When we’re visiting the Ohio area, one of our favorite things to do (besides visiting our family) is riding the Ohio rail trails. Whether riding sections of the great Ohio to Erie Trail or smaller trails like the North Coast Inland Trail, Ohio has some wonderful and scenic cycling trails.
The Ohio to Erie Trail goes from the Ohio River all the way to Lake Erie. Along the way, there are sections that we enjoy riding that go through small towns, the Ohio farmland, and even Amish country.
Cedarville to Xenia and Beyond
Length: 50 miles – We started near Massie Creek Park just north of Cedarville and rode the Ohio to Erie down to Xenia. We continued south on the Little Miami Scenic Trail before turning around.
We continued back to Xenia, picked up the Yellow Springs Connector, and rode that a few miles before turning around and making our way back to Cedarville.
Simon Kenton Trail
Length: 40 miles – We started this ride at Melvin Miller Park, winding our way on the streets of Urbana to get to the trail. There is a restored depot in Urbana, but there wasn’t much parking. However, there was a coffee shop and restrooms.
Unlike the Ohio to Erie Trail, the Simon Kenton Trail is mostly crushed limestone. The northern section of this trail itself is 18 miles and goes from Urbana to Bellefontaine.
One interesting piece of history was that President Lincoln’s funeral train came through Urbana on these tracks.
Richland B and O Trail
Length 25 miles round trip – The Richland B and O Trail from Lexington to Butler goes through farmland, the small town of Bellville, and ends in Butler. While not a long trail, it is a scenic and paved trail.
Don’t forget to stop and read the signs along the way! There is so much history along the trail.
Sunbury to Mount Vernon
Length: 50 miles – This section of the Ohio to Erie takes you from Sunbury through Centerburg, which is the midpoint of the Ohio to Erie Trail, and on to Mount Vernon.
Be sure to check out the Glass Factory Ruins and Sculpture Park near Mount Vernon. This was a wonderful find!
Urbana to Yellow Springs
Length: 51 miles – We took the Simon Kenton Trail from Urbana south to Springfield and then picked up the Little Miami Scenic Trail and continued on to Yellow Springs.
This was a paved trail and very scenic. Going through Springfield was well-marked,
Spring Valley to Kings Mill
Length: 62 miles – Our longest ride of the summer took us from Spring Valley (Walton Park) along the Little Miami Scenic Trail to near Kings Mill. We had to turn around because the trail was washed out, but this was a very scenic trail.
Killbuck to Fredericksburg
Length: 32 miles – Part of the Ohio to Erie trail, this section winds its way through scenic farmland and Amish Country. In fact, we began our ride at the Walmart in Millersburg and rode north to Fredericksburg. We shared much of this section with our Amish friends traveling by horse and buggy.
Once we returned to Millersburg, we continued south to Killbuck to get a 32-mile loop.
Elmore to Genoa Trail
Length: 32.65 miles – While we were in northern Ohio, we rode the North Coast Inland Trail from Elmore to Genoa. This flat trail winds through the farmland and small towns and was a very enjoyable ride.
Conclusion
There is so much to see in the state of Ohio, and much of it is accessible by bicycle. Get out there and ride!
We’re Mike & Jennifer Skinnell, and together we are The Rambling Quilter. We travel the country full-time in our 41ft. fifth-wheel pulled by our F-350 – affectionately named Beauty & The Beast. Mike still works part-time, and Jennifer writes our blog, travel articles, and contemporary fiction. Our blog is purely for entertainment purposes. However, if you’d like to support Jennifer’s writing career, her author link is below.