The Buckeye Trail is a maintained hiking trail that winds around Ohio for almost 1450 miles. It goes through about 40 of Ohio's 88 counties.
Originally envisioned in the late 50s as a trail from the Ohio River to Lake Erie, the hiking trail evolved into a loop around the state.
As a statewide trail it follows old canal towpaths, abandoned railroad rights of way, rivers, lake shores, rural byways and primitive foot paths over forested public and private lands. The Buckeye Trail Association seeks to make accessible the historic and scenic spots in the Buckeye State. Therefore the trail passes through forests, state and local parks, many small towns and urban areas where traveling on foot gives you an entirely new and unique perspective of the Buckeye State.
The trail is maintained by the prrivate, non-profit volunteer organization called the Buckeye Trail Association.
The trail is open to hiking year round and there is no fees for hiking on the trail.
The Buckeye Ttrail passes through many of the most scenic locations in the state, such as the Hocking Hills, and Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
Blue Blazes
Look for the blue blazes that identify the trail. These are 2" x 6" blaze marks on the trail. Single blaze marks where the trail is easily identified and usually travels in a straight line. In areas where the trail makes a turn, a double blaze marks the turn that indicate a change in the hiking trail's direction.
Detail sections of the Buckeye Trail can be purchased for a large fee for the entire set, or a much smaller fee for the 25 individual sections from the Buckeye Trail On-Line Store that also offers patches and other items identified with the Buckeye Trail.
Their website also has updates and alerts for each of the major sections
The Buckeye Trail Association
The Buckeye Trail Association is a large body of volunteers who maintain and promote the Buckeye Trail. Though the entire route is marked, the Buckeye Trail continues to change and improve. The Buckeye Trail Association looks for ways to move road sections off the roads, and to upgrade those off-road sections to high quality trail.
The Buckeye Trail Association is more than just a management organization. It is also a social group. Several events are planned each year, both formally by the association, and by individual members. Most of these events are open to the public.