Bean Ridge
MD Edmonds
The Whipple Section is one of the less populated sections of the Buckeye Trail. There are no resupply facilities along the trail. Those nearest to the trail are located in Caldwell and Marietta. The extraction industries dominate industrial activity. The section lies entirely within the unglaciated, highly dissected Appalachian Plateau. Whipple Section begins on a dirt road on a lonesome, wooded ridge in Washington County at an elevation of 1081 ft and undulates about 10,000 ft as it descends to its destination at an elevation of 682 ft on a dirt road in the lonesome, wooded valley of Onion Run. Along the way, the trail either visits or skirts the sleepy communities of Caywood, Crooked Tree, Hackney, Macksburg, Warner and Whipple in the Duck Creek Valley. You can grab a hamburger at either of 2 restaurants, a bar on the trail in Whipple and a small restaurant just off the trail near the I 77 exit at Macksburg.
CW | CCW | Pt | |
---|---|---|---|
0.0 N |
2.8 S |
12 | Reeds Run Rd (T331) at Berg Church Rd (T332) From the S end of this extended, triangular intersection (a road sign on its highest corner), exit Reed's Run Rd. Bear N onto Berg Church Rd. After 0.9 mi, BT turns W onto Nichols Rd (T329). To get to Halfhill Campsite, continue N on Berg Church Rd past a surprisingly large cemetery and the still active church (400’). Berg Church Rd ends after 100’. Turn E onto Nichols Rd (T329), which reappears as a poorly maintained track, and descend. After 0.3 mi, Nichols Rd ends at Whipple Run Rd (T24). Follow Whipple Run Rd generally N as it meanders across Whipple Run (500') and passes Offenberger Rd (T518, 250', exits E). |
1.1 ESE |
1.8 S |
A | Whipple Run Rd (T24) at Trail to Halfhill Campsite Location: 39.50815N, 81.39542W. From here, a trail leaves the road ESE. The trail meanders over and around a very low ridge. After 0.16 mi, reach the Halfhill Campsite, located at 39.50866N, 81.39324W. Use of this primitive campsite is free for backpackers. Follow minimum impact methods. Purify water from the stream downhill just 100' away. Notify the Owner at when you will be at the site. To return to the trail at the next point, head N on Whipple Run Rd. After 400', pass a side-road, T517, that exits WNW. Continue past Becker Rd (T38, 0.24 mi, exits N) as Whipple Run Rd turns N. After 0.14 mi, pass T517 that returns from the S. After 0.5 mi, cross Whipple Run and, soon, pass Whitely Rd (T522, 400', exits SW). After 0.6 mi, rejoin the BT on Kohl Rd (T391). Turn N across Whipple Run and enter Whipple. |
2.8 S |
0.0 E |
13 | Kohl Rd (T24) at SR821 in Whipple This is the end of the Halfhill Campsite Log. |
CW | CCW | Pt | |
---|---|---|---|
0.0 S |
57.6 N |
1 | BT at County Road Nine (C9) The WHIPPLE SECTION of BT begins here. The trail immediately CCW (N) is described in the ROAD FORK SECTION. This site is also the northern trailhead for the Scenic River Trail. BT heads SW essentially parallel to County Road Nine. In 500', BT turns generally S along ridge for 2500' before dropping into an intercepting reentrant that joins valley of an intermittent tributary to Reas Run. In 3200', BT crosses stream and meanders up another ridge, sometimes steeply, first W, then S and finally NW to summit the ridge (2100'). BT follows ridge S 1300' before beginning descent, more or less steeply, to a second tributary to Reas Run (4200'). BT meanders generally NW up first a reentrant and later a hogback onto Bell Ridge. |
2.9 W |
54.7 E |
2 | County Road Nine (C9) NE of Deucher BT continues on gated skid road now W and circles former community of Deucher. Trail crosses several skid roads. In 2600', BT crosses paved Archer's Fork Rd (C14) and meanders generally W along Pine Ridge just N of Independence Chapel and Cemetery. In 2800', BT joins County Road Nine and continues W along Pine Ridge. In 3700' with a slight climb in view, BT leaves County Road Nine onto footpath heading NW. In 1000', footpath joins a skid road that meanders generally N. In 2600', BT comes to a fork in the skid road and turns W. In 200', BT turns N onto footpath that meanders along ridge before it descends, sometimes steeply with switchbacks, into valley of intermittent tributary to the Archer's Fork. |
6.1 W |
51.3 E |
A | BT at Big Run Rd (T414) Big Run Rd is unmarked. It looks more like a driveway than a road. Big Run Rd exits S from Archer's Fork Rd 2.7 miles E of SR 26. The trail intersection is 650' S of Archer's Fork Rd. Several cars can park off the road with care. BT ascends W to ridgeline at average 11% grade (3100') and then descends to a fork of Oxbow Run at an average grade of 18% (1500'). BT continues W across two intermittent tributaries to Oxbow Run. At a third stream, also tributary to Oxbow Run, BT ascends steeply to Chandler Rd (T381) in 2100' (13%). BT heads W out ridge for 600' and then descends S through two deep reentrants to tributary of Bear Run (3100'). BT crisscrosses stream W before climbing a tad S to avoid houses. |
8.9 W |
47.7 E |
4 | BT at Bear Run Rd (C25) BT ascends valley slowly. About 350' after crossing an intermittent stream, BT climbs 16% grade to a promontory off Bean Ridge (1200') and continues W across Brooks Rd (T94, 3500'). BT undulates generally WNW for 1900' through woods. |
10.2 W |
47.4 E |
5 | Brooks Rd (T94) and McCain Hill Rd (T382) BT heads W on Brooks Rd. In 190', BT joins footpath that exits NW and undulates generally W on Bean Ridge parallel to Brooks Rd. In 6200' on a promontory that juts from Bean Ridge to NE, BT descends NW. In 2000' after a knee-busting drop (20 %!), BT reaches the flood plain of the Little Muskingum R and meanders generally W along river. In 6000', BT reaches a switchback at an intermittent stream in a deep reentrant. From here, BT meanders and undulates generally SE through several ascent/descents with a maximum elevation change about 200' (28%). |
14.3 S |
43.3 NE |
6 | BT at Brooks Rd (T94) BT joins Brooks Rd near a ravine filled with junk. Heading generally S, Brooks Rd descends into valley of Cow Run. In 2700', at end of Brooks Rd, BT joins Cow Run Rd (T19) and heads W through farms past Star Rd (T1445, exits N), past Laurel Hill Rd (3300', T302, exits S) and across the Little Muskingum R (180'). |
15.5 W |
42.1 E |
7 | Cow Run Rd (T19) at SR 26 Note interesting cemeteries on NE corner as well as on N side of SR 26. BT joins SR 26 heading SW. In 1250', BT leaves SR 26 and heads NW onto Little Eightmile Rd (T131). As Little Eightmile Rd turns more N (339'), BT continues NW now on Tittle Run Rd (T43) that climbs through an interesting reentrant. |
17.2 E |
40.4 SE |
8 | Tittle Run Rd (T43) at Pleasant Ridge Rd (C17) In 7500', BT emerges at the end of Tittle Run Rd onto Pleasant Ridge Rd (C17) that heads W past Morris Rd (6100', T334, exits S) |
19.2 W |
48.4 E |
9 | Pleasant Ridge Rd (C17) at Grub Rd (T335) In 4200', BT turns sharply N onto Grub Rd and descends into valley of Duck Creek. |
20.3 W |
37.3 E |
10 | Grub Rd (T335) at Caywood Rd (C16) BT turns NE on Caywood Rd. In 2500', BT crosses Killwell Run. BT continues NE on Caywood Rd past Killwell Run Rd (300', T331, exits E). In 6200', BT crosses Sugar Run and continues on Caywood Rd now NW past Sugar Run Rd (290', T37, exits E) and Collins Rd (500', T491, exits N). BT continues on Caywood Rd, now W, across Hoff Run (2900') near outskirts of Stanleyville. |
23.0 N |
34.6 E |
11 | Caywood Rd (C16) at Stanleyville Rd (C42) BT turns N on Stanleyville, etc. |