Shawnee
- Miles
- 55.7 Total Miles / 26.4 Off Road Miles (47.4%)
- Section supervisor
- Josh Ramey, Morgan Thomas
- Contact
- shawnee@buckeyetrail.org
- Paper map publication date
- January 2020
- Chapter
- Appalachian Foothills Chapter
- Counties
- Adams, Scioto
- Abutting Sections
- Sinking Spring, West Union
- Trail alerts and map updates
- See all
- Page last updated
- Mar 14, 2026
What to expect
The Shawnee Section is one of the most rugged and remote portions of the Buckeye Trail. The route traverses Ohio’s 64,000-acre Shawnee State Forest and Shawnee State Park, and passes through portions of the 20,000-acre Edge of Appalachia Preserve System, offering hikers long stretches of backcountry trail with few road walks. Known as the “Little Smokies of Ohio,” this region features steep ridges, deep hollows, and dense forests. It is a challenging but rewarding hike with abundant opportunities for solitude.
Section news
Towns and villages on the trail
There are no towns or villages along the trail in the Shawnee section.
Points of interest
- Davis Memorial State Nature Preserve →
- Buckeye Trail Association Ballinger Preserve
- Shawnee State Forest →
- Shawnee Backpacking Trail →
- Shawnee Wilderness Area: At 8,000 acres, it’s the only designated Wilderness Area in Ohio.
- Shawnee State Park →
- Copperhead Fire Tower: Ohio’s first fire tower
- Camp Oyo →
- Ohio River Valley overlooks
- Edge of Appalachia Preserve System →
Natural features and geography
- Unglaciated Appalachian Plateau
- Steep ridges and valleys
- Dense hardwood forests
- Abundant wildlife habitat
- Remote backcountry terrain
Nearby emergency services
In life-threatening situations, call 911 throughout the Section. For other problems, call:
| County | State Highway Patrol | Sheriff |
|---|---|---|
| Adams | 937.378.6191 | 937.544.2314 |
| Scioto | 740.354.2888 | 740.354.7566 |
Open Trail Adopter segments
- Points 1 to 3 (off road)
- Points 3 to 13 (on road)
- Points 15 to 19 (off road)
- Points 19 to 21 (on road)
- Points 21 to 23 (off road)
- Points 23 to 24 (on road)
- Points 24 to 25 (off road)
Trail Alerts
None found!
Map Updates
-
Camping No Longer Available
This update applies to the 2020 printed Shawnee section BTA map and the 2025 FarOut app. On the … Read more
-
Camping Contact Update
This update applies to the map updates provided below, to the Shawnee printed map dated 1-2020 … Read more
-
Trail Change
This update applies to the 2020 Shawnee printed map. This Shawnee map update identifies a change to … Read more
-
Major Reroute
This update applies to both the Shawnee Section Map Edition of December 2011, and the West Union … Read more
-
Trail Change
This Trail change applies to the Shawnee Section Map that shows December 2011 on its front cover. … Read more
-
Map Correction
These corrections apply to the Shawnee Section map edition of December 2011. Look at the first line … Read more
Parking locations
-
Point 1: Davis Memorial State Nature Preserve South Entrance has a day use parking area with 4 spaces.
-
Point 2: Cemetery Trailhead has a day use parking area with 8 spaces.
-
Point 12: The Ohio Department of Natural Resources Road 3 Pull Off has a day use parking area with 2 spaces.
-
Point 14: Shawnee State Park offers a day use parking area with 131 spaces.
-
Point 19: At the Sunshine Ridge Trailhead, parking at any time is restricted to 4 vehicles. In addition, any vehicle left overnight must display a valid parking permit in the windshield. Email ohio@tnc.org or call 937.544.2188, extension 13, for your permit.
Section resources
Camping locations
-
Point 11: Ben’s Happy Trail Horse Camp offers seasonal camping horses. Learn more at benshappytrails.org.
-
Point 14: Shawnee State Park offers Class A camping at the west end of Roosevelt Lake, 1.5 miles southeast, via either state Route 125 or the Knighton Trail, which can be found near the swimming beach.
-
Point 15: Hike about 850 feet down a white-blazed state forest side trail to Shawnee State Forest Camp 7. (850, privy, water)
-
Point 22: To stay at Moon Hollow Campsite, you must possess a free, written permit from the Edge of Appalachia Preserve. Contact the preserve to secure your permit by emailing ohio@tnc.org or calling 937.544.2188, extension 13. No facilities are available at the campsite. No fires allowed.
Resupply locations
- Details coming soon.
