Buckeye Trail Association Membership Drive

April 27, 2017 - 7:00pm

Yellow Springs, Ohio

Live, Breathe and Hike the Buckeye Trail!

The Buckeye Trail Association Membership Drive in Yellow Springs was held on April 27, 2017.



The event started at 5:00PM with the dedication of Yellow Springs as an official Trail Town for the Buckeye Trail. The celebration will took place at the Yellow Springs Station (101 Dayton St, Yellow Springs, OH 45387).

At 7:00PM the main program was held at the Little Art Theatre - 247 Xenia Ave, Yellow Springs, OH 45387 - with a viewing of the movie Trail Magic - the Grandma Gatewood Story. Grandma Gatewood was one of the charter members of the Buckeye Trail Association and the first woman ever to solo through-hike the Appalachian Trail.

Location: Little Art Theatre, in Yellow Springs, Ohio. The Little Art Theatre is among the most recognizable and beloved landmarks in Yellow Springs. Well known for its commitment to diverse programming that includes first-run independent and foreign films, documentaries, cinema classics and special film events, Little Art Theatre is located at 247 Xenia Ave, Yellow Springs, OH 45387. Web Site









Want To Get Involved? Need More Info? Contact Us!

Registration Coordinator: Sally Sugar - ~ 740-394-2008


Buckeye Trail History: In 1958, Merrill Gilfillan wrote an article for the Columbus Dispatch proposing a trail from Cincinnati to Lake Erie. One of his hopes was that the trail would serve as an encouragement to young people to slow down and learn about their native land. Spurred on by the article, several people, including Merrill, met in Columbus in February, 1959 to discuss building such a trail. In June, they formed a non-profit organization – The Buckeye Trail Association. The Buckeye Trail is identified by blue blazes, 2" wide by 6" high, on trees or poles.

Grandma Gatewood: After raising 11 children on farms along the Ohio River and at the age of 67, the grandmother of 23 became the first woman to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail alone and in a continuous hike. That was in 1955. Two years later, she hiked the Appalachian Trail again and later completed a third hike of the trail in sections. She is known for her legendary Keds sneakers that she wore instead of hiking boots and the laundry sack that she used instead of a backpack. Grandma Gatewood was a founding member of the The Buckeye Trail Association.