Photo Provided Captina Conservancy kicks off its 2025 hiking series with people venturing into Dysart Woods, where visitors can see trees that are more than 300 years old.

BELMONT — Hikers can venture into Dysart Woods to see trees that are more than 300 years old as part of Captina Conservancy’s new hiking series.

The hikes into Dysart Woods will be at 2 p.m. the first Sunday of every month at 61961 Dysart Woods Road, Belmont.

Dysart Woods Land protection specialist Marshall Dyer will lead the hikes with a couple other board members or volunteers scattered throughout the trek.

Dysart Woods is a 400-plus acre property containing 50 acres of old growth forest, according to Captina Conservancy’s website. The old-growth sections of the woods are home to mostly white and red oak trees, but they also have many large, old American beech and sugar maple specimens.

Ohio University used to own Dysart Woods, but Captina Conservancy acquired the woods in 2022 thanks to the help of the Clean Ohio Green Space Grant by the Ohio Public Works Commission.

This is a new hiking series for Captina Conservancy this year, with it hopefully extending for years to come depending on the turnout and response, Executive Director Ellie Ewing said. It’s launching this year because Dyer started his position at the end of last year, and this is part of his new role in protecting Dysart Woods.

The hikes, which are free to the public, will be 1.8 miles of uneven trails and steep hills that will go through two sections of old growth forest at Dysart Woods. Every month, a theme will highlight something new that’s happening in the woods that season. The next hike, April 6, will be “Signs of Spring.” Belmont County Tourism Council noted there are no restroom facilities at the woods, so visitors should plan accordingly.

Ewing said the themes highlighted could focus on different plants that are starting to emerge or what wildlife people can look for at different times of the year.

Depending on the mix of hikers who attend, if it’s a group of regulars or new people, Captina Conservancy will do a little background and brief introduction of Dysart and Captina Conservancy before the start of each hike. Throughout the course of the hike, Dyer will stop at different locations to point out items of interest.

Ewing will be at some of the hikes but won’t make it to all of them.

The conservancy recommends people bring a good pair of boots or sturdy tennis shoes for the uneven ground on the trails and hiking sticks for the steep hills.

The hikes will last about two hours and water will be provided, but people can bring snacks if they desire. Pets on a leash are also welcome.

“One of our goals is just to have a regular activity that people can just put on their calendar and know that it’s happening,” Ewing said. “It’s a nice way to help build community. You might be seeing the same people every month, get to know somebody new, and then also get to see the same woods as it changes throughout the course of the season.”

Ewing said people will get to see some trees you really can’t see anywhere else in this part of Ohio – or even elsewhere in the Appalachian region – including trees that are more than 300 years old in their natural environment.

“I think it’s really fun to have an opportunity to have a reason to visit the same place multiple times throughout the year. You learn to pay attention to small things, notice small changes,” Ewing said. “And it is such a pretty and unique environment. So it’s a really great place to plug in and reconnect with nature.”