Raven Rock State Nature Preserve sits two miles west of Portsmouth on a sandstone promontory about 500 feet above the Ohio River. The state keeps it permit-only and the permit is free, but the paperwork takes about two weeks. Plan it right and the payoff is a view that takes in Portsmouth and the mouth of the Scioto, with the Kentucky hills across the water.
Where it is
The preserve is in West Portsmouth, off US 52. The trailhead is a two-car pull-off at the end of Malone Cox Road. ODNR emails a map and directions with the permit, which takes the guesswork out of finding it.
The permit
Access is by permit only from ODNR’s Division of Natural Areas and Preserves. The online application has to reach the division at least 14 days before your visit, and the permit shows up by email at least a week ahead with the map and any rules for the site. There’s no fee. The preserve dates to November 1993, when Charles A. Brown, who owned the land around the rock, signed it over to the state.
The hike
There’s one trail. It runs about 1.3 miles from the lot to the overlook and climbs roughly 500 feet through the woods on a string of switchbacks, with rocky, steep stretches near the top. Wear shoes with real grip and bring water, because nearly all of the climb comes on the way in.
What you’ll see
The rock is Mississippian-age sandstone, and from the air it looks like a bird with its wings spread, which is one of several stories behind the name. Weathering has cut three natural arches into it, and the largest spans 10 feet. According to folklore, Native Americans used the rock as a lookout to spot settlers coming down the river on flatboats. From the top you look down on the confluence of the Scioto and Ohio rivers, with Portsmouth off to the east. The preserve also protects two rare plants, the potentially threatened blackjack oak and the state-endangered small-flowered scorpion weed.
Before you go
- Apply early. ODNR counts the 14 days from the day it receives your application, not the day you send it.
- Stay on the trail. The arches and the rare plants are what you’re there to see, not walk on.
- Know the rules. State nature preserve rules apply, and ODNR usually posts them at the preserve.
- Go with someone. The climb is steep in spots and you’ll likely have the trail to yourselves.
For the current rules and any closures, check ODNR’s Raven Rock page.
