This might be the biggest endurance test in all of Ohio, and it’s in your backyard

Andy Niekamp of Kettering returned to Deeds Point in Dayton in June 2011 after a four month long trek on the Buckeye Trail hiking more than 1,400 miles. Niekamp started his journey at the statue of Orville and Wilbur Wright located at Deeds Point and returned to the same spot for the finish. LISA POWELL / STAFF

Credit: Lisa Powell

Credit: Lisa Powell

Andy Niekamp of Kettering returned to Deeds Point in Dayton in June 2011 after a four month long trek on the Buckeye Trail hiking more than 1,400 miles. Niekamp started his journey at the statue of Orville and Wilbur Wright located at Deeds Point and returned to the same spot for the finish. LISA POWELL / STAFF

The Buckeye Trail is a hiking trail that follows near the perimeter of Ohio and is nearly 1,400 miles long. To put that in perspective, the distance between Manchester, Conn., to Miami, Fla., is 1,406 miles.

» EXPLORE: Buckeye Trail map and locations

One Tipp City man and founder of Tomfoolery Outdoors, Tom Helbig, took on the challenge of hiking the trail, spending 88 nights hiking across the buckeye state. He began his trek on St. Patrick’s Day from Canal Fulton and finished on July 15 in Milford, after taking a 24-day break in May because of a fractured elbow. Helbig is the 15th person to thru-hike the Buckeye Trail.

The history of this trail began in the late 1950s when a small group envisioned a trail from the Ohio River to Lake Erie. From there, the trail grew in size and now reaches almost every corner of the state.

The small group has now grown into what is known as The Buckeye Trail Association, a non-profit group of volunteers who maintain and promote the trail, according to Buckeyetrail.org.

Map

Use the map below to explore the 26 different parks and locations on the Buckeye Trail.

Here are just a few snapshots from others on the trail:

Hocking Hills

#FirstWindCollectiveMedia #AshCave #HockingHills #BuckeyeTrail

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Edge of Appalachia Nature Preserve

Gotta love the Buckeye Trail!

A post shared by Dan Barr - Buckeye - 24 (@buckeyewanderer) on

Gen Helen

Day 1: #buckeyetrailfest @buckeyetrailassociation

A post shared by J J Kirby (@roadshowjo) on

Worthington

#ProjectBadass #TrailMaintenance #BuckeyeTrail

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John Bryan State Park

I am a geek for gorges. #buckeyetrailfest #exploreohio #womenwhohike

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