Buckeye Trail - Bowerston

Bowerston Section

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Trail Description

Supervisor: Scott Pendleton
• 740-942-2624

63.9 Total Miles / 24.4 Off Road Miles (38.2%)
Map Publication Date: August 2023

Much of the Bowerston section follows county and township roads but Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District properties provide many miles of off-road experience. The trail skirts Leesville Lake, passes through the town of Bowerston, and follows the shorelines of Tappan, Clendening, and Piedmont Lakes. After passing through the small town of Smyrna, the trail continues along a very scenic township road and over a covered bridge at Skull Fork.

Click Here for a Key to Services

Trail Alerts

  • (12/Jul/2022) Section Supervisor Scott Pendelton has provided this information for two areas in the Bowerston Section that have major trail issues due to storm damage this year. Weather events from a severe ice storm in February and two wind and rain storms in June, along with logging on private property, have caused deadfalls and blowdowns around Piedmont and Clendenning Lakes.

    Hikers should be prepared for slow going around both lakes. The trail remains open and passable with effort, but brambles and blowdowns are plentiful. From Points 18-20 on the north side of Brushyfork Bay at Clendenning, expect deadfall and blowdowns which are especially problematic. At the southern part of Piedmont, the same applies for an area 1.5 mi north of Point 25.


Map Updates

  • (9/8/2023) A new map has been published for the Bowerston Section.
  • (3/18/2022)

    In response to a recent hiker who followed the blue blazes and, as a result, was off trail for about 1/2 mi before rejoing the BT, Section Supervisor Scott Pendleton checked the location and found that a utility pole with a blue blaze had been replaced. He added the necessary blaze to the new pole. At the same time, we reviewed the description of the route from Point 10 to Point 11 and adjusted the wording to clarify the information. That description is posted below.
    CW CCW Pt Description
    14.5
    SE    		 49.4
    NW    		 10. SR 164 at Deacon Rd (T115) in New Hagerstown
    In 460' as SR 164 exits NE, BT continues SE.
    In 460' as Deacon Rd continues SE, BT turns SW onto Autumn Rd and heads out of New Hagerstown past a 19th century academy that has come to an ignominious end. In 3200' as Autumn Rd turns to SW, BT joins Stone Rd (T633) and continues S into Harrison Cty (450') where Stone Rd. is renamed State St. In 375', BT passes the entrance to Longview Cemetery built on a bluff overlooking the Conotton Creek Valley. Take a few minutes from your hike to climb into the cemetery and “set a spell” at the top of this steep bluff to enjoy this great view.
    BT continues S to the end of State St where it diagonally crosses Penn Ave. Here, BT follows a footpath on across SR 151 into a parking area for The Nolan Company (manufacturer of heavy industrial safety equipment). BT goes around W end of the Nolan bldg, turns back E between RR tracks and building and in 460' passes through tunnel beneath RR to join Bridge St. BT continues S on Bridge St past two streets, both of which enter John Knight Memorial Park (P, PS, PT), and crosses Conotton Creek.
    15.9
    SW    		 48
    NE    		 11. Bridge St at Main St and Liberty St in Bowerston
    Continue as the description reads.
  • (6/13/2019)

    One of the members of the Map Team noticed that the map in this area had never been updated to include the result of a work party back in mid-October 2016. Further complicating matters, while doing distance checks in which old data is compared with modern GIS results, it turned out that we needed to update distance data as it appears in the current map beyond Point 24. Indeed, we have revised distances on past Piedmont Lake to Smyrna and the intersection of Covered Bridge Rd, SR 800 and US 22 (Point 26).
    CW CCW Pt Description
    48.4
    W    		 16.9
    E    		 A. Roadside Park on US 22 at Piedmont Reservoir US 22
    Facilities: P, Pr, PS, PT, W. Lake Piedmont Inn (B & B, 740-968-1605) is 0.16 mi ahead on the N side of US 22. The owner offers free tent sites to hikers. Continue W on US 22. After just 450', exit US 22 on an old asphalt drive/parking area that heads SW downhill. After 250', leave asphalted zone and enter woods and interspersed open areas on footpath that lies between the guard rail along US 22 and the lake. After 0.4 mi, turn E to reach the old road (250') that joins US 22 a little W of here at Old Point 24. Note that Old Point 24 is no longer in use. Go NE on the old road After 0.5 mi, the old road ends within a former Sea Scout (BSA) Camp at a concrete walk. The trail follows this walk a ways as the trail meanders past the site where the "SSS Hannah" was moored. Continue on the footpath that meanders and undulates slightly along the shore of Piedmont Lake.
    53.1
    W    		 12.2
    E    		 25. Side Trail to Piedmont Marina and Campground
    A white-blazed side-trail leads to the Concession (740-658-3735, camp open April - Oct., Marina, R, S, W, WC. The trail undulates and meanders generally E. After 0.7 mi, turn E onto Thin Rd. (T8992, no sign here). After 0.14 mi at end of Thin Rd, turn W onto Marina Rd (C893, no sign here). After 0.35 mi at the end of Marina Rd, turn NW onto SR 800. After 0.6 mi, SR 800 merges with US 22; follow the joint highway NE into both Harrison Cty (500') and the hamlet of Smyrna (unincorporated, no services).
    55.1
    W    		 10.2
    E    		 26. US 22/SR 800 at Covered Bridge Rd (T123)
    The map update is complete here. The detour and update information have increased the length of the trail by 1.4 mi. Add 1.4 mi to all CW distances following this point. Otherwise, resume use of your Bowerston map Edition of May 2012.


  • (6/17/2015)

    Attention Through-Hikers - This Update does not affect the trail itself. At Point 17, Moravian Trail Rd (C2) at Adams Rd (T303), the little post office in Deersville is now closed. The closure is probably permanent.

Trail Towns

Deersville - Trail Town Dedication April 27, 2019

The small village of Deersville is nestled in the eastern Ohio hills of Harrison Count with Tappan and Clendening Lakes nearby. Historic Deersville, which was established in 1815, offers a step back in time to its visitors. The Deersville General Store is the heart of the community. It has been around since 1898 and is famous for its homemade ice cream. The store also offers a little bit of everything from snacks, deli, pizza and other hot foods, beer, ice, grocery items, fishing and camping supplies and fuel.

Nearby Tappan Lake Park part of the MWCD, has over 500 campsites and vacation cabins. The park offers a beach, trails and activities to it's campers as well as to those who just want to spend the day. It's a great place to fish and there is a 399hp limit for all types of boating adventures.

The Deersville Theatre is a fantastic attraction. The Deersville Players give performances in the Spring and Fall. The village has a number of beautiful historic homes available as vacation rentals.

Also of note, Deersville is also home to the Buckeye Trail Association's Official Ice Cream Buckeye Krunch which is a Vanilla based Ice Cream with Peanut Butter Cups, Crispy Rice, and Blue Sprinkles. It is sold exclusively at Deersville General Store. A portion of the sales also benefit the Buckeye Trail Association.

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