Roco’s Adventures in Ross County: Buzzard’s Roost

ROSS COUNTY— Meet Roco, a 7-year-old rescue dog from Columbus, who loves to play with tennis balls, go on long hikes and take naps with a warm blanket. Although Roco loved going on hikes in parks near his old hometown like Blacklick Woods Metro Park and A.W. Marion State Park, he has yet to visit a park in Ross County since moving here in January.

Reporter Megan Becker and her rescue dog, Roco, at Chestnut Ridge Metro Park in Carroll, OH on June 5, 2020.

Coined as Ohio’s Appalachian playground, Ross County has five state parks, one national park and a variety of city and county parks in between. Roco and his owner, reporter Megan Becker, aim to explore each one and document the experience.

Do you want to explore a local park, but want to know what to expect before going? This is the series for you. We’ll break down the terrain, if it is dog and child friendly, the length of the trail and more, including history from park representatives.

Although Megan will document the experience using words, Roco, unfortunately, does not have thumbs nor the ability to type on a computer. Instead, he will document his hike on a camera attached to his harness.

Late afternoon on March 5, Roco and I ventured into the preserve with high expectations― the park is acclaimed in the county for being a highlight of the park district. Park marketing coordinator Colleen McCord said the Southpoint Lookout trail in Buzzard’s Roost is “the spot,” in Ross County.

“If I have friends in town, they’re like ‘We want to do a hike. We want to see what you have to offer here,'” McCord said. “I always take them to Southpoint Lookout trail.”

Ross County park district project manager Erin Stanely described the Earl H. Barnhart “Buzzard’s Roost” Nature Preserve as the district’s capstone. She said the trails are some of her favorite in the area due to the history and the scenic views.

Despite the parking lot full of about a dozen vehicles, the preserve was dead silent when we arrived. There was a great sitting area located right next to the parking lot (mental note, bring a picnic here on a sunny day).

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First, we took the Southpoint Lookout trail, a two-mile trail advertised to have scenic views. A prominent sign read to watch for dangerous cliffs, a great warning for my over-adventurous dog. There are no guardrails or fences blocking off the cliffs.

“With dogs, you would just absolutely be careful. It’s with children too,” Stanley said. “It can be a little hazardous.”

Ranger Joe Bost said the elevation at South Point is about 975 feet.

The trail was prominently marked with red on the trees along the path. As someone who is directionally challenged and often gets lost on hikes, I was able to follow the path without any trouble.

There were two alternative trails along the Southpoint Lookout trail, the Blueberry and the Chilo, that were shortcuts to the scenic spots of the preserve. Roco and I opted for the long route.

The dirt trail was mostly clear with a few fallen trees on the path. Great for my dog with a great vertical jump, possibly challenging for those with mobility issues. Overall, the path was terrific and didn’t have many steep inclines. I never had to take a break to catch my breath after going up a steep hill.

The trails were mostly dirt, but there were a few short paths that were gravel or wood chips. Bost said there are 250 species of plants, flowers and ferns in the woods with many different ecosystems throughout the large preserve.

Look up for a chance to see the preserve’s namesake, two species of buzzards that call the roost home.

The Paint Creek Gorge was breathtaking. The type of place that makes you feel small. The trail takes you along the outskirts of the gorge where you can see amazing rock formations and waterfalls. There is nothing like the sound of water trickling down a few hundred feet.

Roco and reporter Megan Becker on the Southpoint Lookout trail at Buzzard’s Roost on March 5, 2023.

Roco loved to drink from the stream and get his paws wet. There were plenty of spots to take a break and take in the views of the gorge.

We ran into about a dozen people on our walk, a perfect amount for enjoying nature but not feeling like I’m in the middle of nowhere.

Next, we took the Hoggard trail, Buzzard Roost’s longest trail. The 2.25-mile trail was a more challenging hike with steeper inclines and more mud to avoid. However, the beautiful natural bathtub and the bright yellow daffodils dotting the trail made it well worth it.

Stanley said the flowers were planted over 150 years ago and continue to bloom every year. Bost offers a walking tour throughout the spring and summer, with a senior walk scheduled for March 29 at 10:30 a.m. and a wildflower walk scheduled for April 29 at noon. Touring the trail with Bost, a retired history teacher, was an unforgettable experience filled with must-know park district history.

It took me just over two hours to hike both trails. Although shorter, the Southpoint trail took me about 15 minutes longer to walk than the Hoggard trail- most likely because I stopped a few times to enjoy the scenic cliffs.

There are also two recently constructed docks and ponds at Buzzards Roost that are wheelchair accessible. Trail master Deven Atkinson said the park district is in discussion to make the Blueberry Trail a fully ADA-compliant trail.

Countless times in the past I have missed notable places on trails because I unknowingly passed it. Both trails made it easy to spot any significant places, including the historical camp and the Hoggard Cemetary which has graves from the 1800s.

Buzzards Roost used to be full of homesteads over 200 years ago. Bost said one cabin was taken down about four years ago, but the material from the home was saved to be reconstructed near the shelter house. Other farming equipment was also recovered from the woods and taken to the historic camp.

When I went, I didn’t spot a single piece of litter or graffiti. Bost said the cleanliness of the park is “not by accident.”

Buzzards Roost is located at 514 Red Bird Lane. The park district is holding an open house at Buzzards Roost to celebrate its 30-year anniversary on Saturday, April 1 from noon to 6 p.m. at the shelter house. Participants can learn more about the preserve, enjoy food, build a birdhouse, see a historical camp demonstration and hike the park.

Roco’s Adventures in Ross County is a series following reporter Megan Becker and her dog, Roco, on hikes and walks through parks in Chillicothe and Ross County.

For a video of Roco’s point of view on the hike, go online to Chillicothegazette.com.

Megan Becker is a reporter for the Chillicothe Gazette. Call her at 740-349-1106, email her at mbecker@gannett.com or follow her on Twitter @BeckerReporting

This article originally appeared on Chillicothe Gazette: Roco’s Adventures in Ross County: Buzzard’s Roost