Buckeye Trail - Belle Valley

Belle Valley Section

Trail Alerts   •    Map Updates   •    Trail Towns   •    Section Blog

Trail Description


Belle Valley adopter Joe Phillips paints his first blaze.
Debbie Zampini

Supervisor: Terry Blackstone

58 Total Miles / 15.4 Off Road Miles (26.6%)
Map Publication Date: March 2013

The Belle Valley section is a mostly hilly, completely rural portion of the BT that runs through Guernsey and Noble Counties in southeast Ohio. The section runs from Winterset to the American Electric Power Recreation Lands. The trail here is mostly on rarely traveled dirt roads, with off-road portions located at Salt Fork Wildlife Area, Seneca Lake (the southernmost of the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District Lakes), Wolf Run State Park and American Electric Power Recreation Lands. The trail passes through the villages of Old Washington, where the trail crosses I-70, and Belle Valley, where it crosses I-77, and Hoskinsville.

Click Here for a Key to Services

Trail Alerts

  • (3/24/22)Trail Alert

    This alert and change adds additional information to the 8/31/20 alert and change below.

    Bicentennial Campground (K) is open and now managed by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), Division of Wildlife in the Appalachian Hills Wildlife Area. It is located on the BT and is just north of Belle Valley Pt 31 or Stockport Pt 1. No permit is required.

    In addition, Wood Grove Campground (H) has now been closed permanently.

  • (8/31/20)Trail Alert and Change

    In October 2019, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced an agreement between the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) and American Electric Power (AEP) to secure more than 41,000 acres of what had been known as AEP ReCreation Lands and place that land into the public trust in perpetuity. Its administration has been divided between ODNR’s Division of Parks and Recreation and its Division of Wildlife. Division of Parks and Recreation has named their new park as Jesse Owens State Park, now contains 2,794 acres. Division of Wildlife has named their new wildlife area as Appalachian Hills Wildlife Area. At 20,672 acres, it already is the largest wildlife area owned by the Division of Wildlife. By Jan 31, 2021, it will have grown to 38,414 acres. ODNR seeks to acquire the funds necessary to purchase the remainder of the ReCreation Lands.

    BTA considers itself fortunate that the entirety of the trail that once was within the ReCreation Lands, 24.4 mi, remains intact and now is within Appalachian Hills Wildlife Area. This trail extends between Pt 27 in the Belle Valley Section and Pt 6 in the Stockport Section.

    Division of Wildlife has been working with AEP to help maintain rules regarding hunting, fishing and trespass. I suspect that no hiker will notice much change along the trail. However, with such a major change in ownership, changes should be anticipated. We will try to keep you up-to-date as we become aware of changes.

    Following the transfer, fewer campsites remain open. At this time, Bicentennial Campsite (Campsite K), Hook Lake Campsite (Campsite A), Maple Grove Campsite (Campsite G), Sand Hollow Campsite (Campsite C) and Sawmill Road Campsite (Campsite D) are available. All campsites are operated by the Division of Parks and Recreation. Use of the campsites is still free. However, only Bicentennial, located on the trail just north of Belle Valley Pt 31 or Stockport Pt 1, is available to hikers. The campground, formerly known as Wood Grove or Campground H and located near Stockport Pt 3, has been closed. The closure is probably permanent.

Map Updates

  • (4/25/23)Map Update

    This update address a road name change in Noble County between Points 26 and 27. The road named Serdy Rd (T161) on the March 2013 map and described in the Point 26 description, has changed to Ola Teters Rd (T161). Note: There may or may not be a road sign stating the new name.

  • (3/24/22)Map Update

    This alert and change adds additional information to the 8/31/20 alert and change listed above.

    Bicentennial Campground (K) is open and is now managed by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), Division of Wildlife in the Appalachian Hills Wildlife Area. It is located on the BT and is just north of Belle Valley Pt 31 or Stockport Pt 1. No permit is required.

Trail Towns

  • There are no Trailtowns in this Section at the present time.

Section Blogs

  • There are no Blog posts at the present time.