Ohio to Erie Trail
The Ohio to Erie Trail is a dedicated multi-use trail crossing Ohio from southwest to northeast, crossing of regional parks, nature preserves, and rural woodland.
The trail, named after its endpoints, extends from the Ohio River at Cincinnati to the Lake Erie at Cleveland, primarily integrating former rail trails and multi-use trails into a dedicated trail.
Roughly 89% complete as of December 2024, construction began in 1991, with sections completed as recently as 2022.
Remaining on-road segments, designated as routes, substitute for the as yet undeveloped final sections of fully-segregated, dedicated path.
The trail serves a variety of user types. Non-motorized movement includes:
bicyclists, pedestrians, hikers, and — on certain sections — horse riders or drivers. In addition, certain motorized e-bikes are allowed to use the trail.
The surface itself varies, including asphalt, cement, concrete, crushed limestone and hard-packed earth.
History
The Ohio to Erie Trail began in 1991 as an outgrowth of the Ohio Bicycle Advisory Council, and was envisioned that year by Edward Franklin Honton, a former Franklin County engineer, who subsequently founded and served as president of a non-profit organization dedicated to developing the trail. After his death in 2005, his legacy continued through the organization he founded, The Ohio to Erie Trail Fund. The historic Bridgeview Bridge was dedicated in Honton's memory at the opening of the Alum Creek Trail near Innis Park on July 15, 2011. The bridge is a fully restored 1902 structure which originally carried Beach Road and Lucas Road over the Big Darby Creek.Path
The trail is divided into four separate sections:- Northern leg: Cleveland to Massillon
- Heart of Ohio leg: Massillon to Mount Vernon
- Central Ohio leg: Mount Vernon to London
- Southern leg: London to Cincinnati