Breakout to highlight opening of ATV trails

The event will feature vendors, food and various displays.
NELSONVILLE -- The first Nelsonville Trails Breakout will be from 4 to 9 p.m. Friday to highlight the annual opening of the ATV trail system in the Wayne National Forest.
The event is sponsored by the Nelsonville Chamber of Commerce, the city of Nelsonville and the forest.
Many of the motorized trails in the Wayne have trailheads within minutes of Nelsonville, with trails that extend north to New Straitsville and Shawnee and east toward Long Ridge.
The breakout will include local stores and vendors showcasing products and services geared toward outdoor recreation. There will be several ATVs on display as well as other camping, hiking and outdoor equipment and accessories, and a large inflatable obstacle course for children.
The breakout will also feature live music and a variety of foods. There will be a 28-foot rock climbing wall set up on the north end of the square. The National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council will have its ATV safety trailer on site.
Permit buyers
According to the forest records, the forest's trails attract more than 20,000 permit buyers each season, and the numbers continue to grow. Most of the permits sold are for ATVs and motorcycles, and many equestrian enthusiasts take advantage of the camping and trails available near Stones Church, north of Shawnee.
The Wayne will have a display featuring its trail systems, as well as information on the other recreational opportunities in the forest, which stretches over 12 counties in southeastern Ohio.
Forest officials announced that the gates leading to the trail heads at Dorr Run will be unlocked and opened earlier than in previous years to accommodate early arrivals who want to set up their sites and then head into Nelsonville for the breakout. The city is also planning to provide some parking for vehicles pulling trailers near the square.
For more information, call (740) 753-4346. Information is also posted on the Wayne National Forest Web site at www.fs.fed.us/r9/wayne.