World record hiker earns trail dedication

BETHEL — Dozens of guests gathered at East Fork State Park this Thursday to meet Steven Newman, “the Worldwalker,” at his official trail dedication and ribbon-cutting event. The Guinness Book of World Records recognizes Newman as being the first person to document a solo hike around the world when he was only 28 years old.

Held at the trail head of what is now the “Steven Newman World Walker Perimeter Trail” at East Fork State Park, the event saw Newman, soon to be 72, reminiscing about his trip. He gave a short speech reflecting on his travels and, as a Bethel, Ohio local, received significant praise from residents and community partners alike.

Action-packed and full of adventure, Newman published Worldwalk to retell his journey. Surviving blizzards, bandits, and arrests in Turkey, he details the many challenges faced on the road. Alongside these experiences, he sheds light on his inner journey and philosophies while exploring the world. The hike took him three and a half years, 21,000 miles, and over 40 million steps.

“I acquired a strong belief that life is a very special and magical thing, and I naturally wanted to learn more about it,” Newman said during his dedication speech. “Perhaps, not surprisingly, my curiosity grew and grew, where I wanted to experience as much of the world as possible.”

Steven Newman World Walker Perimeter Trail marker.

Before finishing his trek around the globe, Newman worked to become a journalist, “walking among the people of the world”, as he described it to the crowd. Another book Newman wrote, Letters From Steven, features correspondences he sent to Capper’s Weekly during his hike; a paper with nearly 1.5 million readers at the time.

Despite spending years abroad and visiting over 20 countries, Newman says he never felt far from home. “Home isn’t ahead of me, and it was never behind me. I was there all along,” he wrote. “If it wasn’t for the kindness of strangers, my walk would not have been a success.”

The trailhead at East Fork State Park.

Joe Abner, representing Congressman Dave Taylor, presented an official proclamation recognizing Newman for his achievement and dedicating the state park trail in his name. Clermont County Commissioners David Painter and Claire Corcoran were also in attendance and provided a heart-warming speech about the impact Newman has had on the community.

“He had put Bethel on the map,” Painter said before praising the efforts of Discover Clermont, Kingdom Productions, and Connect Clermont’s H Brewer, who all had a hand in the creation of the signage and interactive audio trail experience designed to commemorate Newman’s trip. “For all the people that poured themselves into that [project], thank you, thank you so much.”

Newman's audio trail marker.

Visitors can now scan a QR code on the trail markers to hear Newman tell his story as they complete their own hike.

Several community partners joined Newman during the ceremonial ribbon-cutting. Lunch and refreshments were available for everyone after the ceremony.

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