The Blue Blaze Festival is a celebration of the trail, whether your are a Trail Runner, Hiker or would like to learn more about backpacking you are welcome to help Celebrate the Trail. Join us for the 2023 Buckeye Trail (BT) Blue Blaze Festival and explore the diversity and beauty of the trail. This year we are joining forces with Destination Shawnee, the Ohio Environmental Council and Rural Action to bring together runners, hikers and outdoor recreation businesses to the Village of Shawnee. This section of the Buckeye Trail, in the Wayne National Forest, is mostly single-track trail and provides some very challenging terrain. The Blue Blaze Festival will be highlighting the BT as a outdoor destination for running, hiking and backpacking.
There will be five options for a distance and trail experience right for you: Half Marathon, 10K, 5K run/walk, 10 Mile Hike and an overnight Backpacking trek. All events are on the Buckeye Trail in the Wayne National Forest.
The Half Marathon and 10K runs will use the Buckeye Trail with an out and back course. There will be mile markers and directional signs on the course. There will be several aid stations with water and Gatorade, and volunteers at all road crossings. The Half Marathon and 10K Run will start at 9:00AM, followed by the 5K at 9:15AM. The 10K and Half Marathon courses are out and back on the Buckeye Trail. Most of the course is on single-track trail, with some challenging and hilly conditions, and there are some sections on roads. The half marathon has over 1,000 feet of elevation change. The 5K course will be the same looped course introduced in 2021, and will include the Woodthrush connector trail near Tecumseh Lake.
All participants will received an event t-shirt. Awards will be given to the top overall male and female finishers in each of the three running events. The overall and age group results will be posted online. Age groups: 19 and under, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59 and 60 and over.
All running events will be chip timed.
After returning to Shawnee, participants can enjoy post race food and there are options to purchase food from local merchants.
The 10 Mile Hike will start and finish in Shawnee with hikers following the Blue Blazes on a new (relocated) section of the Buckeye Trail and a portion of the old BT, now a white blazed section, to offer a looped hike experience.
The Backpacking course is a Friday-Saturday introduction to backpacking and will be covering sections of the Buckeye Trail. This course is being planned and coordinated by Appalachian Understories and Tecumseh Theater. This event will start and finish in Shawnee.
Backpacking Schedule
To register for the BACKPACKING, please use the eventbrite site.
For more information and registration,
Participants will learn all necessary skills to complete a backpacking trip, and will leave empowered to hit the trail again soon. This is a good first backpacking trip for people with hiking experiences or a regular fitness routine. It is also a fun time for people with backpack experiences to share the love of the trail with others.. Group size will be limited to 10 participants.
Starting at 12:00noon at the Tecumseh Theater
12:30-1:15 Live Music from local talent, Elliot Boley
1:30-4:00 Outdoor Recreation Small Business Roundup, The Roundup is a free event organized by Rural Action, Ohio Environmental Council, and the Buckeye Trail Association, and all are welcome to attend.
Participants can pick up their race packet at the Buckeye Trail Association office, Main Street, Shawnee, OH.
EARLY Packet Pickup: Friday, October 6, 2023, from 4:00PM-7:00PM
RACE DAY, 6:30AM-8:30AM
Course map for the Half Marathon, 10K and the 10 mile hike. (5K course shown separately)
Miles Course
0.0 Start at 114 W. Main street, Shawnee, OH
.05 Left on 2nd Street
.1 Cross SR 93/155
Continue straight on SR 93 for 500 feet
.2 Left on entrance road to Tecumseh Lake
1.1 Cross Salem Hollow Rd (Rd 17) Aid Station #1
1.4 Cross SR 93
1.55 5K turnaround
3.0 Right on Rock Run Rd (T 41)
3.1 10K turnaround – Aid Station #2
Remain on Rock Run Rd for .5 mile
3.9 Cross Old Town Rd (T 38)
4.3 Turn right on T 136/ T 38
4.5 Old Stone Church trailhead – Aid Station #3
6.2 Cross Town Hwy 190 – Aid Station #4
6.55 Half Marathon turnaround
The 5K course will be loop using the Buckeye Trail, the Woodthrush Trail and back onto the Buckeye Trail. The course starts and finishes in Shawnee, goes around the Tecumseh (Tecumsey) Lake and at about Mile 1, uses the Woodthrush Trail back to the Buckeye Trail.
Camping options are available for participants on Friday night. Participants will be allowed to camp for free at 5975 Tecumseh Road, Shawnee, OH, just about 1 mile from the race start/finish. There will be water and a porta john at this location. Both tent and trailer camping are allowed, with setup starting at 4:00PM on Friday. The backpacking participants will also be camping in Shawnee as part of the introductions and orientation.
Everyone is welcome to take part in the Blue Blaze Festival and help celebrate the Buckeye Trail. If you are not a member, we encourage you to join the BTA. Membership helps support the work of the BTA to build, maintain, promote and protect the 1,400+ miles of Ohio's trail. The BT circles the state of Ohio, with terminus points on Lake Erie and the Ohio River. The headquarters of the BTA is located in Shawnee, OH, and the organization partners with federal, state and local agencies to support the work of our volunteer section supervisors and trail crews. Learn more at www.buckeyetrail.org/ and join today.
Age Group finishers for:
Additional race information can be found at http://www.buckeyetrail.org.
Take a look at the 2019 event... and see you in 2021
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Buckeye Trail Association office (127B West Main St,, Shawnee, Ohio 43782)
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