Buckeye Trail: Many people fantasize about one day hiking the distance of the Appalachian Trail. But, did you know that Ohio has its very own version of a marathon hiking exploration awaiting the modern-day adventurer? The Buckeye Trail – buckeyetrail.org – will take its hikers all around Ohio, literally, and expose hikers to all of Ohio’s habitats, including that of man. It follows urban streets and greenbelt areas, towpaths along the Ohio and Erie and Miami and Erie canals; visits scenic hills and waterfalls like those found in the Hocking Hills area, known to some as the “Little Smokies” after the Smokey Mountains; passes rural farms with livestock and fields grain, and leads to a beachhead at Lake Erie, an overlook at the Ohio River in Cincinnati, and so much more. However, be prepared if you seriously want to tackle this quest as the entire trail spans 1,445 miles of foot transportation. Also, keep in mind, the trail was not originally laid out for long-distance backpacking and you may have to be creative in finding camping and resupply locations.
Visit www.buckeyetrail.org for information about shorter excursions covering portions of the Buckeye Trail with day-hikes and features hikes. It also provides an overview map of the entire trail and detailed maps of the 26 sections of the trail. The Buckeye Trail is marked with 2″ x 6″ blue blazes on poles and tree trunks so hikers can stay the course.
