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Train Trips for the Ages

Hocking Valley Scenic Train

Nelsonville, Ohio

Ohio’s Friendliest Train Robbery happens monthly during summers at the Hocking Valley Scenic Train. Bandits arrive on horseback, then walk through the train looking for money. Passengers can hand them play money passed out before the trip. Groups should book these exciting train rides early because of their popularity. The train company also offers other in-demand themed trains, such as the Easter Bunny Train, the New Year’s Eve Train and the Santa Train.

No matter the time of year, groups love riding through the historic and scenic Hocking River Valley in either open-air cars or enclosed coaches. The train offers two routes: the 90-minute ride to Haydenville, Ohio, and the two-hour route to East Logan, Ohio. Both routes pass through Hocking River, a Hocking Canal lock and the former company town Haydenville.

Groups can extend the trip with Nelsonville’s arts district, Stuart’s Opera House, biking routes, hiking trails and off-road vehicle tours. The nearby Smoke Rise Ranch welcomes visitors to its working cow ranch for horseback rides, as well as cabin rentals, fishing ponds and a playground.

The 1864 railroad line originally began running to transport Hocking Valley’s salt and coal. When the first freight train from Nelsonville arrived in Columbus in 1869, it fired a cannon on board to let the town know of its upcoming arrival.

www.hvsry.org