Buckeye Trail was proposed in an article in 1958 by Merill Grilfilan, who hoped it would encourage young people to learn about their native land. Several people supported the idea and met to plan how the trail would be set up and organized. On September 19, 1959, the first 20 miles of the trail were dedicated in Hocking County, with thirty-four people attending the dedication hike, including the trail's founders. Under the supervision of the Buckeye Trail Association, it continued to grow into every corner of Ohio, and in 1980 it was completed near Dear Lick Cave in the Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area. Today, the trail winds around Ohio, reaches into every corner of the state, totals 1,444 miles, and is hiked by many people each year.