The Mohican Valley Trail is a 4.4-mile span between the Kokosing Gap and the Holmes County Trails in Knox County, Ohio. [Scroll past 'Specs & Facts' to continue reading.]
Bridge of Dreams over the Mohican River in Brinkhaven, OH
Trail Specs & Facts:
Location: Knox County, OH
Class: A1+!
Length: 4.4 miles / asphalt
Overall Condition: Very good
Facilities: A portable toilet at the Hunter Road parking area. No water source on the trail.
Parking: Hunter Rd Trailhead near Bridge of Dreams. Please note: the parking area in the linked image is obscured by tree cover. From Rt. 62 take Hunter Rd under the bridge. Then make an immediate left and proceed uphill to the trailhead area. (See trail map for more options.)
Worth Noting: This trail allows horse & buggies and is part of the cross-state Ohio-to-Erie Trail.
Map: Mohican Valley Trail or Sm Screen Version
Elevation: Though mostly flat, there is a short climb at Tiger Valley Road where a railway bridge was removed, forcing riders to descend to street level and then climb back up.
More Trails in this Region: NE OH Trails List
The three trails follow the same former rail corridor and comprise a significant part of the larger Ohio-to-Erie Trail, a cross-state bikeway. The Mohican Valley's southwestern endpoint is in Danville, while the northeastern end lies just west of the Rt. 62 tunnel, near Brinkhaven.
Knox County, OH
Where the trail crosses the Mohican River you pass over the 370' long Bridge of Dreams that has been constructed atop an old railroad bridge. This covered bridge is reported to be the 2nd longest in Ohio and the 3rd longest in the nation!
The Mohican Valley Trail is horse friendly and had offered an unusual configuration, when first constructed. It was built as two trails placed side-by-side -- one earthen path for horses & buggies alongside a gravel trail for bikers and hikers.
In 2015, the trail was condensed into a single 10' wide asphalt trail with a chip-n-seal topcoat, to accommodate horse and buggies (the topcoat helps protect the asphalt from horse hoof wear). The stone topcoat has since been ground off by hoof and buggy wheel, leaving a smooth asphalt surface.
However, since a protective topcoat is preferred where horses travel, it could be reapplied sometime in the future.
The grade is consistent with a slight descent while traveling eastward. The trail does briefly drop down at one road crossing, due to a missing railway bridge. So you enjoy a nice little coast before you cross the road to climb back up to trail level.
As the trail approaches the Mohican River from the west, it begins to ride the crest of a ridge toward the Bridge of Dreams. Passing well above the waterline, the bridge provides great views along its lengthy span.
Brinkhaven, OH Trailhead
Leaving the bridge and continuing eastward, you pass the Hunter Road Trailhead as you make your way toward the Rt. 62 tunnel and the Holmes County Line. In 2018, repaving eliminated the pock marks here where horse hooves had worn through the smooth surface.
The tunnel is in Holmes County and marks the change in jurisdiction along the corridor as you ride onto the Holmes County Trail.
The original railroad tunnel was filled in, only to be dug out later and replaced with a new structure for the trail at the same location. The new structure is quite nice, but no doubt the old one would have provided more character.
This next trail section, from the Rt. 62 tunnel east to Glenmont, is a portion of the Holmes County Trail. This segment is finished and was opened to the public in late 2017.
This new Holmes County segment connects another 7.4 miles of finished trail to the Mohican Valley Trail.
Cyclists should expect to encounter horses and buggies on both the Holmes County and Mohican Valley Trails. Be sure to take time to check out the posted trail rules.
