Archer’s fork trailhead is remote, but offers some nice hiking and upland forest habitat birding (and as such, a scope is probably not needed). Be warned that there are no facilities of any sort at the trail head, and the parking area is a little clostrophobic. There is a 19th century cemetery adjacent to the parking area.

The most obvious hike is to the natural bridge, located about one mile from the parking area. The trail passes the cemetery to follow a ridge line for a short while where pine trees are abundant and pine warblers are common in the Spring. The trail then descends the ridge to a cave located behind a waterfall, and then traverses a hillside to the natural bridge.

This 14-mile loop has its trailhead and parking in Ludlow Township but loops through Independence and Grandview Townships. There is an average 5% grade with several 500-foot changes in altitude. The western half of the loop shares the Buckeye Trail and Archers Fork is connected to the Shay Ridge, 9 Bell and Jackson Run Trails. Parking is at St. Patrick’s Cemetery Trailhead (N39° 31.420′ W81° 10.860′).  From Matamoras, take OH-260 North for 8 miles, then left on T-34 to left on T-411 to Cemetery and Trailhead.

The Wayne National Forest is located in the hills of southeastern Ohio. This small national forest, in the heart of the heavily populated Midwest, covers almost a quarter million acres of Appalachian foothills. The Wayne is divided into three blocks administered by two Ranger Districts at Athens and Ironton. A field office is also located east of Marietta.

Visitors to national forest lands are welcome to camp, hike, hunt, and fish. The Forest boundaries surround a checkerboard pattern of ownership, with public and private ownership interspersed. There are over 300 miles of trails in the Forest for hiking, all-terrain vehicle (ATV) riding, mountain biking, or horseback riding.