Chillicothe, Ohio produces a fair amount of the nation's paper. The town reminds me a lot of Tacoma, Washington thanks to the odor of the pulp of the fresh cut trees that will soon be turned to paper. Fortunately for Chillicothe, unlike Tacoma, which is known for its "aroma of Tacoma", there are really no words that rhyme with Chillicothe.
Thanks to the paper mills, there is a network of unofficial trails and logging roads that can make some great hiking, especially when you combine them with the steep knobs the area is known for. The knobs produce some steep climbs that tower 250 to 300 feet in elevation at over 20 percent grade.
The trails offer many surprises, such as this wet weather waterfall found near Windy Ridge Road.
Of course, the reality of the paper mills also exist as these beautiful forests are clear cut in the fall. They cut them as close to winter as they can because there is less sap in the trees. Unfortunately, a beautiful hike can turn into something resembling a strange lunar like landscape of what appears to be total destruction. While the neighbors don't like it, it does appear the paper company does replant the trees as you see many young conifers in mass in some sections of the trails. Neighbors can tell when they are getting ready to clear an area thanks to the new markings on the trees. They know there deer hunting spots will soon be destroyed for a few seasons.
The views at the top of the knobs are worth the challenging steep hike. Just be sure to wear footwear that supports your ankles. You can see for miles into the Scioto Valley across some other magnificent knobs. The geographic features of the area makes for some challenging hikes, since these are considered the foothills of the Appalachians.
