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Southeast Ohio celebrates the completion of the Baileys Trail System, now the longest of its kind east of the Mississippi

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ATHENS COUNTY, Ohio – After nearly a decade of planning and construction, southeast Ohio is now home to the longest continuous mountain bike trail system east of the Mississippi River. 

Community leaders, state officials and local partners gathered Wednesday to celebrate the completion of the 88-mile Baileys Trail System. The project, they say, will boost tourism, support small businesses and create new economic opportunities across Appalachian Ohio.  

Built across more than 9,000 acres of the Wayne National Forest, the trail system connects three trailheads in Chauncey, Buchtel and York Township. The project transformed land once shaped by the region’s coal industry into a destination for mountain biking, hiking and trail running.

State and local officials attend a ribbon-cutting ceremony marking the completion of the 88-mile Baileys Trail System in southeast Ohio.
State and local officials attend a ribbon-cutting ceremony marking the completion of the 88-mile Baileys Trail System in southeast Ohio. [Ebenezer Amartey | WOUB]
“This is a transformational project because it makes a real difference to the people that live here,” said John Carey of the Governor’s Office of Appalachia. “It keeps people here, brings people here, and makes a real difference for the future of our region.”  

The Outdoor Recreation Council of Appalachia (ORCA), local governments and the Wayne National Forest partnered to develop the trail system. Executive Director Jessie Powers said the project became the foundation for a broader regional partnership involving 18 Appalachian Ohio counties. 

“The Baileys Trail System inspired this region and proved what can be done through authentic, intentional public partnerships,” Powers said, adding that the project helped establish a formal partnership of local governments across the region.  

According to ORCA, the trail system is projected to generate millions in annual economic impact for Appalachian Ohio by encouraging new business development.  

Former state Rep. Jay Edwards said the economic benefits will extend beyond the trails themselves. 

“People who come and use the trail system are going to visit the local coffee shop, go to the local diner and get gas on the way out of town,” Edwards said. “The economics of this project is such a big deal to southeast Ohio.”  

The celebration also marked the opening of the Buchtel-Snow Fork Trailhead and a groundbreaking for a future Baileys Visitor Center in Chauncey, which leaders say will help support tourism and local businesses.  

Project partners say their work is far from over. Future plans include building the visitor center and continuing regional investments through the “Ohio’s Rolling Hills” initiative to grow outdoor recreation across Appalachian Ohio.