Tobacco Barn Hollow Preserve
Tobacco Barn Hollow Preserve is located deep in the heart of the Appalachian hill country that spans the shared border between Ross and Pike Counties and has been part of the Arc of Appalachia Preserve System since 2007. The preserve is named after a deep ravine, Tobacco Barn Hollow, or “Backer Barn Hollow” as we call it locally, which lies in a remote, roadless heartland of Pike State Forest. The ravine is nestled between two ridges – Mitchell Ridge and Robinette Ridge – and boasts dramatic 500-foot elevation changes between ridgetops and valley floors. The larger region protects some of the best wildlife in the state. The Arc focuses on purchasing private forest inholdings and adjacent properties to further expand this large block of conserved land.
Trails under development:
The Arc’s land stewardship team is currently working on developing public hiking trails at Sugarbush Hill and Canebrake Ridge. Both are scheduled to open in spring, 2025. Please check back for updates!
Sugar Bush Hill protects a hillside of rich forests
These two well-nourished spotted salamanders discovered at Tobacco Barn Hollow - Photo by Andrea Jaeger
Following the old sugar bush road, lined with towering old trees
Stone-bottomed creek lines the boundary of Sugar Bush Hill
Sugar Bush Hill's rich spring wildflowers. Photo by Elijah Crabtree
North American Racer found at Tobacco Barn Hollow - Photo By Brit Wood
Dwarf Crested Iris
Preserving a wilderness of wildlife. The Arc’s Tobacco Barn Hollow Preserve is located deep in the heart of the Appalachian hill country, spanning the shared border between Ross and Pike Counties. The larger rectangular region in which the preserve is embedded can be described as US-50 on the north (between Bainbridge and Chillicothe); OH-124 on the south (between Latham and Idaho); Chaparral Road on the west; and OH-772 on the east. The land inside these boundaries is entirely dominated by steep hills and heavily canopied forests.
Fragmentation of forests and habitat destruction drives biodiversity decline in this region, just as it does all over the globe. Although Pike State Forest is 12,531 acres in size, it is made up of 13 irregular and non-contiguous blocks of land with numerous privately-held inholdings. It is well documented by field research that the larger the size of a contiguous block of forest, the better a forest community can hold onto its complex of plants and animals. The Arc’s Tobacco Barn Hollow Preserve was founded with the purpose of acquiring State Forest inholdings and lands adjacent to the State Forest to better protect the flora and fauna of its forest communities.
The preserve has been formed through six acquisitions to date.
Visitor Service Development. Trails are in Tobacco Barn Hollow Preserve’s future. In addition to the trails currently under development at Canebrake Ridge, we also have plans to work collaboratively with the Buckeye Trail to create a hiking trail on Sugarbush Hill that will be open to the general public. The trail will invite hikers following the Buckeye Trail’s designated route down Morgan Fork Road, to take a pause from walking the road to enjoy a short walk in a beautiful woods. Watch for upcoming announcements on Volunteer Workdays to install the trail. We’d love to have your helping hands.