Buckeye Trail
More than 1,400 miles circle Ohio through Lake Erie shore, canal corridors, Appalachian ridges, state forests, farmland, cities, and road connectors maintained by a statewide volunteer network.
Artwork inspired by Henry Farny
The Buckeye Trail is a loop and a stewardship system, not a single wilderness footpath. Its blue blazes cross forty-seven counties and land managed by parks, forests, federal agencies, local governments, private owners, and road authorities. Some sections overlap the North Country and American Discovery trails; others use quiet roads or changing relocations. That diversity is the trail’s Ohio argument and its planning challenge.
For a day hike, choose one named section and use the current Buckeye Trail Association map. For a long journey, audit water, camping permission, road walks, resupply, hunting seasons, closures, and blaze condition section by section. A blue blaze confirms the route but not public camping or off-trail access. The statewide map pin is only orientation—never a place to park.
- Length
- More than 1,400 miles
- Counties
- 47
- Marking
- Blue paint blazes
Quick guide
- Name the section
- Maps, maintainers, alerts, and logistics are organized locally.
- Verify land rules
- A continuous blaze crosses many owners with different permissions.
How to plan a 1,400-mile trail one section at a time
- Name the section
- Maps, maintainers, alerts, and logistics are organized locally.
- Verify land rules
- A continuous blaze crosses many owners with different permissions.
- Expect road walks
- Visibility, traffic direction, and reflective gear matter.
- Carry current mapping
- Reroutes and damaged blazes can defeat old GPX files.
Good to know
The map point is not a trailhead. Some sections use public roads, and camping is never implied by being on the route. The association’s current section map is essential.
Notice these
- Blue blazes
- Ohio River ridges
- Canal and Lake Erie sections