Ohio-to-Erie Trail

At a Glance

Location: Cincinnati to Cleveland

Length: ~320 miles / when complete

Class: A, B, C

The Ohio-to-Erie Trail is a cross-state bikeway that extends from the Ohio River in Cincinnati to Lake Erie at Cleveland. The trail is open, even though it is not completed. Road riding is required where trail gaps have yet to be closed along this ~320-mile corridor. [Scroll past 'Specs & Facts' to continue reading.]

Latest Update: 8/37/20 - New 2.25-Mile Ohio-to-Erie Trail Section Coming Soon

SW OH: Delaware County

Sunbury, OH

Trail Specs & Facts:

Location: This cross-state trail extends from Cincinnati to Xenia, on to Columbus, then Akron, and finally Cleveland at Lake Erie.

Class: A, B, C

Length: ~320 miles / asphalt & towpath when complete (~85% complete)

Condition: Varies

Facilities: At many of the trailheads & parks along the trail.

Parking: Xenia Station in SW OH. Lock 29 in NE OH. (See trail maps for more options.)

Lodging: & Camping: Plan Your Trip Resources along the Ohio-to-Erie Trail route.

Worth Noting: Finished trail sections, though mostly asphalt, do include other surface types such as compacted crushed stone towpath & asphalt with chip-n-seal top coat.

Map: SW Ohio-to-Erie or Sm Screen Version

SW Elevation: South to North

Map: NE Ohio-to-Erie or Sm Screen Version

NE Elevation: South to North

The Ohio-to-Erie Trail, or OTE as it is commonly called, begins on the Ohio River in Cincinnati. The ~320-mile trail route extends northeast through Xenia Station, then Columbus, Akron and on to Cleveland where it ends near Lake Erie.

It's important to understand that this lengthy route uses different bikeways (with different names!) to make up its route. So, if you decide to ignore that fact and simply follow the Ohio-to-Erie Route 1 signs instead, don't be surprised if you occasionally ride off course.

The Kokosing Gap Trail section of the OTE in Knox County, Ohio

Being aware of these different sections can also help you with finding lodging, water stops and closures due to construction. (Though we do try to list all the long term closures we can find in the 'Latest Updates' section on this page.)

Completion of the OTE was set for 2020, but it's clear that 2 large gaps in the trail totalling roughly 25 miles will remain after that deadline.

Currently, roughly 89% of the trail has been completed.

A Little History

Ed Honton was the founding father of the Ohio-to-Erie Trail concept in 1991. By taking advantage of existing trails, like the Little Miami Trail, the focus was put on bridging gaps between existing trails.

The strategy proved successful. By 2005 roughly 70% of the trail was completed. But that still left ~95 miles to be built in many different parts of the state. Some of those segments would have to cross industrial zones, where trail building is expensive and trail routes are often hard to come by.

Fortunately, in some places rail corridors were still available along the route. But in others, portions of a corridor could no longer be converted, or they simply didn't exit, such as along the Alum Creek Trail.

In those early days of the project, optimism ran high and the initial projection for completion of the trail was 2003. After that year came and went it became obvious that those early projections were used as a motivational tool. After all, in 1991, who would have been excited about completion in 2020? Trail advocates all across the state needed to get onboard in a big way in order for a project of this scale to be built. And some wise folks, like Ed Honton, knew how to dangle a carrot.

The Route

Let's take a look at the route from south to north. The official endpoint along the Ohio River is the Purple People Bridge that crosses over into Kentucky.

For a trail that uses some of Ohio's best bikeways, this is a most appropriate endpoint. Not a dead end, mind you, but rather a connection to another state!

Cincinnati Riverfront

On the Ohio-side of the Purple People Bridge, you're onboard the Ohio River Trail. Heading east toward Lunken Field, the OTE utilizes an on-road bike lane for about 2.5 miles between trail segments. Finished trail then connects with a segment of the Lunken Field Trail at Wilmer Avenue.

A connector trail at Lunken Trail, named 'Armleder & Lunken Connector' (on Google maps), continues along the Little Miami River and passes underneath Rt. 125 (Beechmont Ave.). This connector, before it turns away from the river, is on the bank opposite of where the Little Miami Trail currently ends. Once this final connection is made, it will eliminate more road riding that's required here.

Bound for Xenia Station

Once aboard the Little Miami, the fun begins. The next stretch of the OTE is all trail, an uninterrupted 58.5 miles to Xenia Station. [The bikeway is mostly continuous, with little road riding for the next ~115 miles into Columbus.] This stretch brings back memories of my 2004 OTE adventure. Though I had to deal with thunderstorms that day, there were no navigation worries when all you have to do is follow the main trail.

Little Miami Trail in SW Ohio

From Xenia Station, turn east and take the Prairie Grass Trail in order to stay on OTE Rt. 1.

It's a pretty straight shot past the next 3 towns along the route, Cedarville, South Charleston and London, OH, with short road sections to traverse in each. You'll tick off another 30.6 miles along the way.

Due east out of London, the bikeway remains the same, although you'll be riding on Roberts Pass and then on the Camp Chase Trail as you make your way past Lilly Chapel en route to Darby Creek Metro Park.

Exiting the Darby Creek valley, the trail turns northeast once again as it passes through Galloway heading for Columbus, OH.

Columbus, OH

Two more short road rides along this stretch, the last of which connects with the 'Hilltop Connector' (on Google maps). This short trail segment crosses the Scioto River and deposits you on the Scioto Trail near I-670. Once onboard the Scioto Trail, you've completed 22.4 miles since leaving London.

A mostly eastward ride, but you will briefly circle back to cross a bridge. Then it's over to Confluence Park on the north bank of the Scioto River, where you'll pass by the Olentangy Trail junction. Continue east alongside the Scioto over to North Park Pavilion at Neil Avenue & W. Long Street.

Turning north on Neil, you're now on the Downtown Connector. The next 1.5 miles is a combination of wide sidewalks, bike lanes, sharrows and/or unmarked road riding.

The Ohio-to-Erie Trail website recommends taking Neil and turning east on Nationwide Blvd to Mt. Vernon Ave. to Cleveland Ave. north to rejoin the trail (wide sidewalk) at Jack Gibbs Blvd.

This next 2.8-mile trail section takes you east to the Alum Creek Trail where you turn north. But before you return to laid-back chill-along-the-trail mode, you should know that the Downtown Connector has a history of reports of broken glass along its route over the years. So consider yourself warned.

Westerville, OH

Once on the Alum Creek Trail, it's an 11-mile northbound journey to W. Schrock Road. To take the most direct route through the suburb, turn east and jump on the Schrock Road bike lane over to Charring Cross Drive where the OTE picks up again, heading north. A little further along this route, you'll pass the Bike Hub at Hanby Park just south of E. Park Street.

Westerville Bike Paths

If you have some extra time on your OTE journey, Westerville has a well-developed trail network of its own to explore. That includes a trail over to the southern part of Hoover Reservoir.

Another 8.3 miles north on the OTE takes you along the Genoa Twp. Trail and the Hoover Scenic Trail , which skirts the northern tip of the reservoir before ending at Wiese Road near the Old 3C Highway.

Continuous trail runs out here. And the next three OTE segments are short, disconnected sections that are still under development. For that reason, the official OTE route takes to the road here to bypass all three for now. The 12.4 mile road ride continues on the Old 3C into Sunbury. Then a short jaunt to the east over to Hartford Road to head east to Downing Road. North on Downing, which becomes Huffman Road before the route meets up with finished trail again southwest of Centerburg.

Centerburg, OH

This is a significant point along the route, simply because a nice chunk of finished trail awaits you on the next leg of the journey. The tarmac stretches another 42.6 miles into Holmes County via the Heart of Ohio Trail, Kokosing Gap, Mohican Valley, and Holmes County Trails.

Bridge of Dreams near Brinkhaven, OH

For those riding the OTE out of Columbus, the Mohican Valley Trail marks the first trail where you can encounter horse-and-buggy travelers. And when horses share the trail, that means you may see a thin chip-n-seal topcoat at any time.

As of Nov 2017, the topcoat has been ground down here by hooves and buggy wheels to reveal smooth asphalt. However, it may be reapplied at any time to help protect the asphalt surface.

The Mohican Trail is also home to the iconic Bridge of Dreams, one of the highlights along the route. This 370' covered bridge is reported to be the 2nd longest in Ohio and the 3rd longest in the nation!

Holmes County

Just before entering the tunnel under Rt. 62, you enter Holmes County aboard the Holmes County Trail. As of November 2017, new paved trail now extends 7.4 miles to Clifton Street in Glenmont, Ohio.

Tunnel under Rt. 62 into Holmes County, OH

From Glenmont east to Killbuck the corridor is closed. This section is the final missing link in completing the 29-mile Holmes County Trail portion of the Ohio-to-Erie Trail. The land has been acquired for trail use, but clearing and construction has yet to begin. So, the only alternative here is a road ride, most likely on Rt. 520, an 8.1-mile ride on the most direct route into Killbuck.

Killbuck, OH

Another swath of asphalt bikeway begins on the northside of Killbuck. After a few miles, the trail turns north and becomes double-wide, revealing the original configuration intended for the Holmes County Trail, a separate trail for horse-and-buggy use. From Killbuck, the pavement extends 15.8 miles over to Fredericksburg in Wayne County.

Hill Country

From Fredericksburg, it's a northeasterly 17.3 mile road ride that features the most challenging terrain along the entire OTE route. Check out this section elevation profile.

It's back to flatter terrain when you reach the Sippo Valley Trail and ride east, though the trail does have a short climb. It's worth noting that about 5 miles of the Sippo Trail has a stone surface. Take note, those with skinny tires, as the stone may not be as small or as compacted as the towpath that lies ahead.

Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail

Important Note: For those unfamiliar with riding towpath, this is an unpaved, compacted crushed stone surface. It will support skinny tires (watch out for loose areas). But towpaths are low-lying areas prone to flooding. If you plan your ride during or just after major rain events, you may face closed sections and/or a sloppy trail surface.

After your 10-mile ride on the Sippo Trail, the towpath will lead you to the finish line near Lake Erie in Cleveland, OH.

The Sippo and towpath combine for 72-mostly contiguous miles to Harvard Avenue in Cleveland. The only off-trail riding you may encounter is due to a construction closing, like the sewer construction project in Akron, OH. Fortunately, that detour is only a 1-mile road ride, but it will be in effect into 2019.

This last big chunk of OTE has some surface changes that vary between towpath, asphalt, boardwalk and even a bit of asphalt with chip-n-seal. The due east path along the Sippo changes to northbound when you reach Massillon and turn north on the towpath. The northward track continues through Canal Fulton, Clinton, Barberton and Akron.

After a little urban and industrial landscape, the towpath disappears into the heart of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park for about 20 miles or so, the route finally bending ever so slightly to the northwest, which will be its general heading the rest of the way.

About the only thing that may dampen your ride in the CVNP (besides rain), is if you happen to ride through during the towpath's busiest time -- a perfect weather weekend. Trail users can come out in droves here, so if you're timing is bad, expect your attention to be focused firmly on the trail ahead, rather than taking in the surrounding landscape.

Towpath Bridge in Independence, OH

At Rockside Road in Independence, OH, the trail enters the Cleveland Metroparks jurisdiction and the trail surface turns from towpath to asphalt for the rest of the journey. Two over-street bridges here (one pictured above) allow riders to avoid a couple of busier intersections.

The OTE soon comes to Harvard Road, about 5 miles from its eventual terminus. Though the trail ends here, a .7-mile road ride will get you to completed trail at Steelyard Commons. From that point another .3-mile road ride is required to bridge up to the Centennial Lake Link Trail.

At the current end of the Lake Link Trail, 2 short trail gaps prevent riders from reaching the lakeshore. And another small gap to the west prevents riders from connecting to a newly completed segment of the Lakefront Trail and a trail connection to Edgewater Park.

Completion of the Cleveland-area connections is at least a year away (2020), if not longer. As for the other remaining large gaps along the OTE, there is a 8-mile gap in Holmes County, along with a 17-mile gap in Wayne County which are not expected to be closed anytime soon.

So keep in mind if you're considering riding the entire route, that you will have some road riding added to the mix!

Top of Page

At a Glance

Latest Update: 8/37/20 - New 2.25-Mile Ohio-to-Erie Trail Section Coming Soon

7/27/20 - Dog Attack Reports on Camp Chase Trail

7/13/20 - Upcoming Little Miami Trail Closure

6/16/20 - Long-Tern Towpath Closure Coming July 8

6/16/20 - Towpath Closure Temporarily Lifted

5/30/20 - Some Restrooms Opening along OTE

5/29/20 - Ohio-to-Erie Trail Map Updated

5/20/20 - More Flooding Expected in Central Ohio

New Trailhead Along Heart of Ohio Trail

5/20/20

5/5/20 - Towpath Section Closure May 4 - 15

5/4/20 - $25K Trailside "Oasis" Planned for Heart of Ohio Trail

4/29/20 - Battelle Darby Creek Camp Chase Trail Connector is Open

4/27/20 - Towpath Section Reopens after Tree Removal

4/27/20 - Large Tree Blocking Towpath

4/23/20 - Towpath Section Closure - 5/1/20

4/17/20 - Ohio-to-Erie Trail Newsletter

4/17/20 - Trail Maintenance Alert April 27

4/9/20 - New Section of Heartland Trail to Explore

4/8/20 - Towpath Closure Today in Cuyahoga Valley National Park

4/7/20 - New Trailside Veterans Memorial on Prairie Grass Trail

Summit County Posts Open Restrooms List

Holmes County Trail Notice

4/6/20

Reminder: Honor the Gap!

4/5/20 - A Message from Craig Kenkel

4/2/20 - Ohio & Erie Towpath Flooding Update

3/30/20 - Towpath Flooding Update

3/29/20 - Towpath Trail Closed in the Cuyahoga Valley

More Blacklick & Alum Creek Trail Flooding

3/29/20

3/26/20 - Columbus Trail Flooding Update

3/25/20 - Camp Chase Trail Detour

3/24/20 - Trailside Observation Tower Closes

3/23/20 - Alum Creek Trail Flooding Update

3/21/20 - Towpath Flooding Update for Stark County

3/20/20 - Cuyahoga Valley National Park Closing Some Restrooms

3/19/20 - Towpath Flooding in Stark County

3/18/20 - Construction Resumes on Towpath in Cleveland

3/17/20 - Little Miami Trail Section Realignment Coming in April

3/16/20 - Ohio-to-Erie Trail Facility Closures

2/27/20 - Towpath Section Reroute Coming in March

2/21/20 - Towpath Section Still Closed

2/7/20 - Large Tree Down on the Kokosing Trail

2/6/20 - Towpath Section Closure Feb. 6-21

1/18/20 - Towpath Section Closing in Summit County

1/16/20 - Trail Progress in Delaware County

1/15/20 - New Licking County Preserve Will Provide Trail Link

1/11/20 - Tree Down on Roberts Pass

12/31/19 - Dead Tree Removal along Roberts Pass

12/30/19 - Grant Awarded to Build More Trail in Sunbury

11/24/19 - Camp Chase Trail Extension Paved, Not Open Yet

11/21/19 - Trail Closure Along Alum Creek

11/5/19 - Work Continues on OTE Midpoint Location

11/1/19 - Photos of New OTE Trail Connection

10/29/19 - How I Navigated the Ohio-to-Erie Trail

10/28/19 - Towpath Section Closure Nov. 4-7

10/23/19 - Galena to Sunbury Trail Section Paved

10/17/19 - $6M Bridge will Connect OTE with Cleveland Lakefront

10/1/19 - Galena to Sunbury Trail Construction Continues

10/1/19 - Towpath Trail Resurfacing Begins Oct. 14

9/23/19 - Camp Chase Trail Extension Nearing Completion

9/9/19 - Towpath Section Closure Sept. 9-12

9/8/19 - Towpath Detours are Scary

9/3/19 - Towpath Trail Section Closing Sept. 27

8/30/19 - Weakpoints in Central Ohio Wayfinding Signage

8/24/19 - Closing Gaps along the OTE

8/16/19 - Bike Lanes will Help Connect Trail Sections

8/14/19 - Construction to Close Trail Gap

8/12/19 - Towpath Repairs Coming to CVNP

8/12/19 - Bike Campers Called Out on Facebook

7/31/19 - Cleveland Route Update

7/2719 - Campsite Adds "Rustic Rinse" Shower Amenity for Trail Travellers

7/24/19 - Cyclists Debate Usefulness of New Camp Chase Trail Section

7/22/19 - Alum Creek Trail Alert

7/21/19 - Help Improve the Ohio-to-Erie Trail Guide

7/18/19 - Police Investigating Stabbing/Robbery on Camp Chase Trail

7/15/19 - Trail Navigation Tips

7/5/19 - Summit County Towpath Closure Updates