Photos on Strava.
Dan and I have been talking about doing this run for quite some time. The short version of this route is one of my favorite trails in the area. However, the long loop is full of dead zones for cell coverage and very remote, as it is part of the Wayne National Forest. Couple that with the technicality of this trail and chance for injury, I recommend doing this trail with a partner. Our day started out with the temp in the low 50's and our run ended with the temp at 67 degrees (Fahrenheit). It was a perfect weather day. The trail on the other hand was extremely muddy in spots and that only added to the technicality of this course.
We ran this in the recommended clockwise direction starting at the trailhead that is technically in Malta, OH. Most associate this trail head as being in Corning, OH as that is the nearest town. Following the shite diamonds, the beginning of the Long Loop is very familiar to me as it shares the first 2.5 miles with the Short Loop. There are many primitive campsites along this trail and we experienced many hikers on the trail during our run. We made use of one of the empty campsites around mile 9 for a short stretch and solid food refuel. Utilizing the campsite to slip off the pack to retrieve the our food was nice because either side of most of this trail is dense with underbrush. Between mile 11 and 13 there are some parts that are so dense that it is often times hard to see any part of the trail other than what is directly underfoot.
If you are running either the Short or Long Loop trail be aware that there are many obstacles in the form of downed trees, creek crossings, large areas of mud, rocks, roots, and sections of the trail that you will occasionally encounter briars.
Hikers will find a multitude of large campsites along both the Long and Short Loop.