The Buckeye Trail is a 1,444-mile hiking and long-distance trail loops around Ohio. Part of it is on roads, and part is on wooded trails. Road portions of the trail are gradually being relocated to separate trails.
Buckeye Trail
Trail Towns along the BT
Located approximately 35 miles east of downtown Cleveland, Chardon is among the early communities in the Western Reserve. Today, Chardon remains a town rich in history and culture, with its square at the heart of the city. Many activities and events are held there throughout the year, including summer concert series, car shows, farmers' market, and most notably, the annual Geauga County Maple Festival, which celebrates the county's maple syrup production industry and kicks off the spring season.
Dayton is located along the banks of the Great Miami River on Ohio’s Great Corridor and is known as the Outdoor Adventure Capital of the Midwest. Beyond the plethora of hiking opportunities, Dayton is a bicycle-friendly community situated at the center of the largest bikeway network in the country. The gem city also hosts some of the most significant outdoor recreation events in the Midwest while being situated amongst three state-designated Water Trails.
The small village of Deersville is nestled in the eastern Ohio hills of Harrison County, with Tappan and Clendening Lakes nearby. Historic Deersville, which was established in 1815, offers a step back in time to its visitors. The Deersville General Store is the heart of the community. It has been around since 1898 and is famous for its homemade ice cream. The store also offers a little bit of everything from snacks, deli, pizza, and other hot foods, beer, ice, grocery items, fishing and camping supplies, and fuel.
Defiance is the heart of the historic Maumee River Valley and is where the Maumee and Auglaize Rivers meet. From its earliest days, Defiance has been a hub for the shipping and receiving goods. Whether it was early supplies passing through Fort Winchester or goods being transferred on the Miami-Wabash and Erie canals that ran through the community, transportation has played a major role in our development. In later years, the addition of several railways that traveled through Defiance helped to facilitate the industrial growth that continues to support the city today.
Delphos is located in Allen and Van Wert Counties, and was formed in 1851 from 4 small towns. It was a major port on the Miami and Erie Canal, an early hub for narrow gauge railroads, and on the original route of the Lincoln Highway. By 1879, over a hundred factories were churning out goods for the world, and even today, the city enjoys an international reputation as a manufacturing center.
The village of Fort Loramie is an original canal town along the Miami & Erie Canal. It was first established as a trading post by a French-Canadian fur trader Pierre-Louis de Lorimier (Peter Loramie). The indigenous Shawnee people used the post for attacks against the European settlers during the Revolutionary War. The post was burnt to the ground and abandoned in 1782, remaining vacant until 1795. After the victory of the Battle of Fallen Timbers, General “Mad” Anthony Wayne ordered a fort built at the site.
The Little Miami Scenic Bike Trail runs through the heart of Downtown Loveland with a wide variety of businesses and direct access to Nisbet Park. Nisbet Park includes restrooms and picnic shelters. North of Nisbet Park is a primitive campsite location.
Mantua is a village along the Cuyahoga River in northern Portage County, Ohio, United States. It is part of the Akron metropolitan area. It was formed from portions of Mantua Township in the Connecticut Western Reserve.
There is a lot to see and do in Mentor and neighboring communities. History buffs will enjoy the scenic tranquility of the James A. Garfield National Historic Site - home to our nation’s 20th president and what is widely regarded as the first presidential library. The nearby Holden Arboretum is one of the largest arboreta and botanical gardens in the United States, with more than 3,600 acres, including 600 acres devoted to collections and gardens.
Milford offers a variety of features including a charming main street, hiker friendly shops and restaurants, attractive architecture, several camping locations for through hikers, an interesting history.
Napoleon is a community of just over 9000 people located on the Maumee River, just a half-hour southwest of Toledo. As you trek through our area, it’s easy to transport yourself back hundreds of years and revisit the footsteps of Native Americans who called this land home.
Piqua, Ohio, is located along Ohio’s Great Corridor, on the banks of the Great Miami River, and is home to many historical points of interest, a charming downtown, an impressive park system, and many other attractions and amenities.
Located in the heart of Wayne National Forest, Shawnee is surrounded by miles and miles of public land. Ohio’s only national forest boasts over 100,000 acres used for hiking trails, fishing sites, camping areas, horseback riding trails, birding areas, and ATV riding areas. As if that wasn’t enough, Shawnee is also only a quick trip away from Burr Oak State Park and Hocking Hills State Park, which claims over 2,500 acres of gorgeous waterfalls, trails, caves, and more. This proximity makes Shawnee ideal for a trip to nature, with something for everyone.
In Spencerville, the Miami and Erie Trail provides residents and visitors with opportunities for recreation and relaxation, whether enjoying a peaceful stroll along the canal towpath or embarking on a more adventurous biking excursion. The trail serves as a link between communities, connecting people with both the past and the present of this charming corner of Ohio.
Spring Valley is a village in the state's southwestern portion, in Greene County, in the Caesar Creek section. It was built on a slope rising from the banks of the Little Miami River, benefiting from many natural springs in the area. It was founded in 1844 and was at the crossroads of two early transportation routes, the Cincinnati-Xenia Pike and the Little Miami Railroad, which allowed it to become established as an agricultural marketing and processing center for the area.
Indians found the St. Marys River to be an essential travel route. By portages of only six miles at high water and 26 at low water, they could travel from Lake Erie to the Gulf of Mexico. Before the construction of Grand Lake St. Marys, which drained about half of the river's watershed area, the river could handle the largest flat-bottom boats.
The City of Troy is a beautiful place for activity, recreation, and hiking. We are your hometown city with all of the things you remember. The old-fashioned downtown, the corner bicycle shop, and a place to get ice cream, the kind of city you would feel at home in as you travel the state.
Founded in 1824, Wakeman is an old railroad town about halfway from Cleveland to Toledo and located just a few miles south of Lake Erie on the Vermilion River. When the rail was still running, it would stop at Wakeman to fire up the coal engine and refill the coal car while taking passengers to and from the two major cities. A visit to Wakeman Village wouldn’t be complete unless you walked the downtown area.
Downtown Xenia Historic District was officially listed on the U.S. Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places. With such milestones, Xenia is especially proud to share our new Trail Town status with our many trail-loving friends.
The community of Yellow Springs is diverse with an authentic downtown with an eclectic assortment of shops, galleries and restaurants; recreational opportunities at Glen Helen Nature Preserve, John Bryan State Park, and the Little Miami Scenic Trail; and cultural activities within the village itself and at Antioch College.
Zoar Village was founded in 1817 in Northern Tuscarawas County, Ohio, near the Tuscarawas River by a group of 200 German Separatists seeking escape from religious persecution in their homeland. These Separatists thrived as a unique Society for more than 80 years, making Zoar Village one of American history's most successful communal settlements. Today, Zoar Village comprises approximately 75 families living in homes built from 1817 to today.