Buckeye Trail
60 days · 1318 mi · strenuous · Point-to-point
Quick facts
What the Buckeye Trail is known for
The full Buckeye Trail: a roughly 1,440-mile blue-blazed loop around Ohio through 47 counties, the longest loop hiking trail in the U.S. It mixes footpath, canal towpath, and road walking; a thru-hike takes around two months, and most hikers tackle it section by section.
Elevation profile
Elevation ranges from 1,690 ft to 4,167 ft over 1318 mi. Measured from OSM geometry (approximate).
- Uphill 12.5 mi · 1%
- Downhill 14.5 mi · 1%
- Flat 1290.8 mi · 98%
Ridgefold breaks every route into uphill, downhill, and flat — see the full per-day breakdown in the app.
How hard is the Buckeye Trail?
On the Ridgefold Difficulty Index, the Buckeye Trail scores 71/100, a relative rating across the 1,243 trails we've mapped, blending distance, elevation gain, and steepness. It is a comparison within our set, not an official rating.
Frequently asked questions
How much elevation gain is on the Buckeye Trail?
The Buckeye Trail climbs roughly 71,824 ft total — about 54 ft per mile, topping out near 1,335 ft.
Related trails
Sources & attribution
Route geometry from OpenStreetMap, © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL 1.0 — source relation. Stats are approximate and may differ from official surveys; permit rules and conditions change — verify with the managing authority before your trip. Last reviewed July 2026.