Buckeye Trail

An amazing way to see Ohio, including many of Ohio’s state parks, is to utilize the Buckeye Trail. This trail takes a patron through a circular pattern to see a large chunk of Ohio. Hikers enjoy many of Ohio’s state parks along the way, and many have completed the entire trail. If you are interested in seeing what Ohio has to offer and enjoy hiking, the Buckeye Trail might just be for you!

The Buckeye Trail is an incredibly long hiking trail that takes visitors into many parts of Ohio. Those that partake will get to see the changes in the landscape, flora, and fauna of the Buckeye State. Parks, towns, hills, and valleys all make the Buckeye Trail an enjoyable hike.

Buckeye Trail Location

The Buckeye Trail is a roughly 1,400 mile long loop trail that cuts through the state of Ohio. It includes trail portions and road portions. One of the goals of the Buckeye Trail Association (the volunteer association that keeps up the trail) is to move all of the road portions off to regular trails.

The trail is broken into 26 sections. Hikers can purchase maps of each of these sections from the Buckeye Trail Association website. Sections include Old Man’s Cave, Troy, Mogadore, and Belle Valley. Any of these sections would be a great trail to enjoy!

History of the Buckeye Trail

The Buckeye Trail was envisioned in the late 1950s, and the plan was to connect Cincinnati to Lake Erie through a hiking trail. The Buckeye Trail Association (BTA) was created in 1959 to help form the trail and upkeep it. The first portion of the trail was created in Hocking County. As time went on, more parts were added to the trail. By 1980, the trail was completed in the Cuyahoga Valley area, creating a circular-type trail taking hikers to all corners of the state. The BTA continues to maintain and improve the Buckeye Trail, including working to move any street portions to trails created nearby.

Famous Sites Along the Buckeye Trail

The trail goes through several famous sites and parks in Ohio, but some of the most interesting parts are through the many small towns that make up the state. Visiting the entire Buckeye Trail would allow a person to see much of the state and what it has to offer. State parks, local downtowns, famous eateries, and the one Ohio national park are all along the Buckeye Trail.

The Buckeye Trail winds its way through Cuyahoga Valley National Park near Cleveland. It takes a hiker past the visitor center and follows the towpath trail for part of the park. Cuyahoga Valley National Park was created in 2000 to preserve the landscape, including several waterfalls, in the area.

Hocking Hills, a well-known state park in Ohio, also makes up part of the Buckeye Trail. Near Logan, Hocking Hills is famous for its high cliffs, wonderful waterfalls, and colorful foliage. Many trails are available to hikers, including parts of the Buckeye Trail.

Enjoying the Buckeye Trail for Yourself

There is a little bit of everything for someone who wants to enjoy the Buckeye Trail. Local parks, state parks, a national park, and even just small towns welcome hikers. To best enjoy the Buckeye Trail for yourself, find a good map of the trail. From there, pick what you want to see and where you want to go. It could be that there is a certain section or sections that you want to hike, or maybe you want to be someone that eventually travels the whole thing. Whatever the case may be, the Buckeye Trail is a great way to see the Buckeye State!

Have you already traveled on the Buckeye Trail? Tell us your experiences in the comments below!