St Marys Section

Trail Alerts

• (11/5/15)Once again, it has been called to our attention that it is unwise to park along Stoker Road anywhere near Point 7. Point 7 is where the Miami & Erie Towpath Trail intersects Stoker Road. The local land owner who lives on the north side of Stoker Road firmly believes that the canal right-of-way that continues northwest across his property also belongs to him. Any possible infringement of his supposed property rights results in a call to the Shelby County Sheriff's Office. Avoid this inconvenience by parking elsewhere.

Map Updates

• (1/3/2025)While reviewing the different section maps, an error was found in the St Marys map at Point 13. This applies to the December 2024 edition of the printed map and to the current Spring 2024 edition of Farout and Avenza apps at Point 10. The description for the Point should read:
  
  Towpath at SR 66 in Newport — Continue NW on towpath past occupied houses (Stay close to canal!) and, later, the west boundary of Hickory Lakes concert venue that has encroached into the prism of the former canal. Note: BTA hikers have permission to pass through this massive Hickory Lakes concert venue and private campground except during paid events. Follow blazes and keep moving. After 1.3 mi, cross Cardo Rd (C91), climb over locked gate, and continue N beside dry canal.
  
  
• (12/11/2024)A new edition of the printed St Marys map has been published and is available to order from the Buckeye Trail store. The new map incorporates all the updates prior to this date. A major change in the section occurred at the very beginning of the section with the last three points of the Troy Section being given to the St. Marys Section. With the addition of these new points, the St. Marys Section now is 48.27 miles long and all the points have been renumbered. In addition, there have been some corrections to information in the Point descriptions.
  
  See the trail log below:
  

  CW	CCW	Pt	Description
  0 NE	48.27 SW	1	SR 66 at Hardin Rd (C110)(P) BT enters section from TROY SECTION Facilities: P,0.2 mi E. Cross SR 66 and continue N on Hardin Rd (C110). The fields to NE are part of Piqua Historical Area (PHA) that is owned and operated by Ohio History Connection (OHC). The site comprises Johnston Farm, watered segment of Miami-Erie Canal and Pickawillany. Go N on Hardin Rd past Picawillany Historical Markers on right. In 0.34 mi, pass the main gate to PHA. OHC offers seasonal canal boat rides and house tours.
  0.45 E	47.82 W	2	Hardin Rd (C110) at Cabled Service Rd Turn right (E) onto cabled service road. After 0.13 mi, leave service road N into hedgerow. Very soon, turn back E on trail that parallels the service road. There will be another brief encounter with a service road where trail follows service road across a culverted seasonal stream before returning to footpath once again. After 0.6 mi, turn NE across simple bridge and follow heel path of the canal. You may be lucky enough to see a mule drawn replica of a canal boat on the canal. After 0.35 mi, pass abutments on both sides of canal. These structures originally supported a bridge across the canal to a dam across the Great Miami R. After 0.12 mi, reach the remains of Lock 8. Notice the shape of the pool at the outlet end of the lock. That odd shape reflects pool’s original purpose. The canal coming NE continued to the Great Miami R through a guard lock, from which artifacts remain on other side of earthen embankment. Dam just downstream across river raised its level sufficiently to feed water to the canal. Cross dry canal prism to towpath and continue N along Loramie Creek. After 0.26 mi near breech in canal at creek, leave towpath across dry canal bed first to heel path and then State Dam Rd (400').
  1.91 E	46.36 S	3	State Dam Rd at Landman Mill Rd (C111) Note well-preserved remains of Lock 7 in canal. Head E across Loramie Creek on Landman Mill Rd to its end (0.4 mi). Join Piqua-Lockington Rd. Head N into Shelby Cty from Miami Cty (0.35 mi). Road name changes to Miami Conservancy Rd (C176). Continue N past Lockington Rd (0.5 mi, C132, exits E). After 150', turn left (W) onto Seminole Trail. After 1 block, turn right (N) onto Cross TrailNote: Some of the roads in Lockington are named Trails not roads.
  1.29 W	45.07 SW	4	Head of Locks at Cross Trail and Museum Trail in Lockington Managed by OHC, this site is at southern end of the 21-mile Loramie Summit, the highest level of the former Miami & Erie Canal. The famed staircase of 6 locks stretching out before you dropped the canal 67' over a distance only 0.5 mi long! You may follow the towpath S to Loramie Creek past recently restored Lock 1, the remains of 4 more locks, and other artifacts. Lock 6 is across Loramie Creek. The summit level ends at Lock 1N in New Bremen (Pt 22). The canal continued on across Museum Trail, through the playground and then ran parallel to Miami Conservancy Rd. A feeder canal brought water from Port Jefferson diverted from the Great Miami R and stored in Indian Lake. Go left, (W) on Museum Trail that becomes Fessler-Buxton Rd (C111) at Lockington Village Limits. Pass Kaser Rd (0.5 mi, C177, exits E). After 150', turn right (N) through gate onto grassy service road that reduces to a footpath along E bank of Loramie Creek. Subsequently, turn right (E), at the base of Lockington Dam. Completed in 1921, this dam is one of five Miami Conservancy District flood control dams. Follow the path, passing Miami Conservancy structures to Lockington Dam Rd.Turn left (N) and pass around a pipe gate. In another 225’ reach a second pipe gate at edge of parking lot.
  6.2 E	42.7 W	5	Stangel Rd (T24) at Hardin-Wapak Rd (C20 Here, Stangel Rd continues W. Turn N onto Hardin-Wapak Rd past Schenk Rd (0.8 mi, T134, exits E). Now nearly unnoticed, the steep ridge ahead (0.24 mi) is man-made. It carried Miami and Erie Canal. Just past ridge, pass another end of Schenk Rd (150', exits E).
  4.3 E	43.97 W	6	Pipe Gate across Trail from Parking Lot Facilities: C, P, Pr, PS, PT. Continue E across lawn past shelter house. At SE corner of lawn, join footpath. After 0.11 mi, join Miami and Erie Canal Towpath Trail, heading N. Pass abutments for former RR overpass (0.14 mi). Cross footbridge (0.22 mi) built by BTA Trail Crew with funds donated by Friends of Lockington Reserve. After 0.22 mi, drop into the canal prism above a culvert that conducts Fox Creek below. The culvert is slowly caving in. It is worth leaving the trail to view the remains of this culvert (side trail nearby). On the W, the facing has all washed away exposing the arch itself. No concrete was used to construct the culvert. Supported by rough hewn logs that are visible, relatively small, nearly flat, ‘nothing special’ stones were laid together with the thinner edges facing in to form the arch of the culvert. After 75', return to the towpath. Cross Fair Rd (0.17 mi, closed). Continue N past Milepost 101 (0.12 mi) on the side of trail. This milepost reads 101 meaning 101 miles by canal from Cincinnati. After 0.6 mi, turn W onto Stangel Rd as remains of canal continue N.
  7.7 W	40.57 S	7	Hardin-Wapak Rd (C20) at Houston Rd (C25) In 1816, John Wilson built the first brick house in Shelby Cty. It stood on the S side of Houston Rd as you turn W off Hardin-Wapak Rd onto Houston Rd. After 0.28 mi, cross bridge over Turtle Creek. After 1.2 mi, cross Patterson-Halpin Rd (T85). After 0.16 mi, pass remains of Miami and Erie Canal on each side of road. After 0.79 mi, pass a plaque honoring the General Josiah Harmar Military Trail. The plaque is located just N of Houston Rd in a fenced location at [40.2568°, 84.29052°]. General Harmar’s unsuccessful efforts to defeat Native Americans nearby in the Fall of 1790 was known as Harmar’s Defeat. Where Loramie Creek soon after approaches road from SW, road turns to parallel creek past Loramie-Washington Rd (0.8 mi, C123, exits S).
  11.5 N	36.77 NE	8	Houston Rd (C25) at Pampel Rd (C128) Houston Rd continues W. Turn N onto Pampel Rd. After 0.16 mi just across active RR, turn SW onto Miami and Erie Canal Towpath Trail. The trail here is a unit of the Shelby County Park District. Head generally SW past several wide waters of the former canal.
  12.2 W	36.07 E	9	Miami and Erie Towpath Trail at Dawson Rd (C24) Continue W on Miami and Erie Canal Towpath Trail. After 0.3 mi, notice that erosion is forming a ravine in the old canal bed. After ravine deepens (0.28 mi), descend NW from towpath to cross foot bridge (0.12 mi) that was built by BTA and funded by Jim Runk. Ascend to towpath (200'). At towpath, go NW past shelter, Milepost 108, and pond. Cross private driveway (0.35 mi).
  13.6 W	33.67 S	10	Miami and Erie Towpath Trail at Stoker Rd (T120) Miami and Erie Canal Towpath Trail ends here temporarily. Join Stoker Rd (T120). Head W across Loramie Creek (0.2 mi) and past Johns Rd (0.4 mi, T188, exits S).
  14.6 NW	32.67 E	11	Stoker Rd (T120) at SR 48 and SR 66 Stoker Rd ends here. Turn NW on busy SR 66.
  15.36 N	32.91 SE	12	SR 66 at Range Line Rd (C14) Leave SR 66 by going N on Rangeline Rd. Soon, cross Loramie Creek (0.5 mi) on bridge. In 150', pass dirt driveway that exits E. After 200', leave Rangeline Rd for footpath on towpath just E of road. After 0.2 mi, return to Rangeline Rd at beginning of guard rail. In just 300', reach intersection with SR 47. This intersection has buried the old canal. Continue N, descending steep fill bank to follow canal towpath NW across former canal spillway and then an earthen spillway that drains a marshy area, the remains of Leighty Lake.
  16.61 NW	31.66 SE	13	Towpath at SR 66 in Newport (P, R) Continue NW on towpath past occupied houses (Stay close to canal!) and remains of Ream’s Pond. Cross bridge built by Buckeye Trail Crew in 2013, at Milepost 112 and continue along the west boundary of Hickory Lakes concert venue. Note: BTA hikers have permission to pass through this massive Hickory Lakes concert venue and private campground except during paid events. Follow blazes and keep moving. After 1.3 mi, cross Cardo Rd (C91), climb over locked gate, and continue N beside dry canal.
  18.75 W	29.52 SW	14	Towpath at Loy Rd (T92) Canal continues NE. Turn left (W) onto Loy Rd and cross Loramie Creek (0.12 mi). After 0.5 mi as Loy Rd continues W, go right (N) on Friemering Rd (C94). At crossroads, turn right (E) onto Schlater Rd (1.1 mi, C102) past Gehert Rd (0.5 mi, T190, exits S). Stay on Schlater Rd until just after crossing Loramie Creek
  21.25 N	27.02 W	15	Schlater Rd (C102) at Residential Driveway on Towpath Turn N on driveway and enter Fort Loramie Village. At end of driveway (0.16 mi), join blazed towpath that will cross Indian Trail (0.35 mi) in developed area. After 0.3 mi, join dirt drive (Canal St) at Lane St. After 450', road surface changes from dirt to concrete. After 0.13 mi at Park St and W Main St, continue NE alongside of park on W Main St past log trading post with Milepost 116 and several plaques at N end of park.
  22.35 E	25.92 SW	16	SSR 66 (Main St) and SR 362 (Elm St) Facilities: G, L, P, PO: 45845, R, T, W, WC, Wilderness Trail Museum. Go E on SR 362 past historic St Michaels Catholic Church. After 1.1 mi reach Fort Loramie-Swanders Rd (C27).
  23.45 NW	24.82 SE	17	SR 362 at Junction with Fort Loramie-Swanders Rd (C27) The Lake Loramie State Park Offices are located in the northeast corner of this junction. Turn with and cross SR 362 and then follow it N 0.36 mi to a spur drive (W) that leads to Morrie’s Landing, just after SR 362 reduces back to an undivided road. The entrance to Fort Loramie State Park and park facilities (C, E, P, PS, PT, S, T, W, WC) lies 375’ ahead on SR 362. Turn left (NW) onto spur drive and pass Morrie’s Landing. BT leaves drive on walkway that crosses over spillway. NE of spillway, BT joins a second drive on dike. At the end of the drive, BT joins SR 362 and continues N on fill berm. In 750’, at a small parking area, BT descends from road on footpath and continues NW. After 0.28 mi, go W on towpath from the site of the gates that controlled the flow of water from Lake Loramie to the summit level of the Miami and Erie Canal. Cross a waste weir (0.5 mi). Continue W to the junction of the feeder with the main canal (0.1 mi). From here, water flowed both towards Lockington on S and New Bremen on N. A short side-trail (700', white blazes) goes S to remnants of former canal aqueduct across Loramie Creek. Go NW on towpath. After 0.35 mi, jog W 20' on Canal Rd crossing canal prism. Leave road. Go NW on rough grass.
  23.45 NW	24.82 SE	18	Towpath at SR 66 North of Fort Loramie
  22.35 N	25.92 S	19	Towpath at Dirksen Rd (C98) About 250' before this point, the road, that approached from the W and turned N just before reaching the towpath, carried both Dirksen and Friemering Rds. Head N on towpath parallel to Friemering Rd (C94) past Arrowhead Park Golf Club (R open year round). Be aware of stray golf balls. Soon (0.2 mi), leave Shelby Cty entering Auglaize Cty where Friemering Rd becomes Canal Rd (C45).
  27.17 N	21.1 S	20	Towpath at SR 66 North of Fort Loramie Facilities: G, P, PO: 45865, R. Jog E across canal on First St (100'). Turn left (N) onto black-topped alley along canal. Continue across Seventh St (1.0 mi) into Minster Community Park (P, PS, PT). Follow drive to crushed gravel trail (0.14 mi). Go N on trail that slowly turns left (W).
  28.37 N	19.9 S	21	Trail Bridge across Miami and Erie Canal
  30.77 N	17.5 S	22	Monroe St (SR 274 ) and Washington St (SR 66) in New Bremen The Bicycle Museum of America is just W on SR 274. Other New Bremen facilities: G, P, PO: 45869. R, T, W, WC. From Lock 1 Park on S side of SR 274, cross SR 66 at light. Then, turn left (N) across SR 274 and follow sidewalk N on street that parallels SR 66. In one block, cross First St to sidewalk, turn left (W), and where sidewalk ends walk along guard rail to continue N across canal prism to towpath. Turn NE on grass along canal. After 0.2 mi, cross Second St. After 0.14 mi opposite Klee Ave (across the canal, E) leave paved service road to follow grassy path heading NE past Kuenning-Dicke Natural Area (C, P, Pr, Trails) and site of former Lock 2 just 250’ before the next point.
  31.97 N	16.3 SW	23	Towpath at Lock Two Rd (C70) Village of Lock Two with its interesting canal era buildings is just E. Leave Lock Two NE on towpath that soon turns N, crosses New Bremen-New Knoxville Rd (0.3 mi, C65A) and passes the site of Lock 3 (0.5 mi) of which little remains. Continue N on towpath through a wooded area before reaching stone fragments of Milepost 125 (0.6 mi). Soon (350'), pass the site of Lock 4. Later, pass Lock 5 (0.5 mi). Some bolts that held the wooden lock together are visible. Keep N on towpath, cross Southland Rd (250', T90), and pass Lock 6 (0.7 mi) with evidence of the tumble (a disordered mass of debris) on far side of prism with much threaded rod in sight.
  34.97 N	13.3 S	24	Towpath at SR 219 Go N on towpath past site of Lock 7 (250'), Milepost 127 (0.35 mi) and Lock 8 (0.45 mi), a beautiful stone structure w/tumble. Continue N past well-preserved Milepost 128 (0.6 mi), site of Lock 9 (0.15 mi) and cross Quellhorst Rd (0.15 mi, C116). Plod N on towpath that now parallels Aqueduct Rd just across the canal prism. Pass Lock 10 (0.28 mi) and Lock 11 (0.26 mi). Nuts and bolts are visible at both sites. In addition, some logs that comprised the sides of Lock 11 remain visible near the surface of the canal. After 0.16 mi, reach foot bridge across the St Marys Feeder. Two interesting canal structures lie somewhat nearby. The first is 300' W at Kopp Creek. The original set of 3 cut stone culverts still conduct the creek beneath the Feeder Canal. As the area developed, storm water runoff proved too great for the design. Engineers added 2 rather ugly box culverts to assist. The second structure is W 2.5 mi one way, mostly primitive path to the lock that restrains Grand Lake St Marys. Before construction of Hoover Dam in Nevada, this lake by area was the largest man-made body of water in the world. Continue N to reach the St Marys River Aqueduct (0.4 mi). The original base of this aqueduct still stands, but the wooden portion collapsed in 1943 and was replaced with steel piping to carry water northward. Today only one business still uses water delivered by the pipes in the aqueduct. ODNR constructed the spillways in 1988. Cross the canal spillway on the first bridge (grated). Then cross the St Marys R on a second bridge. After crossing a third bridge over the canal spillway on the north side of the river, continue N (115 ft) to reach Greenville Rd.
  37.87 N	10.4 S	25	Towpath at Greenville Rd Entering KC Geiger Park (P, Pr, PS, PT, W) on gated drive, follow lawn next to canal N. After 0.24 mi, join paved trail that comes from large parking area. Continue NW. After 0.28 mi near RR overpass, pass St Marys River Walkway (exits W). After 0.4 mi, cross South St. Turn left (W) and continue on sidewalk. Cross Chestnut St (350’), turn right (N) and enter Memorial Park (.75’, W) (P). Go NW around the clock tower, passing both a covered foot bridge to W and a replica of a canal boat, “The Belle of St Marys”, to E. The boat is on the “Short Level” between Locks 12, buried beneath Chestnut St, and Lock 13 N of Spring St just ahead. Follow trail through the arch beneath Spring St. Then, pass the recently reconstructed Lock 13. After years of being lost to view, this lock was revealed when the St Marys Cotton Mill was dismantled. Continue N beneath High St.
  38.77 N	9.5 S	26	Lock 13 Parking w/Shelter House in St Marys Facilities: G, R, PO: 45885, Stores. Go N on towpath out of St Marys. After 1.0 mi, go through culvert beneath US 33. Continue generally N on towpath above St Marys R past several canal basins including 40-Acre Pond
  41.97 NW	6.3 SE	27	Towpath at Glynwood Rd (T160) Head NW on towpath and cross Delphos-St Marys Rd (0.6 mi, C66A) and past the reconstructed Lock 14 (1.1 mi). There is a large parking area across canal (bridge on lock) on Schillinger Rd. Soon (450'), cross Schillinger Rd (T53) and head NE.
  44.67 NE	3.6 SW	28	Towpath at SR 66 Continue NE on towpath and reach C182 (0.5 mi, P). This site is known as Bloody Bridge. During the 1850’s, the peak of canal usage, Bill and Jack were each in love with a woman named Minnie. Minnie eventually chose Jack. On a dark fall night in 1854, while returning from a party, Jack and Minnie were surprised by Bill. With one swing of his axe, Bill severed Jack’s head. Minnie screamed, fell into the canal and drowned. Bill disappeared. Years later, a skeleton was found in a nearby well. People still ask, “Was it suicide or justice?” Continue NE past Six Mile Creek Aqueduct (0.7 mi), a bi-level stone structure that carries the towpath on the higher level and the canal at the lower level, both over Six Mile creek below. Head N on towpath across Barber-Werner Rd (1.2 mi, C200) and Prairie Creek (0.45 mi).
  48.27 N	0 S	29	Methodist Church on SR 197 in Kossuth Facility: P across road from church. This is the end of ST MARYS SECTION. The trail is described next in the DELPHOS SECTION.




• (11/9/2024)A hiker has brought to our attention that the information on the St Marys map dated March 2014 for the campsites noted at Point 2 and on the Spring 2024 FarOut app version is incorrect. Two sites are managed by the BTA and located in the Miami Conservancy District's Lockington Reservation. A one-night permit is required for use of the designated Buckeye Trail campsites. Be aware that these campsites are located within the floodplain of the Lockington Reservation and may be closed due to flooding. These campsites are for backpackers only, no vehicle parking is available. Each adult over 18 years of age must fill out an individual permit form. The form is online at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeR1RUq1eOTYAt25K4kRHC4CRYVp70JSdr34z69nftlA_JjGw/viewform

Trail Towns

St. Marys

On Sunday, October 17, 2021, the city of St Marys became the next Trail Town for the BTA.

Before the white men ever came to the area, Indians found the St. Marys River to be an important travel route. By portages of only six miles at high water and 26 at low water they could travel all the way from Lake Erie to the Gulf of Mexico. Before the construction of Grand Lake St. Marys, which drained about half of the river's watershed area, the river could handle the largest flat-bottom boats. St. Marys has a wonderful history and is happy to be a Trail Town.

Learn more and plan your visit to St. Marys here: St. Marys Ohio

Fort Loramie

The Buckeye Trail Association welcomes Fort Loramie as the 20th Trail Town on September 23, 2023. Fort Loramie is a village in Shelby County, along Loramie Creek, a tributary of the Great Miami River in southwestern Ohio, 42 miles north-northwest of Dayton.

The village of Fort Loramie is an original canal town along the Miami & Erie Canal. It was first established as a trading post by a French-Canadian fur trader Pierre-Louis de Lorimier (Peter Loramie). The indigenous Shawnee people used the post for attacks against the European settlers during the Revolutionary War. The post was burnt to the ground and abandoned in 1782, remaining vacant until 1795. After the victory of the Battle of Fallen Timbers, General “Mad” Anthony Wayne ordered a fort built at the site. The fort stood on the portage between St Mary’s River and Loramie Creek a half mile north of the present town. It was used as one of the demarcation points in the Treaty of Greenville in 1795.

When work started building the Miami-Erie Canal in 1836, German immigrants were the main labor pool building the canal. The immigrants then purchased land and became permanent settlers. The canal opened in 1841, bringing finished goods to the area, and taking farm and wood products back to the cities. The village was originally called Berlin. The town's name was officially changed to Fort Loramie in 1911. The canal system had diminished by this time, as a result of the railroad networks expanding in all directions. The canal, which ran through the center of town was cleaned up and turned into a community park.

An important feature remaining from the canal days is Lake Loramie, the feeder lake manually constructed to keep the canal filled with water. It is now a state park and a haven for fishing, boating, camping, and vacationers. In recent years, a self-funded research group conducting archaeological digs has rediscovered the site of both Pierre-Louis de Lorimier’s trading post in 2013 and the north wall of the original stockade in 2020.

Section Blogs

• (5/10/24) Troy Section Blog ‐ Provided by Victoria Livingston, BTA hiker. Whether you&rquo;re a seasoned hiker or just looking for a leisurely walk, the St. Marys Section of the Buckeye Trail is a journey through both nature and time. Follow Victoria, her husband Dave, and others along the Great Miami‐Erie Canal — History, Whimsy, and Graveyard

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