Events
Half Marathon
8 Mile Hike
58 spots left. Price increases after July 16, 2025 at 11:59pm EDT
Place
Description
The Blue Blaze Festival - Run, Hike & Backpack on the Buckeye Trail
The Blue Blaze Festival is a celebration of the trail, whether you are a Trail Runner, Hiker or would like to learn more about backpacking you are welcome to be a part of our celebration of the Buckeye Trail. Join us for the 2025 Buckeye Trail (BT) Blue Blaze Festival and explore the diversity and beauty of the outdoors. This year we will be joining forces with Destination Shawnee, the Tecumseh Theater and outdoor recreational organizations to bring together runners, hikers and outdoor enthusiasts 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 an outdoor destination for running, hiking and backpacking, plus all of the excitement happening in the historic Village of Shawnee.
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.
Running Events - Half Marathon, 10K and 5K
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 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.
Hiking the Buckeye Trail
The 8-Mile Hike will start and finish in Shawnee with hikers following the Blue Blazes of the Buckeye Trail. The hike starts 1 hour before the running events. The 2025 Hike was designed by the Little Cities of the Forest Chapter of the BTA. A guide to historical sites will be provided to participants.
More Hike Information
Event Shirt
All particticipants registered by September 1, 2025, will receive an event shirt. If registering after 9/1/25, shirts will not be guaranteed.
Finisher's Patch
All finishers of the trail Run, Hike or Backpacking will receive the 2025 Blue Blaze Festival patch.
Awards and Age Groups
Top 3 Overall male and female finishers for 5K, 10K and Half Marathon
Top Finisher Awards produced by Aravaipa Artworx.
Age Group finishers recogized in results
- 19 and under
- 20-29
- 30-39
- 40-49
- 50-59
- 60 and over
Packet Pickup
Participants can pick up their race packet at the Buckeye Trail Association office, Main Street, Shawnee, OH.
EARLY Packet Pickup: Friday, September 26, 2025, from 4:00PM-7:00PM
RACE DAY, 6:30AM-8:30AM
Are you a BTA Member? if not CLICK to join
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.
Race Website
Additional race information can be found at http://www.buckeyetrail.org.
2019 Event video
Take a look at the 2019 event... and see you in 2024.
CLICK to view
Race Contact Info
If you have any questions about this race, click the button below.
Directions
Buckeye Trail Association office (127B West Main St,, Shawnee, Ohio 43782)
Race Participant Survey
Please complete the following survey to help us better understand your race experience.
