top of page
ORCA & The Baileys In the Press
Click Below to Learn More
July 30, 2026: Outdoor rec board never OK’d mayor’s plan for state funds
Shortly after it was awarded $1.5 million in state funding in June 2025, the Outdoor Recreation Council of Appalachia convened its regular July 2025 monthly meeting. Athens Mayor Steve Patterson — then president of the ORCA board — said the main thing on the agenda was “to discuss the plan for the $1.5 million over the next two years,” according to a recording of the meeting.
July 30, 2026: Lawmaker, Athens mayor spoke before near-outdoor rec cut
When Ohio legislators abruptly proposed to cut already-awarded funding for the Outdoor Recreation Council of Appalachia in June, the organization’s staff and leadership were caught off guard.
July 30, 2026: Behind the scenes of turmoil at the outdoor rec council
The City of Athens was instrumental in creating the Outdoor Recreation Council of Appalachia, the council of governments that oversees the Baileys Trail System. And one of its biggest proponents was Mayor Steve Patterson, who helmed the ORCA board from its earliest days.
July 29, 2026: The Baileys Trail System officially complete
The Baileys Trail System in Athens County is officially complete. Community leaders, partners, and supporters gathered last week to commemorate the completion of all 88 miles of the Baileys Trail System.
July 25, 2026: Baileys Trail System completes all 88 miles; ribbon cut on Buchtel-Snow Fork Trailhead
The Baileys Trail System is officially complete.
July 25, 2026: Athens Gravel Challenge returns to Bailey's Trail System after hiatus
The Athens Gravel Challenge, put on by the Team Athens Cycling club, took place once again at the Bailey’s Trail System in the Wayne National Forest after cancelling last year’s race.
July 23, 2026: Southeast Ohio celebrates the completion of the Baileys Trail System, now the longest of its kind east of the Mississippi
After nearly a decade of planning and construction, southeast Ohio is now home to the longest continuous mountain bike trail system east of the Mississippi River.
July 23, 2026: Baileys celebrates 88 miles of completed trail
The Baileys Trail System celebrated two major milestones Wednesday, one an ending and the other, a beginning.
July 1, 2026: DeWine’s veto ensuring Baileys Trail funding seen as a lifeline
Recreational and environmental advocates welcomed Gov. Mike DeWine’s recent line-item veto of a budget corrections measure, which ensures continued funding for the Outdoor Recreation Council of Appalachia.
June 29, 2026: Ohio’s Best-Kept Secret
With a world-class trail system, dense forests, and pristine lakes—and zero crowds—Athens County is like nowhere else in the Midwest
June 27, 2026: Statement by ORCA on governor’s veto of HB 470 amendment
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has vetoed a last-minute budget amendment in HB 479 that would have eliminated state funding for the Outdoor Recreation Council of Appalachia (ORCA), protecting nearly a decade of trail development, a growing 18-county regional partnership, and economic development work that is already delivering results in one of Ohio’s most persistently impoverished regions.
June 25, 2026: Governor vetoes outdoor rec funding cut
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine issued an eleventh-hour line-item veto on a house bill provision that would have stripped the Outdoor Recreation Council of Appalachia of $750,000 in state funding.
June 17, 2026: Baileys Trail org in jeopardy
COLUMBUS, Ohio — A house bill awaiting Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine’s signature would strip at least three quarters of a million dollars in funding from the entity that manages the Baileys Trail System, the Outdoor Recreation Council of Appalachia.
June 3, 2026: Ohio’s Rolling Hills regional tourism brand unveiled
Last month at the Ohio Statehouse, regional leaders, tourism partners, community organizations, and local stakeholders unveiled Ohio’s Rolling Hills, a collaborative tourism brand representing counties across Appalachian Ohio. Home to Ohio’s only national forest, more than a dozen state parks, historic river towns, vibrant arts communities, and some of the state’s most dramatic landscapes, Southern and Southeast Ohio now share...
May 31, 2026: Introducing "Ohio's Rolling Hills" : Southern and Southeast Ohio Unveil Unified Regional Tourism Brand
For generations, the winding roads and deep ridges of Southern and Southeast Ohio have hidden some of the Midwest's finest secrets. It is a region where the mist hangs low over Ohio's only national forest, where historic river towns echo with folklore of early America, and where local artisans keep century-old traditions alive in hidden valley studios
May 30, 2026: Southern and Southeast Ohio unveil unified regional tourism brand
At the recent Ohio Tourism Day at the Ohio Statehouse, regional leaders, tourism partners, community organizations, and local stakeholders unveiled “Ohio’s Rolling Hills”, a collaborative tourism brand representing counties across Appalachian Ohio.
May 19, 2026: Eighteen southern and southeast Ohio counties launch unified tourism brand
Leaders from across southern and southeast Ohio unveiled a new regional tourism brand last week at Ohio Tourism Day at the Statehouse, uniting 18 counties under the name Ohio’s Rolling Hills.
April 23, 2026: Outdoor rec council moves forward after Athens’ withdrawal
Three of the four remaining governments represented on the Outdoor Recreation Council of Appalachia Board of Directors met Wednesday night to discuss Baileys Trail System updates and moving forward in the absence of the City of Athens.
April 9, 2026: Mayor explains unilateral decision to remove Athens from ORCA
At Athens City Council’s meeting on Monday, Mayor Steve Patterson elaborated on his March 31 decision to immediately resign from the board of the Outdoor Recreation Council of Appalachia — and to remove the city from the council of governments effective June 28.
March 31, 2026: Ohio’s $20 Billion Outdoor Boom: Columbus Parks Rush To Cash In
Ohio’s outdoor recreation scene is not just about kayaks and campfires anymore. It is a full-blown economic force, generating roughly $20 billion in 2024 and supporting more than 150,000 workers across the state. From boat ramps to backcountry trails, outdoor amenities are now serious business for local jobs, wages and tourism dollars.
March 31, 2026: Outdoor recreation made Ohio $20 billion in 2024
Outdoor recreation in parks, on waterways and elsewhere made Ohio $20 billion in 2024, and represents an increasingly large percentage of our state GDP.
April 2, 2026: Athens mayor resigns from outdoor rec council
Athens Mayor Steve Patterson withdrew the city from the Outdoor Recreation Council of Appalachia effective June 28, and resigned from the ORCA board immediately as of March 31.
March 19, 2026: New Baileys trailhead under construction
A new trailhead for the Baileys Trail System is under construction in Buchtel and will likely open this summer.
March 13, 2026: 5 of the best mountain bike trails in Ohio
From the rolling hills of Appalachia to Columbus' backyard, Ohio's mountain bike trail scene has exploded — and these five systems prove the Buckeye State is one of the most exciting places to ride in the Midwest right now.
October 23, 2025: Making the best use of our best resources
Gwynn Stewart speaks during a Lunch and Learn Series event about Outdoor Recreation
bottom of page