Location: Columbus, OH in Franklin County
Trails: 11
The Columbus area bike network continues to grow. [Scroll past 'Trail Facts' to continue reading.]
Location: Franklin County
Number of Trails: 11
Trail Miles: 110.1 (does not include the Ohio-to-Erie Trail mileage outside of Franklin County)
Worth Noting: For more trails that are being developed in Franklin County, such as the Big Run, Hayden Run and Rocky Fork Trails, visit Central Ohio Greenways.
Trails in this Region: SW OH Trails List
Construction of the Alum Creek Trail was finished in 2015. At around that same time, the 33-acre riverfront park along the Scioto Trail was also completed. Area trail and park expansions continue, as the city's commitment to greenspace moves forward.
The Olentangy and Scioto Bikeways have been a fixture in Columbus, Ohio for many years. But the completion of the Alum Creek Trail in 2015, along with the (near) completion of the Camp Chase Trail, not only brings more trail miles to the table, but it lays down the route for the cross-state Ohio-to-Erie Trail through the city.
[5/18] Construction has begun to close the gap in the Blacklick Trail. From columbus.gov, "A final critical gap in the trail occurs near the intersection of Refugee Road and Hines Road. Approximately 750 l.f. of trail... including an approved underpass beneath the Norfolk Southern Railway."
When completed, the 320-mile Ohio-to-Erie Trail will not only connect Columbus with Cleveland and Cincinnati, it will also link Columbus with the other 2 most developed bikeway regions in the state. The result of that connection will mean that the 3 largest trail regions in Ohio will all be linked by trail, thanks to the cross-state Ohio-to-Erie Trail.
Major trail routes are not the only trail options in the Columbus area. The city park network also offers trails within its borders, as do suburbs such as Dublin and Westerville.
Columbus-based Yay Bikes! may well be the most effective, far-reaching bike advocacy organization in Ohio. They take education seriously and commit to not only teaching new riders road-riding skills, but they also manage to put city officials and transportation planners on bikes as well!
There's no better way to demonstrate the bicyclist's perspective to local officials, than to put them on two wheels and in the road with traffic. So simple, yet brilliantly effective.
Yay Bikes! has also taken their show on the road, working in other Ohio communities. And of course, they put on rides and events throughout the year in Columbus, including 'Bike the Cbus.'
The city's bike share is CoGo. Check out their bike station map.
