Rolling hills and rough terrain; an overview of Ohio’s Buckeye Trail

For those who see themselves battling the rolling and testing terrains of the Appalachian Trail whether in its full five month glory or in manageable pieces, Ohio’s own Buckeye Trail can serve as the perfect practice ground for any avid hiker. The trail runs mostly around the perimeter of the state of Ohio, winding itself through cities and towns and wilderness. The trail itself stretches for 1,444 miles and passes through well-known areas like Loveland, Milford, and Williamsburg near East Fork.

The trail can be walked in whole over a lengthy amount of time, or can be enjoyed in specific areas known as “trail towns” on the Buckeye Trail website. The four main trail towns of the Buckeye Trail are Piqua, Dayton, Xenia, and Milford.

According to the BuckeyeTrail.org, hikers traveling through Piqua, along the banks of the Great Miami River, can treat themselves to an assortment of stops housing ice cream, food, drinks, and other goodies. The trail can be started here from the south and joins with the Miami Valley Trail system and runs parallel to Great Miami River Water Trail.

Another trail town is Xenia, an up and coming town near several colleges including Wright State University, which is currently undergoing building renovations and according to BuckeyeTrail.org, quite a Renaissance is occurring. The trail can be followed through the entire town.

Following the lengthy off-road 40 mile trail through Dayton always leads one to entertainment given the passing through historic areas including Deeds Point Metro Park where hikers and bikers can walk to see the Dayton Skyline. The trail can be followed along Dayton’s rivers and can guide a trail follower through the city.

A more well-known local trail town is Milford, offering an architecturally pleasing experience for hikers and bikers as well as providing restaurants and shops. Hikers can begin the trail anywhere from Route 28, which runs through town.

The necessities for hiking the trail either for a day or for a couple of months can be found on the trail website, as well as any trail events, announcements, and a trail overview map with information.