Belmont County: Nature, Routes and History

Old-growth forests, natural areas and historic transportation structures give Belmont County a wide range of ways to explore. Nature-related activities include hiking, birdwatching and enjoying the waterways; museums and preserved buildings tell stories of transportation, agriculture and industry. You can shape your stay around the experiences that interest you.

Nature and Waterways

Dysart Woods covers 455 acres, including 55 acres of old-growth forest. It has been designated a National Natural Landmark by the U.S. Department of the Interior. The area is used for hiking and birdwatching and offers a place to experience nature up close.

Barkcamp State Park covers 1,005 acres in the sandstone hills of Belmont County’s Appalachian Plateau. Facilities include a boat and kayak launch ramp, a 700-foot beach, multi-use trails and a walk-through archery course. Along the Storybook Trail, a children’s story is presented in sections as you hike. This gives you a choice of activities centered on water, trails and nature in one place.

Egypt Valley Wildlife Area spans 14,300 acres. Visitors can hike, watch birds, take photographs and go sightseeing there. The area is accessible via I-70 and State Route 800 near Piedmont.

Captina Creek is home to one of Ohio’s last breeding populations of the state-endangered Eastern Hellbender. The Captina Creek Birding Trail is a self-guided driving tour, with signs at five stops throughout the creek’s watershed. Northern Parulas have been spotted at Raven Rocks along the trail. Another way to explore is the Captina Creek Aquatic Trail: a driving route along State Route 148 from Powhatan Point to State Route 800 south of Barnesville.

Piedmont Lake has a 10-horsepower motor limit. Fish species found there include musky, saugeye, bass, various sunfish species and catfish.

Historic Routes and Structures

The National Road was the first long-distance highway in the United States to be planned and funded at the federal level. It connected the East Coast with the Old Northwest Territory. The section in Belmont County is 28.5 miles long and runs from Bridgeport to Fairview. The Belmont County Heritage Trail has a different focus: this self-guided driving tour passes through the Blaine, Martins Ferry and Bellaire areas and presents the transportation, agricultural and industrial heritage that shaped Belmont County.

The Blaine Hill “S” Bridge is located on the original section of the Historic National Road that crossed Ohio between 1826 and 1828. It is the longest and last surviving S-bridge on the six-state Historic National Road. The bridge is 345 feet long, with a 6.3 percent grade on the route from east to west. The Ohio River Scenic Byway also provides a geographic guide: in Belmont County, it passes through Powhatan Point, Shadyside, Bridgeport, Martins Ferry and Yorkville.

The Great Stone Viaduct has 43 sandstone arches and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. Since October 2022, a 20-arch section has been open to the public as a walking path with a viewpoint and plaza. Each structure and route offers a distinct perspective, from a historic long-distance highway and its bridges to a walking path beside a viaduct.

Museums, Architectural History and Traditions

Construction of the Belmont County Victorian Mansion Museum began in 1888 and was completed in 1893. Visits are available year-round by appointment; please confirm this visiting requirement before your trip. The Belmont County Heritage Museum is housed in a former sheriff’s residence that served that purpose from 1890 to 1976. A tour through eight rooms takes you through the communities of the county.

The Underground Railroad Museum in Flushing has a collection of 8,000 objects. In 2023, the museum was added to Ohio’s Underground Railroad Historic Trail. The Watt Center for History and the Arts features exhibits on the history of coal mining, as well as the region’s economy, industry and agriculture. The Great Western Schoolhouse, built in 1870, offers another connection to the past.

The Black Horse Inn began as a smaller building around 1807 and was later expanded; Duncan Morrison’s tavern was located there. During the Civil War, it is said to have been part of the Underground Railroad.

If you’d like to plan your trip around a recurring fall event, the Barnesville Pumpkin Festival takes place every year on the last full weekend in September. The program includes fall-themed arts and crafts, homemade food, entertainment, the weighing of prize-winning pumpkins, contests and a parade. Individual events may change, so check the dates and program before your trip.

Discover more destinations: St. Clairsville, Bethesda, Cuyahoga County, Warren, Pike County, Union, Licking, Logan

For the main travel overview: Ohio.