Bike Trails: Ohio Erie Towpath Trail, Cuyahoga Valley National Park, OH

27Jul 2016 by David Kravetz
This is the second in a continuing series of Bike Trail posts.  Like the back roads of America, the recent interest in bike paths and rails-to-trails paths provides a new insight on “back roads”.  Each Bike Path post will include surrounding information, vehicle support info and trail ratings as provided by my wife Julianne.  One bike pump equals a “poor” rating while five pumps equals an “excellent” rating.  We’ll also provide links to the RTC TrailLinks overview of the trail. Complete Trails Overview Post is HERE
OhioErieCanalway
BlackPump3Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail – Cuyahoga Valley N.P., OH
Towpath Trail in Cuyahoga Valley NP, Ohio
Towpath Trail in Cuyahoga Valley NP, Ohio

The Ohio Erie Towpath Trail runs along the old Erie canal towpath and covers approximately 85 miles. It has trailheads in Cleveland and continues south through the Cuyahoga Valley Valley National Park and further south than that.

Towpath Trail as seen from the Boston Visitor's Center
Towpath Trail as seen from the Boston Visitor’s Center

There are portions of the trail that are paved and many other portions that are crushed limestone or hard packed, dirt making this accessible for most bikers.

Take the Train to a trailhead
Take the Train to a trailhead

This trail is also unique in that when you’re in the National Park, there is actually a train that can run you to a number of trailhead stops up the road with your bikes on the train and then you can ride back.  This allows one to park and have transportation to the trailhead. From April through October, you can bicycle one way and return by train for $3 using Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad’s Bike Aboard! service. Runners and hikers pay $9. You can catch the train at any boarding station. There are no guaranteed seats. Schedules are available at boarding stations, visitor centers, and online at www.CVSR.com.

Hanging around at the Boston Visitor's Center in Cuyahoga Valley National Park
Hanging around at the Boston Visitor’s Center in Cuyahoga Valley National Park

If you are following the riders along this trail as a support driver, there are plenty of places to stop and, of course, the National Park has some wonderful places including the visitor center in Boston. Across the street from the visitors center is a very nice snack shop that sells some local granola and treats and also some locally made drinks. They also have ice cream, which is a common amenity among many bike trails nowadays.

Julianne and Laura after their bike ride on the Towpath Trail
Julianne and Laura after their bike ride on the Towpath Trail

Julianne and her sister Laura rode about 15 miles of this trail during our visit to the National Park in May 2016. But they did enjoy the ride immensely and hope to make a trip back and take on more of the trail in the future.

Typical signage on the Miami Trail in Ohio
Typical signage on the Miami Trail in Ohio

Ohio is a state that has made great strides in creating nice bike trails and to promote bicycling as a major activity for families and others. In future  posts you will see info about the Greater Miami Bike Trail, the Little Miami Scenic Trail, theTri-County Triangle trail and more.

The Hunt House in Cuyahoga Valley National Park
The Stanford House in Cuyahoga Valley National Park
Trail Mix Shop
Trail Mix Shop

A visit to the Canal Exploration Center, the Boston Store Visitor Center, Peninsula Depot Visitor Center, or Staford House can make your outing on the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail even more enjoyable. At these stops you can talk to a park ranger, see exhibits, and get information.

If you live in Lexington, make sure to visit our favorite bike shop “Bicycle Face.” (Not a paid promotion – we just like these guys!!)

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