It’s summertime! Dust off that old bike in your garage and hit these awesome, scenic paths in northeast Ohio.

By Tucker Kelly

Photos courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons

Cleveland Lakefront Trail (Courtesy David B.) – The Cleveland Lakefront Bikeway spans all 17 miles of Cleveland’s shoreline. If you begin bicycling on Cleveland’s on the west side, visit the Cultural Gardens in Rockefeller Park via the Harrison- Dillard Trail on the city’s east side. If you begin on the east side, visit Edgewater Park at the end of your trip for an incredible panorama of downtown Cleveland. planning.city.cleveland.oh.us
Emerald Necklace (Courtesy Ruthie Burnside) – This trail (47 miles including the Big Creek side trip) travels through wooded areas and over and along several hillsides. This allows for some natural obstacles on the trail surface. This snake-like path quickly challenges your riding skills by taking you up and down small hills and through an assortment of curves of varying degrees of sharpness. The asphalt path is quite narrow at only 8-9′ wide, which makes negotiating the terrain while passing other trail users quite challenging. ohiobikeways.net/emerald.htm
Metro Parks Freedom Trail (Courtesy Kimberley Ardelian) – Starting near the Portage Hike & Bike Trail in Kent, this multipurpose trail – on land owned by METRO Regional Transit Authority – follows an unused railroad corridor. Phase II construction, now complete, extends to Eastwood Avenue in Akron. Eventually, it will connect with downtown near The University of Akron campus.The railroad corridor provides wildlife with a linear connection between green spaces. Bald eagles, coyote and white-tailed deer use these grounds as their home. summitmetroparks.org/freedom-trail.aspx
New Western Reserve Greenway (Courtesy Vicki Shiely) -45 miles of asphalt currently traverse Ashtabula County beginning near Lake Erie and TrumbullCounty, called the Western Reserve Greenway. If you thought the North Coast Inland Trail wasincredible, listen to this: Ohio plans to connect the Ohio River beginning in East Liverpool to LakeErie (called the Great Ohio Lake-to- River Bikeway) with the Western Reserve Greenway Serving asa principle portion.www.ashtabulametroparks.com, www.trumbullmetroparks.org
North Coast Inland Trail (Courtesy Brian Biggs) The plan: connect Indiana to Pennsylvania via 270 miles of bike trails paralleling Lake Erie. Thegroundbreaking plan has long been underway and many portions of the interstate trail west ofCleveland are already complete. The trail will have more destinations than we can name. Untilcompleted, check out other bikeways and trails Northeast Ohio has to offer. Visit their page onOhiobikeways.net for updates and closures.www.ohiobikeways.net
Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail (Courtesy Rick Hanger) – This 85mi trail attracts 2.5 million attendees annually. This hard packed gravel and asphalt trailfollows the now disused Erie Canal from Cleveland to New Philadelphia, bisecting Northeast Ohio.The most notable scenic destination: Cuyahoga Valley National Park. There you’ll find trails,seasonal events, and the rich history of Ohio.www.ohioanderiecanalway.com
Ohio to Erie Trail (Courtesy Wikipedia) – Much like the Western Reserve Greenway, the Ohio to Erie Trail will link Lake Erie to the OhioRiver; however, this trail links Lake Erie to the Ohio River beginning in Cincinnati. The 325minetwork of trails is currently under construction, but large portions between Cincinnati andColumbus are already open for use. See their website for updates and progress.www.ohiotoerietrail.org
Richland B and O Trail (Courtesy Colleen Smith) -The Richland B & O Trail traverses 18.5 miles of former rail corridor from Butler to Mansfield, Ohio in Richland County. It is primarily a rural rail-trail with short sections through three small towns and the west end of Mansfield. This creates a fairly diverse change in scenery along the trail: From open farmlands, woods and river crossings to short sections alongside a factory and former grain stations.The trail takes a northwesterly route out of Butler passing a former lumber yard and a local campground before heading out to open countryside. ohiobikeways.net/bno.htm
Sippo Valley Trail (Courtesy Dee Smith) -If you want a taste of quaint rural Ohio, Sippo Valley Bike Trail is an excellent option. Over thecourse of the 10mi asphalt and stone trail, you’ll cross bridges, navigate the both farmland andforest, and follow streams and rivers. The trail is part of the much larger Ohio to Erie Trail. Visittheir page on Ohiobikeways.net for more informationwww.ohiobikeways.net
Stavich Trail (Courtesy Allen Lavalliere) – Ohio’s trails don’t stop in Ohio. Some, like the Stavich Velley Trail connect states. This 10mi asphalt trail can be a workout, but we promise it’s worth the effort. The scenic trail traverses hills withmoderate grades, navigates forests, and abuts the wetlands pictured here. Visit their page onOhiobikeways.net for more informationwww.ohiobikeways.net

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