I wrote in my newsletter article LAST month
that I would add some things to the "drives" section. So....
here I am just getting around to it! I'm not sure what rules/guidelines
you have in place for this section, but here are some items, see what you think.
I've noted good roads as well as round-trips to get you there and back.
Thanks!
- Scott
Fall Color Drive
Start: Rt 315 North at Powell Rd
Take Rt 315 North to Rt 23
Right (South) on Rt 23
Right onto Chapman Rd
Left on Hyatts Rd
Right onto Taggart Rd
Left on Home Rd
Right onto Perry Rd
Right on Orange Rd
Left on Rt 315 back to Powell Rd.
Follow the Scioto Drive (going to Prospect)
Start: Riverside Dr (Rt 257) at Glick Rd
Take Riverside Dr North to Rt 42
Cross Rt 42 and follow Klondike Rd.
Left at Rt 36
Right on Warren Rd
Right on Warrensburg Rd before you cross the
river
Left on Hodges Rd
Left on Rt 37
Right on River Rd and follow
Left to stay on River Rd at Watkins Rd
River Rd becomes Gast Rd at the Marion County
line
Left on Main St. (Rt 203) to go into Prospect
Grab some dinner or ice cream and reverse the
directions to get back
If you need a quicker way back, cross the river
and follow Rt 257 down the other side
Western Franklin / Eastern Madison County
Drive (Ice Cream / Der Dutchman)
Start: Rome-Hilliard Rd at I-70
South on Rome-Hilliard Rd to Feder Rd.
Right on Feder Rd to Amity Rd.
Right on Amity Rd and follow
Left on Scioto-Darby Rd.
Right on Smith-Calhoun Rd. (Creek Rd) before
you cross the creek and follow
Straight at Hayden Run Rd to stay on
Smith-Calhoun Rd
Straight at Amity Pike to stay on Smith-Calhoun
Rd
At big left-hand curve, road becomes Cemetery
Pike
Right on Plain City-Georgesville Rd. (Rt142)
into Plain City
Left at traffic light onto Rt161
(Good milkshakes on left at Dairy Freeze!)
Left at flashing yellow light to follow Rt 42
Pass Der Dutchman on left
Left on Converse-Huff Rd.
Right on Plain City-Georgesville Rd (Rt 142)
and follow
Pass Prarie Oaks Metro Park on left
Cross I-70
Left onto Roberts Rd IMMEDIATELY after I-70
Left at "Y" to stay on Roberts Rd.
Right on Amity Rd.
Left on Feder Rd to Rome-Hilliard Rd. and start
Good Roads
Rt 78 from Nelsonville to McConnelsville
Rt 374 and Rt 664 in Hocking Hills
Rt 555 from Zanesville to Belpre
Rt 26 east of Marietta
Bennington-Chapel Rd between Sunbury and Utica
St Rt 541 West of Coshocton
St Rt 79 North of Newark
St Rt 327 from Adelphi to Wellston
Hocking Hills Drive - added Oct 19, 2007
I've mentioned a few times that I've put together a neat drive thru the Hocking Hills and would like to do it as a drive with the club. Now, all we need are for the leaves to change and a nice day on a weekend! Hopefully, the two of those will come together soon. In case the weather doesn't cooperate, I'm sending the route out to everyone so you can take advantage of it anytime you like. With any luck, I'll be sending out a note in the next week or two with a date and a time, but if not, or if you want to do it on a different day, you have the route.
The route instructions are attached. Start to finish, with a stop for gas and lunch, is about a 5 hour trip. The route begins at the Bob Evans on Stringtown & I-71 in Grove City and ends up at Sumburger, an original 50's Drive-In restaurant in Chillicothe. The route uses side roads throughout Hocking Hills that you probably have not been on. Trust me, these are some seriously fun roads with some of the best scenic views you'll find. Let's hope the color is good! The scenery features ridge top views, hollows, trees arching over the roadway, deep woods and more. The route itself will keep you entertained with lots of curves, switchbacks, hills and crests. The best part is, these roads don't see much traffic, even on the weekend.
If you decide to go without me, let me know what you think of the route afterwards. I'd be interested in your feedback!
Enjoy!
- Scott
PS - If you want to run this yourself and come at it from Lancaster instead if Circleville, just follow these steps:
- Take Rt33 South/East and the 33 bypass around Lancaster
- Turn Right onto Rt374
- Rt374 merges with Rt180, begin following Rt180
- Turn Left onto Rt56 in Laurelville
- Start looking for Step #12 in the route I published
If you don't want to go all the way to Chillicothe, you can ignore Step #28, stay on Rt56, turn left on Rt374 and head back to Lancaster.
Enjoy!