Ohio 278 — Zaleski Zipper

Ohio State Route 278 is the primary road through Zaleski State Forest and past Lake Hope State Park in Vinton County, roughly 60 miles southwest of Athens. The Windy 9 maps it as Route 5: Zaleski Zipper (60.8 miles), considered one of the tighter, more technical routes in the system. The road threads through unbroken second-growth hardwood forest with minimal development, passing the access road to Moonville Tunnel (an abandoned railroad tunnel and one of southern Ohio's most photographed landmarks). Curves are more frequent and tighter than the Pioneer Pass or Lazy Rivers routes. Vinton County is one of the least-populated counties in Ohio, which keeps traffic genuinely sparse year-round. Pairs naturally with OH-555 (Triple Nickel) to the east for a full-day SE Ohio loop.