Adventure Advisor:

Less than an hour’s drive from you is the Shawnee State Forest (614-858-6685), home to some very fine overnight hikes. I’d suggest tackling the Shawnee Backpack Trail, a 60-mile loop that meanders through hilly acres of oak, maple and sassafras. The whole route takes five to six days, with primitive campsites every six miles or so. If time is a factor, you might want to consider splitting the trek over two weekends, doing the North Loop (23 miles) and South Loop (29 miles) as separate excursions. Although the best time to go is fall, when the foliage is technicolor, the trail is beautiful year-round.

A tad further to the east is the Wayne National Forest, lying at the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. Here you’ll find 200,000 acres of wilderness to explore, including numerous lakes, streams and rivers. Call the local forest service at 614-592-6644 for more information on multi-day hikes and camping options throughout the forest.

And finally, I’d suggest picking up a copy of Fifty Hikes in Ohio (The Countryman Press, 800-245-4151) for further exploration of your new home state.