The Buckeye Trail is a 1,444-mile (2,324 km)[1] hiking trail and long-distance trail that loops around the state of Ohio. Part of it is on roads and part is on wooded trail. Road portions of the trail are gradually being relocated to separate trail.

Buckeye Trail
Length1,444 mi (2,324 km)
LocationOhio, USA
TrailheadsNorthern:Headlands Beach State Park
Southern:Eden Park, Cincinnati
UseHiking, Backpacking
DifficultyEasy to strenuous
SeasonAny
SightsHocking Hills, Ohio and Erie Canal, Miami and Erie Canal, Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Wayne National Forest
HazardsSevere weather
Tick-borne diseases
Mosquitos
Biting flies
Chiggers
Steep grades
Limited water
Diarrhea from water
Poison ivy
Venomous snakes

This trail passes through many of the most scenic locations in the state, such as the Hocking Hills region and the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. It also goes through many small towns in Ohio, making this trail both an outdoor as well as a history experience.

The trail's northern terminus is on Lake Erie in Headlands Beach State Park east of Cleveland. From the northern terminus, one branch leads south down the eastern edge of the state while another leads west across the north towards Toledo.

The two branches rejoin in southwestern Ohio in the city of Milford, where a single branch continues southwest to Eden Park in Cincinnati, the southern terminus.

Major portions of the trail follow the old canal routes including the Miami and Erie Canal and the Wabash and Erie Canal in the West and the Ohio and Erie Canal in the East.[2]

The North Country Trail coincides with the Buckeye Trail for a large part of its route, and the American Discovery Trail also coincides with it through southern Ohio.

The Buckeye Trail Association,[3] a non-profit volunteer organization, maintains and develops the trail. The trail is identified by blue blazes, 2 by 6 inches (5.1 cm × 15.2 cm), on trees or poles. A single blaze marks the trail where the route is fairly straight or obvious, while a double blaze marks a turn with the upper blaze offset to indicate the new direction. A double blaze with no offset simply means pay attention - the trail route may not be obvious.

edit

See also

edit
edit

References

edit
  1. ^ "What in the Blue Blazes?". Buckeye Trail Association. Buckeye Trail Association. Archived from the original on 2012-05-20.
  2. ^ "Historic Signage Marks Canal "Junction"". Miami and Erie Canal Corridor Association. Fall 2008. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
  3. ^ "Buckeye Trail Association". Buckeye Trail Association.