In late September 2021, Josh “Horse” Horsfall set out to shatter the speed record on Ohio’s Buckeye Trail. With a previous record of 1,440 miles in 55 days set By Everett Brandt in 2018, Josh’s feat was nothing like the “leisurely” hikes he’d experienced many times before on the Appalachian Trail and other long-distance trails.
“It was like learning to hike all over again as efficiently as possible. The clock never stops,” said Horsfall. “Whether you are drying out gear, charging batteries, resupplying food for the next stretch of trail, the clock continues moving steadily forward. It brought with it a constant sense of urgency. Everything had to be done fast. You had to walk fast, eat fast, sleep fast.”
Yet, Horsfall, a native Ohioan, was pleasantly surprised by what the Buckeye Trail had to offer even for seasoned hikers.
“Every day you seem to walk by something of historical significance, much of it tied to the early settlement of Ohio. Seeing the amount of water infrastructure that existed throughout the state with the many canal paths was really impressive.”
Horsfall conquered the Buckeye Trail in a mere 38 days, 5 hours and 4 minutes which still stands as the fastest known time to complete the Buckeye Trail. The Buckeye Trail Association
The Buckeye Trail can be completed at any pace. Start your adventure from Lake Erie to the Ohio River and everywhere in between: https://ohiodnr.gov/go-and-do/outdoor/buckeye-trail
