Buckeye Trail - Delphos

Delphos Section

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Trail Description


Little Flat Rock Creek Aquaduct near Pt 23
Sam Bonifas

Supervisor: David Harris
•

46.5 Total Miles / 22.7 Off Road Miles (48.8%)
Map Publication Date: September 2016

The Buckeye Trail starts this section on the towpath of the Miami-Erie Canal, between the old canal and CR-66A. Shortly, you will pass through Deep Cut Park, a 6,600 foot long, 50 foot deep cut made entirely by hand. Laborers were paid 30 cents per day plus a jigger of whiskey. The trail continues on the towpath through the town of Spencerville and on to Delphos. Lock 24N is located at Stadium Park in Delphos near Pt 8. Beyond Delphos, the trail generally follows the route of the canal through the Auglaize River valley. Loramie Summit is the high point of the canal between Cincinnati and Lake Erie. At the north end of the Loramie Summit is the town of New Bremen, where Lock 1N is located. This portion of the Miami Extension Canal, was completed in 1845. It later was re-named to become the Miami and Erie Canal.

Much of the northern half of the section follows county and township roads, ending in the town of Junction.

On Sept. 21, 1812, Col. William Jennings, with his regiment of Kentucky riflemen, was ordered by Gen. W. H. Harrison to cut a road from Fort Barbee at St. Marys to a point midway between that place and Defiance, and there establish a fort. The post was completed on this site in October, 1812, and named in honor of its builder.

The road begun by Col. Jennings was later extended to Fort Winchester (Defiance, OH) by Col. Poague, builder of Fort Amanda. The Auglaize River Valley then became a major supply artery for Harrison's army, operating to the Northwest. By boat and wagon in the summer and by sled in winter, troops and large quantities of army stores were moved through here to the scenes of the major actions.

Click Here for a Key to Services

Trail Alerts

  • (7/11/2024) This trail alert affects the BT from Point 7 to 8 in the Delphos Section. Thanks to Sam Bonifas, former, and David Harris, current Delphos Section Supervisor, the BTA was made aware of ODNR plans for structural maintenance on Lock 23 N in Delphos. Work is scheduled to start towards the end of July and estimated to run 4 1/2 to 5 months. This will close a section of the BT between 3rd Street and 5th Street.
    The detour will begin at 3rd Street in Delphos.
    • Turn W, left, on 3rd St and continue to Canal Street in 150 ft
    • Turn N, right, onto Canal Street and continue to 5th street
    • Turn E, right, onto 5th street to meet back with the canal and trail in 135 ft
    • Turn N, left, and continue on the trail to Point 8.

Map Updates

  • (3/21/2023) Delphos Map Edition of September 2016
    This was a trail alert dated 6/23/2020, but it is now a permanet trail change. It is necessary because a landowner who owns property along the established route of the trail claims rights that the Association does not believe that he has. As a result, the trail has left the route along the canal that users have enjoyed for several years. The trail has been returned to public roads.

    The area affected is between Pt 20 and Pt 21 of the Delphos Section Edition of September 2016. The details of the detour are given below. The description gives details point to point rather than only for the trail change.
    CW CCW Pt Description
    35.9
    N    		 10.3
    SE    		 20 Miami Erie Canal Towpath at Road 187
    Turn N onto Road 187; cross the prism of the Miami Erie Canal. Continue N on Road 187. After 0.45 mi, reach an extended intersection with Road 82. Jog E on Road 82 for 100’; turn N onto Road 187. After 1.0 mi, cross SR 613 and also an active RR. At the end of Road 187 (1.2 mi), go W on Road 171.
    39.3
    		 6.9
    		 21 Site of Fort Brown (P)
    Except for a small mileage adjustment, the rest of the text on your map is correct. Reduce the CCW distance S of Pt 20 by 0.3 mi. Similarly, reduce all CW distance N of Pt 21 by 0.3 mi.
  • (3/20/2022) David Harris, Delphos Section Supervisor, reports that due to a property liability dispute, the Delphos Section has a trail reroute to avoid a pasture that previously had stiles to get over fences. Those stiles were removed. The new reroute begins 2.1 miles north of Pt. 22, crossing a bridge over the canal on the right .5 miles north of Vaill's Lock and follows on road, Rd 163, north for .3 miles to the intersection with Rd 156 where it rejoins the original trail 2.4 miles north of Pt. 22.
    The reroute is blazed with blue blazes.
  • (7/11/2020) This change is very pleasant. On July 9, 2020, the Johnny Appleseed Metro Park District, which manages the Miami Erie State Trail (MEST) between Spencerville and Delphos, opened a new parking facility just S of Pt 6 in the Delphos Section. The facility is named the Robert K Antibus Trail Access parking in honor of a Park District Commissioner who has served 27 years.
    There is no change in distance, just an added convenience along the way if you have need of it. The points affected are shown below.
    CW CCW Pt Description
    6.2
    N    		 40.3
    S    		 5. MEST at SR 81
    Continue N on MEST past the site of Lock 17 (0.1 mi). About 300’ S of Zion Church Rd, the only crossroad on this stretch of trail, pass an access trail that leads into a large, paved parking area. This parking is provided by the Johnny Appleseed Metro Park District. The area is accessible by road from that small stretch of Zion Church Rd that goes N-S just N of here.
    8.1
    N    		 38.3
    S    		 6. MEST at Zion Church Rd (T-27) in Southworth
  • (10/20/16) A revised map of the Delphos Section has now been published.
  • (8/22/16) A revised map of the Delphos Section will issue in September 2016. The material below provides information from which you can update your earlier editions of December 2008 and April 2014.
    The most exciting new information is that the number of available camping locations within this section has increased from none in 2008, two in 2014, to five in the newest edition. See “Camping Along the Trail” at the bottom of this map change. Only the early paragraphs have changed. The last paragraph contains nothing new and has been omitted here.
    The Edition of 2008 announced that the Buckeye Trail Crew completed a relocation of the trail through the Ottoville Quarry Wilderness Area north of Ottoville. This relocation reduced the overall length of the Delphos Section by 0.3 miles and added 0.8 mi of trail off road. The Edition of September 2016 includes both losses and gains of off-road trail. The distance of trail off road is now 22.6 miles which is a slight loss in absolute miles off road since 2014. However, since the total distance in the section has increased to 46.5 miles, the fraction of trail off road has decreased to 48.5%.
    Most of the number and placement of the section points have remained the same. However, Point 22 was moved east to Charloe since the desired trail route across Blue Creek along the towpath will not be achieved in the near future. New accumulative distances are given below, along with the point numbers and enough of the name of the location to identify the point. In addition, Where the text in the new edition is significantly different from either earlier edition, it too has been entered. Note: some time ago because of complaints, we began to use miles in the text to express distance between points of interest except for distances less than 0.1 mile. Since this difference is rather trivial, the new text is shown below only when the former text is incorrect.
    CW CCW Pt Description
    0.0
    		 46.5
    		 1 Methodist Church on SR 197 in Kossuth
    2.1
    		 44.4
    		 2 Towpath at Deep Cut Rd (C226)
    3.4
    		 43.1
    		 3 MEST at Kolter Rd (C35)
    Note that the grocery in downtown Spencerville that was described in the Edition of 2008 is closed.
    4.5
    		 42.0
    		 4 Towpath at North St in Spencerville
    6.2
    		 40.3
    		 5 Towpath at SR 81 (Allentown Rd)
    8.1
    		 38.0
    		 6 MEST at Zion Church Rd (T27) in Southworth
    13.3
    		 32.2
    		 7 MEST at Cleveland St in Delphos
    14.8
    		 31.7
    		 8 Towpath at Pohlman Rd
    15.6
    		 30.9
    		 9 Road U20 at SR 190
    17.6
    		 28.9
    		 10 Road U20 at Road 23T
    19.8
    		 26.7
    		 11 Road 23T at SR 190
    20.6
    		 25.9
    		 12 N Water St (SR 189/SR 190) at Fourth St
    23.0
    		 23.5
    		 13 Road R23 at Road 24Q
    24.6
    N    		 21.5
    E    		 14 Third St (SR 189) at W Canal St (US 224) in Ottoville
    Facilities:(MM, P, PO: 45876, R, W)
    Go N on W Canal St. After 2 blocks at Main St, US 224 turns E. Keep N past end of W Canal St (300') to pond. Follow trail around W edge of said pond past trail (300') that leads to a small parking area off Church St near the Little Auglaize R. After 250’, turn N onto the towpath of the Miami and Erie Canal. Leave the towpath only briefly to join a service road on levee where a channelization project along the river has impinged on former canal.
    25.7
    N    		 20.4
    S    		 15 Miami and Erie Towpath at Rd P and Rd 25M
    Head N on Road 25M, which is a hair W of the canal towpath, past Road O25 (0.5 mi, exits W), past Road O (0.5 mi, exits E), past Road N24 (0.5 mi, exits E), and across Road N (0.5 mi).
    28.7
    N    		 17.4
    S    		 16 Road 25M at Road M
    In both earlier editions near the end of this description, the names for Road 203 and Road 1010 are switched. In addition, Road 32 is mentioned but is no longer easily seen. Replace with the following text: The Putnam/Paulding Cty Line crosses this intersection. The roads that comprise the intersection are identified differently in each county. On its S side, signs identify Road 25M at Road M (Putnam Cty) and on its N side, as Road 203 at Road 12 (Paulding Cty). Continue N on Road 203, the continuation of Road 25M, past Road 266 (0.5 mi, exits E), past Road 18 (0.4 mi, exits NE) and past Road 1010 (1.1 mi, exits W). Head NE on Road 203 that parallels the over-grown canal prism. After 0.24 mi, jog W on SR 114.
    31.0
    		 15.5
    		 17 SR 114 at SR 66 in Mandale (No Services)
    32.5
    		 14.0
    		 18 Road 48 at Miami and Erie Canal Heel path
    No Parking In this narrow, wooded strip of land is the Miami and Erie Canal. Because of a land dispute, BTA has lost access to a trail that the Buckeye Trail Crew built on the heelpath. Hopefully, the loss is only temporary. Continue W on Road 48 past Road 199 (40', exits SE). At the next intersection, turn N on Road 197. After 0.9 mi at a wooded strip, reach remnants of canal. Hipp's Timberville Lock 31 (C) is located 0.17 mi SE on side trail on heelpath. Turn NW onto former heelpath and soon cross Road 60 (350'). ). Continue N across a bridge (150') and enter narrow piece of woods. By now, you will see easily that you are following the prism through woods and field.
    35.3
    		 11.2
    		 19 Miami and Erie Canal Towpath at Road 72
    35.9
    N    		 10.6
    SE    		 20 Miami and Erie Canal Towpath at Road 187
    Turn N onto Road 187, crossing the filled canal prism to the heelpath of canal (100’). Turn NW onto footpath. After 0.5 mi, reach Road 82. Follow Road 82 E. After 0.24 mi, enter an extended intersection with Road 187 that comes from the S. After 100' as Road 82 continues E, turn N onto Road 187. Continue N across SR 613 (1.0 mi) across RR. At the end of Road 187 (1.1 mi), go W on Road 171.
    39.6
    		 6.9
    		 21 Site of Fort Brown (P)
    Delete the last 2 sentences from the text because Point 22 has been moved to Charloe.
    41.5
    W    		 5
    S    		 22 Road 171 at Road 138 in Charloe
    Facilities: City Park, MM, PS, W. As Road 171 continues N, turn W onto Road 138. After 0.5 mi, exit Road 138. Turn N onto Road 163. The broad low area just E of the road in agricultural fields are the remains of the Miami and Erie Canal. After 0.7 mi near a wood’s edge, exit Road 163 E to towpath (100') and turn N. After 0.3 mi, leave woods. Follow W edge of tilled fields N across Road 146 (0.35 mi) and beyond. After 0.3 mi, leave edge of tilled field briefly for woods at Viall's Lock 32 (C). At end of tilled fields (0.45 mi), cross fence on stile. Continue to follow towpath generally N in both open and wooded pasture with fences and stiles. Cross Road 156 near its intersection with Road 163. Continue N through field and across driveway past shed into woods where the towpath is followed easily. Near creek, descend NW across canal prism to Road 163. Across Flat Rock Creek, leave Road 163 and ascend NE to towpath. Continue N in woods for 0.24 mi. Exit woods and continue N on W edge of tilled field across Road 170 (350') and beyond. After 0.7 mi, enter woods on towpath that continues N past a canal mile marker (200'). After 300’, cross canal prism NW on boardwalk.
    46.0
    N    		 0.5
    SE    		 23 Intersection of Road 163 and Road 1023
    Join Road 163 heading N. Immediately N of Little Flat Rock Creek (0.2 mi), exit Road 163 E onto footpath that will climb beside the beautiful arched stone culvert that conducts the creek beneath the canal prism.
    At the prism, follow heelpath briefly before crossing to the towpath and turning N. After 0.3 mi, jog W on Road 111 across the filled canal prism. Head N on the heelpath to a display (450') with parking that memorializes the junction of the Miami & Erie and the Wabash & Erie Canals. The two remain joined from here NE to their final junction with the Maumee R near Toledo. This memorial is just a few feet S of SR 111.
    46.5
    		 0.0
    		 24 SR 111 at Road 111 and Road 153 in Junction

    CAMPING ALONG THE TRAIL

    The location of all camping facilities, known to BTA, that are within reasonable walking distance of the trail, are shown on the Section Map and listed below. The campsites listed under 2, 3, 4 and 5 are not serviced. Please carry out all trash, including any that you may find there, from these 4 sites.
    1. No-trace camping is permitted in the park just N of North St near Pt 4 with permission. Call the Spencerville Police, 419-647-4141.
    2. A shelter is located near the site of Lock 18 which is 0.35 mi N of Pt 6. Installed by Buckeye Trail Crew during 2015, the shelter can be seen 136' NE across prism.
    3. A primitive campsite with no facilities is located just north of Pt 8 where the towpath ends at Jennings Creek.
    4. A primitive campsite with no facilities is available at Hipp’s Lock which is located off the trail between Pt 18 and Pt 19. The site can only be reached from Road 197. See Pt 18 text.
    5. A primitive campsite with no facilities is available at Viall’s Lock which is located between Pt 22 and Pt 23 off Road 163 in Paulding County.

Trail Towns


Spencerville

Trail Town Dedication coming in 2024

The Buckeye Trail Association welcomes Spencerville as the 21st Trail Town. Spencerville is a small rural, agricultural community of around 2200 residents, in northwest Ohio, west of Lima. The formation of the village is directly due to Spencerville being located on the Miami and Erie Canal. The canal was opened for traffic in 1844. The village was laid out for Tyler, McConnell, and Conover of Dayton when they purchased a tract of 350 acres and built a mill at the upper lock.

The name was bestowed in honor of Colonel Spencer, a member of the State Board of Public Works in 1848 and an ardent supporter of canal-building enterprises. This area of Ohio in the 1800s still had wooded forests that supplied lumber mills and stave factories in Spencerville. The narrow-gauge railroad entered the village in 1878 and 4 years later the Chicago and Atlantic Railroad connected the village in direct communication with the east and west.

Spencerville continues the historic nature of the Miami and Erie towpath for the trail user. The village falls ten miles between the Trail Towns of St Marys and Delphos, making it the perfect day hike length for a section hiker. With ample parking, Spencerville can be a perfect staging town to recreate out of, whether it is hiking, biking, cross-country skiing, bird watching, or family walks.

Spencerville is the beginning location for the annual ‘Memorial to Memorial on Memorial’ hike. This hike begins at Spencerville Area Veterans Memorial Park, following the Buckeye Trail⁄Miami & Erie Towpath to the Delphos Veterans Memorial in Delphos on Memorial Day.


Delphos

2022 was a good year for Trail Towns for the Buckeye Trail Association and we welcomed Delphos as our 18th Trail Town.

Delphos Trail Town Dedication was Saturday, September 17, 2022 in Delphos Ohio. The ceremony took place on Day 3 of Canal Days, Delphos' end of summer, premier festival. 2022 was the 60th Canal Days Festival in Delphos.

Delphos is located on the northwest portion on the Buckeye Trail in Allen and Van Wert Counties, and was formed in 1851 from 4 small towns. It was a major port on the Miami and Erie Canal, an early hub for narrow gauge railroads and on the original route of the Lincoln Highway. By 1879, there were over a hundred factories churning out goods for the world, and even today the city enjoys an international reputation as a manufacturing center.

The City of Delphos is very proud of their history with two museums located on Main Street to reflect this. The Delphos Canal Commission Museums chronicles the history of Delphos, Northwest Ohio and the Miami and Erie Canal. The museum displays more than a quarter million stamps, antique postal vehicles, mailboxes, historic postal media and much more with a newly opened second floor.

Delphos welcomed the Buckeye Trail in 1975 by offering its city parks for camping to hikers and looks forward to welcoming more outside adventurers into the future.

Section Blogs

  • (8/3/23) Delphos Section Blog - Provided by Victoria Livingston, BTA hiker. Join Victoria, her husband Dave, and fellow hiker Pat on the trail from Fort Brown at Point 21 to 24 Point, 7.5 mi. They found strange artwork on the BT including: Sasquatch, Heron, and Hula Dancer. Follow their adventure here on the BT .
  • (8/3/23) Delphos Section Blog - Provided by Victoria Livingston, BTA hiker. Join Victoria, her husband Dave, and fellow hiker Pat as they hike the BT from Delphos Point 12 Fort Jennings to Point 17, Mandale 11.3 mi. On this hike they found gratitude to veterans and kindness to strangers. Follow their adventure here on the BT .