BETHEL, Ohio — From April 1, 1983, to April 1, 1987, Steve Newman walked around the world.

His solo trek covered 15,509 miles through 21 countries on five continents. It ended with a loop at East Fork State Park in southern Ohio, not far from his hometown of Bethel.

Newman parlayed his trip into two books: "Worldwalker" (that became his nickname) and "Letters From Steven."

That last loop has become the Steve Newman Worldwalker Trail, a 32-mile perimeter loop for backpackers and equestrians.

East Fork, one of Ohio's largest state parks, has 85 miles of hiking trails, 55 miles of bridle trails, 46 miles of backpacking trails and 7.3 miles of mountain bike trails. It is especially popular with campers, hikers and boaters and gets nearly 1.1 million visitors a year, the state says.

Located 25 miles east of Cincinnati in Clermont County, the park is leased by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

It covers 8,420 acres that surround the 2,160-acre William H. Harsha Lake. It is becoming one of the premier recreational facilities in Southwest Ohio and offers one of the larger camping areas in the state.

State Route 32 provides access to the park's northern half. State Route 125 is along the southern part of the park.

The flood-control dam — 200 feet high and 1,450 feet long — was completed in 1978 and the lake is 5 1/2 miles long. It is sometimes called East Fork Lake.

The park features rolling hills and open meadows but is generally flat.

The green-blazed Steve Newman Worldwalker Perimeter Trail is popular with backpackers and equestrians. It can be traversed in two to four days. Four primitive overnight areas are available along the route and registration is required. You must provide your own drinking water.

You must ford the Little Miami River twice, so be aware of water levels. High water can create a big risk.

By the way, Newman now lives in Brown County in southern Ohio with his wife, Darci. He is an author, speaker and business consultant.

In addition to Newman's trail, East Fork offers the 14-mile Backpack Trail. It is a moderate hike through oak and hickory forest and open fields. Two overnight camping spots are accessible on the lake's south side. Registration is required.

The red-blazed hikers-only trail goes out for 5.5 miles. Then there is a 3-mile loop, then you return on the 5.5-mile leg. The trailhead is just off the South Access parking lot.

The park has three connected mountain bike trails on the south side of the reservoir: the East Fork Ridge Mountain Bike Trail. The trails each cover from 2.1 to 2.9 miles with an elevation change of nearly 60 feet to a maximum of 120 feet.

The South Trail is 70 percent single-track and the North and Middle trails are both 100 percent single-track. South Trail is the easiest; Middle Trail is for intermediates; North Trail is for advanced bikers.

Three big-name trails also pass through East Fork: the blue-blazed Buckeye Trail that circles Ohio in 1,200 miles; the federal North Country National Scenic Trail that will stretch 3,200 miles from New York to North Dakota; and the American Discovery Trail that will run from the Atlantic to the Pacific.

The three trails run for about 10 miles west-east across the park on the more picturesque southern side of the lake. The trails were moved from the northern part of the park in 1999. All three are open to hikers and equestrians in East Fork.

Some of East Fork's other trails are popular. The Fernhill Trail is a moderate but challenging 2.2-mile hike over hilly terrain with stream and ravine crossings, great vistas and wildlife opportunities.

The 1-mile Tailwater Trail near the dam runs along an abandoned road, up a steep hill and through a mature forest. It is known for its spring wildflowers and its white-tailed deer.

The orange-blazed Red Fox Trail is a 5-mile loop that is challenging, with numerous ravine crossings high above the lake, and the yellow-blazed Twin Bridges Trail is a 9-mile loop marked by ravines, streams, waterfalls and vistas across the lake. Both are bridle trails that are also open to hikers.

The park was once home to two gold mines. One operated near the hamlet of Elklick in 1869 and washed gravel that contained flakes of gold. Later, a mine operated underground near Twin Bridges.

Bethel Church on Elklick Road within the park dates from 1867 and is on the site of an old log cabin church established in 1807 by the Rev. John Collins.

East Fork also provides a 1,200-foot swimming beach, camping with 416 sites, plus eight cabins and eight picnic areas. You can rent camp sites and recreational vehicles.

The camping area features playgrounds, a mini-golf course and basketball and horseshoe courts. There are six boat launches and the lake has unlimited horsepower boating. Jet skiers love the lake, and it is home to major collegiate crew races during the summer.

The lake was named after a Republican member of the U.S. Congress from Portsmouth, who served from 1961 to 1981.

The Corps of Engineers operates a visitor center with an overlook near the dam on the west side of the lake.

The dam's emergency spillway is also known for its fossils.

For state park information, contact East Fork State Park at P.O. Box 119, Bethel, OH 45106, park office, 513-734-4323; camp office, 513-724-6521; 866-644-6727 for camping and getaway rental reservations, http://www.ohiodnr.com. Nearby attractions include Point Pleasant, birthplace of President Ulysses S. Grant, and Stonelick State Park is just north of East Fork at state Routes 727 and 133.

For local tourist information, contact the Clermont County Convention and Visitors Bureau at 410 E. Main St., Batavia, OH 45121, 513-732-3600, http://www.visitclermontohio.com.

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