Getting Oriented
Monday Creek sits in the hills of southeastern Ohio, north of Nelsonville and inside the Wayne National Forest's Athens Ranger District. At roughly 75 miles of designated trail it is the largest OHV system in the state. The land was strip-mined for coal into the 1960s, then reclaimed, and the trail network was built across that reworked ground. Eight trailheads feed the system. Five of them (Sycamore, Elm, Scarlet Oak, Red Oak, and White Oak) form the Dorr Run core off US 33; the Monday Creek, Long Ridge, and New Straitsville trailheads sit farther out. The Wayne staffs the district office on US 33 in Nelsonville at (740) 753-0101.
Trail Overview
The trails are cut narrow. Forest rules cap machines at 50 inches wide, which keeps the system to dirt bikes, ATVs, and slim side-by-sides and closes it to full-size 4x4s. Most of the tread runs as hardpack singletrack, fast and smooth in dry weather, with occasional berms, rock, and short stream crossings. The Forest Service marks and rates the loops, and the difficulty covers beginner connectors, intermediate mileage, and a handful of expert lines. Riders point to the Dorr Run Loop, Inner Door, and Purdum Loop as the tougher circuits; the Main Corridor threads the system and stacks the most climbing, and the New Straitsville Connector holds the steepest sustained grade. Elevations sit between about 650 and 1,100 feet, so the relief comes in repeated short climbs rather than long ones.
Points of Interest
- The Dorr Run cluster, the busiest access point, with loading ramps nearby at White Oak.
- Reclaimed strip-mine terrain from 1960s coal operations, still legible in the shape of the ground.
- The Monday Creek watershed, a long-running acid-mine-drainage restoration area where some streams run orange from old mine discharge.
- New Straitsville, a former coal town south of the trails with deep mining and labor history.
Where to Camp
The Wayne does not run a developed campground inside the Monday Creek system, so most riders base at private OHV-friendly campgrounds nearby, such as Begley's Campground, which also sells trail permits. Dispersed camping is allowed on parts of the surrounding national forest under Wayne rules; check current restrictions with the Athens Ranger District first. Burr Oak State Park to the northeast and the Hocking Hills area to the west add developed campgrounds and cabins within a short drive.
Permits and Regulations
Every rider and passenger 16 or older needs a Wayne OHV trail permit: $20 per person for three consecutive days or $35 per person for the season. Permits sell at Wayne offices, online, and at local vendors including Nelsonville gas stations and Begley's Campground, and a trail map comes with each permit. Machines must be registered as an APV, either through the rider's home state or a temporary Ohio APV registration, with the plate displayed. Helmets and eye protection are required, a USFS-approved spark arrester is mandatory, and exhaust noise cannot exceed 99 decibels at 20 inches. The season runs from the first Friday in April to the first Monday in December; the trails are closed to motorized use through winter and early spring.
Tips for a Safe and Enjoyable Trip
- Buy the permit and register the machine before you arrive; vendors and offices keep limited hours.
- Ride the marked trail. Off-trail ground can hide mine openings, subsidence, and highwalls.
- Skip the creeks as a water source; mine drainage makes them unsafe, so pack your own water.
- Time trips around rain. Wet clay turns the climbs slick and chews up the tread.
- Watch the calendar for fall hunting seasons and for the December closure date.
- Carry a tow strap, basic tools, and a way to call out; cell coverage is spotty in the hollows.
Fuel and Water
Nelsonville and New Straitsville have gas stations, food, and small stores, and several Nelsonville gas stations sell the Wayne trail permit. Logan (about 15 miles west) and Athens (about 15 miles south) are the larger towns for fuel, groceries, and lodging. Fill up and top off water before riding: there is no potable water at the trailheads, and the creeks crossing the system are affected by mine drainage, so they are not a backup source. Begley's Campground near the trails also sells permits and offers OHV-friendly camping.
Nearby
Hocking Hills State Park, with Old Man's Cave and Ash Cave, is about 30 minutes west and makes an easy rest-day. New Straitsville carries a deep coal-mining history, including underground mine-fire lore and the labor history around Robinson's Cave. Nelsonville anchors the Hocking Valley Scenic Railway. Riders chasing more Wayne mileage can look south to the Ironton Ranger District, where the Pine Creek, Hanging Rock, and Superior OHV systems run on the same permit.
