At a Glance
Location: Leetonia, OH in Columbiana County
Length: 12.5 miles / asphalt (includes 1.5 miles of road routes)
Class: A3++
The Little Beaver Creek Greenway Trail is part of the larger Great Ohio Lake-to-River Greenway in Columbiana County, OH. [Scroll past 'Specs & Facts' to continue reading.]
Little Beaver Trail in Columbiana County
Trail Specs & Facts:
Location: Columbiana County, OH
Class: A3++
Length: 12.5 miles / asphalt (includes 1.5 miles of road routes)
Condition: N/A
Facilities: Restrooms at several locations, along with at least 2 water stops, in-season.
Parking: Trailside parking in Leetonia, OH. (See trail map for more options.)
Worth Noting: This trail is a part of the 100-mile GOLTRG network.
Map: Little Beaver Creek Greenway or Sm Screen Version
Elevation: North to south
More Trails in this Region: NE OH Trails List
The GOLTRG will extend from Lake Erie in Ashtabula, south to a point near East Liverpool along the Pennsylvania border. The projected length of the trail (when completed) is between 100 to 110 miles.
We parked at the Eagleton Road Trailhead, near 411. This lot is near a small covered bridge, which lies north of the trail along Eagleton Road. Our goal was to park near the middle of the trail, but we don't recommend this location. It was difficult to find.
The Little Beaver Trail extends through a watershed area under a canopy of trees. This ensures your ride will be cool and comfortable, even on hot summer days. The water trickling down from a hillside above created small wet spots here and there along the asphalt trail surface. Though it had not rained during our ride, runoff from the previous night's rain was slowly working its way down to the creek on the valley floor below.
We saw an owl under the darkened tree canopy. I can't say that I've ever seen one outdoors during the day, so this was certainly a treat for me.
Though this bikeway is a rail-trail, it does have elevation gain. The trail gently rises and falls for much of its length as it makes its way along from Lisbon to Leetonia. How gentle is the grade? Well, I suppose that depends on one's fitness. On our tandem the grades near the middle of the bikeway didn't feel subtle. We worked noticeably harder on the climb and reaped the benefits of gravity on the descent.
Lisbon, OH
As you ride closer to Lisbon, the trail takes a 1/2 mile detour over the road. There was no traffic during our ride, and the trail connections were clearly marked. As the trail enters Lisbon, it briefly slices through a residential area before ending.
The trail travels briefly alongside a wetland and an active railroad line which it follows into southern Leetonia.
Since our visit, the trail has been extended north to Washingtonville. But you'll have to do a mile of road riding through Leetonia to reach the next 1.5 mile trail segment.
The remaining gap to connect with the Mill Creek Bikeway to the north is ~6 miles. Both bikeways are part of the larger Great-Ohio-Lake-to-River Greenway.
