Dysart Woods covers 455 acres, including 55 acres of old-growth forest, and 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 opportunities to experience nature up close. Captina Creek offers another view of wildlife: it is home to one of the last breeding populations of the Eastern Hellbender, a species listed as state endangered in Ohio.
Scenery and Wildlife Watching
Barkcamp State Park covers 1,005 acres in the sandstone hills of Belmont County’s Appalachian Plateau. Its facilities include a boat and kayak launch ramp, a 700-foot-long beach, multi-use trails and a walk-through archery course. Along the Storybook Trail, a children’s story unfolds in sections as you hike—a way of telling a story that reveals itself step by step.
The Captina Creek Birding Trail is a self-guided driving loop for birdwatching. Signs mark five stops in the creek’s watershed. Northern Parulas have been observed at Raven Rocks along the trail. The Egypt Valley Wildlife Area covers 14,300 acres and offers opportunities for hiking, birdwatching, photography and sightseeing. It can be reached via I-70 and State Route 800 near Piedmont.
Motorboats on Piedmont Lake are subject to a 10-horsepower limit. Fish you can catch there include musky, saugeye, bass, various species of sunfish and catfish. The motor limit and the fish species provide two specific points of reference for planning a stay at the lake.
Museums and Historic Places
Construction of the Belmont County Victorian Mansion Museum began in 1888 and was completed in 1893. Visits are available year-round by appointment. The Belmont County Heritage Museum is located in a former sheriff’s residence that served this purpose from 1890 to 1976. Across eight rooms, the museum takes visitors through the county’s communities.
In Flushing, the Underground Railroad Museum displays a collection of 8,000 objects. In 2023, it was included in Ohio’s Underground Railroad Historic Trail. The Watt Center for History and the Arts explores other regional themes through exhibits on the history of coal mining, as well as business, industry and agriculture. The Great Western Schoolhouse dates back to 1870.
Individual buildings also tell distinct stories: the Black Horse Inn was built around 1807 as a smaller structure and later expanded. It was the site of Duncan Morrison’s tavern; during the Civil War, it is believed to have been part of the Underground Railroad. The Shaeffer Campbell Covered Bridge was originally built in Fairfield County in 1891 and reconstructed at its present location in 1975. It is located at College Pond east of the campus.
Historic Roads and Structures
The National Road was the first federally planned and funded long-distance highway in the United States, connecting the East Coast with the Old Northwest Territory. Its section in Belmont County is 28.5 miles long and runs from Bridgeport to Fairview. The Blaine Hill “S” Bridge stands on the original section built through Ohio between 1826 and 1828. It is considered the longest and last surviving S-bridge on the six-state Historic National Road. It is 345 feet long and has a 6.3 percent grade from east to west.
The Great Stone Viaduct is on a different scale: its 43 sandstone arches earned it a place on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. A 20-arch section has been open to the public as a walking path with a scenic overlook and plaza since October 2022. The self-guided Belmont County Heritage Trail is a driving loop through the areas of Blaine, Martins Ferry and Bellaire, highlighting the heritage of transportation, agriculture and industry. In the county, the Ohio River Scenic Byway passes through Powhatan Point, Shadyside, Bridgeport, Martins Ferry and Yorkville.
A Fall Festival
The Barnesville Pumpkin Festival takes place every year on the last full weekend of September. The program includes fall-themed arts and crafts, homemade food and entertainment, as well as prize pumpkin weigh-ins, contests and a parade. Individual events may vary, but the festival’s annual fall timing offers a specific point of reference if you are planning a visit around it.
Discover More Destinations
St. Clairsville, Bethesda, Seneca County, Lucas County, Lorain, Madison, Hancock, Brown County
For the main travel overview: Ohio.
