Blue Path
The Buckeye Trail is a statewide, interconnected series of trails winding through forty Ohio counties. Highlighted by bright blue markers, called blazes, the path takes you on a unique hiking adventure through bustling cities, quaint towns steeped in history, and rural areas where the open land expands your perspective. It leads you deep within secluded forests, wrapping you in the sounds of nature, as you keep pace alongside the currents of glistening streams and lakes.
Jim Gilkey, a Columbus, OH native and a member of the Buckeye Trail Association, has hiked all 1400 miles of the BT and shared some of his insights and experiences.
TCP: Why do you hike and why hike this trail?
Jim Gilkey: I’ve always been curious about my native state of Ohio; my parents took us on Sunday drives to explore the area. When I retired, I took a guided hike through a metropark and I was hooked. Hiking allows you to interact with and discover the world around you and the Buckeye Trail allows you to explore our beautiful state and its history.
So the trail loops through the entire state?
Yes, it actually spans all four corners and offers hiking terrain variety, from flat land to rolling spans to hilly wildness and paved roads.
Do you have any favorite trail sections?
I enjoy the Wilderness Loop in the Wayne National Forest (Marietta, OH) with its rugged, hilly areas and amazing rock formations. Historic Zoar, OH (founded in 1817 by German Separatists) is very interesting. It was one of the first communal societies and features some great German architecture. The town’s people helped dig the Ohio-Erie Canal.
When do you lead Buckeye Trail hikes, and what makes them special?
I lead weekend hikes once a month, year round. It is a fun time and we usually cover 10-12 miles a day. We see and talk about history, geography, geology and nature with a diverse group of hikers and we meet great people along the way.
For more information about the Buckeye Trail and the trail’s Circuit Hikes, visit buckeyetrail.org and click on Events. You can see the BT overview map, read about and plan your own hike and purchase section maps. Join the Buckeye Trail Association to receive their newsletter.
