I appreciate your review of the Blackhand Gorge Trail. You mentioned the tunnel on the opposite side of the Licking River. What you did not mention was the sandstone locks of the old Ohio Canal in the area. Also, off the main trail is a sandstone quarry from which the stone was used to build the canal locks and other structures in the area.
I laughed when I read your editorial "A Questionable Trail Use". We encountered a similar experience with the Licking River along Black Hand Gorge. After plunking down $50 for a canoe trip (family of 4), the guy that takes us via school bus to the canoe drop-off, informs us that the area has a Ranger who lives to punish canoers with even the slightest infraction. This includes eating or drinking while canoeing, stopping the canoes to walk around on the banks, or even jumping out of the canoe to cool off in the river. He says the ranger hides behind trees and watches people with his binoculars, so he's very hard to spot. He had slapped canoers with a $100 fine just a couple days prior.
Needless to say, this totally ruined the experience for us. Try to imagine canoeing down a river in the sweltering sun with young kids and telling them we can't drink the Gatorade and water we packed or jump in the water because some idiot lurking in the trees might nail us with a fine. Man, what a waste of tax dollars, not to mention what it must do to the canoe livery business, as customers never return.
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