came to the area in the 1790s. In 1796, General Nathaniel Massie, a well-known surveyor and woodsman, organized the settlement of the Scioto Valley by laying out on his own land the beautiful town of Chillicothe. Chillicothe was the first capital of the new state of Ohio from 1803 to 1810. (The capital was moved to Zanesville from 1811 to 1812 and then back to Chillicothe until it was permanently moved to Columbus in 1816.)

The park takes its name from the state emblem, "The Great Seal of the State of Ohio." The famous seal depicts a sheaf of wheat representing Ohio's agricultural strength and a bundle of seventeen arrows shows Ohio to be the 17th state to enter the Union. The mountains and rising sun signify that Ohio was one of the first states west of the Alleghenies. The Scioto River flows between Mount Logan and the cultivated fields in the foreground. The design is said to have been the cooperative inspiration of Thomas Worthington, "Father of Ohio Statehood;" Edward Tiffin, the first governor; and William Creighton, first secretary of state. After an all-night meeting at "Adena," the magnificent estate of Worthington, they viewed the sun rising over Mt. Logan and the hills of what is now Great Seal State Park thus inspiring the scene of the Great Seal of the State of Ohio.

Area Attractions:
Nearby are Scioto Trail State Park which is located south of Chillicothe off State Route 23, Lake White State Park which is located near Waverly on State Route 220, and Tar Hollow State Park and State Forest which are located off State Route 327 near the Ross-Hocking-Vinton county lines. ODNR Division of Wildlife manages Ross Lake Wildlife Area off Lick Run Road. The area provides many recreational opportunities including hunting, fishing, boating, hiking, disc golf, nature study and bird watching.

The famous outdoor historical drama, Tecumseh!, is presented late June through early September at Sugarloaf Mountain Amphitheater. Adena State Memorial, the restored home of Thomas Worthington is one of The Ohio Historical Society's premier sites. It includes Worthington's newly-restored 1807 mansion and a 13,000 square foot Museum/Visitor Center.

The Ross County Historical Society at 45 W. Fifth Street in Chillicothe features exhibits of pioneer crafts, firearms, furniture, toys and clothing. The museum is open March through November.

One mile north of Chillicothe on State Route 104 is the Mound City/Hopewell Culture Group National Historical Park. The area is a prehistoric Indian complex of 23 burial mounds. A museum and visitor's center are open daily.