Woodsfield is located in eastern Ohio in
Monroe County (of which it is the county seat) about 90 miles east-southeast of
Columbus, 60 miles northeast of
Athens and 15 miles west of the
Ohio River.
The state legislature formed Monroe County in 1813, from parts of Belmont County, Guernsey County and Washington County. The area has been called "The Switzerland of Ohio" because of its rugged terrain and the cultural influences of its early Swiss immigrants.
Outdoor recreation is close at hand in the form of Wayne National Forest which lies directly south of town. Water-related activities take place on Senecaville Lake about 15 miles to the northwest.