Just a few steps
8 not-so-common places to discover along the Ohio to Erie Trail
My social media feed includes many people on bikes on epic bike tours. “Day <insert number here> of biking across <insert place here>” is a popular post. Most set out to discover the world and meet new people. Time and money turn the spirit of discovery into a countdown of days and miles.
Many end-to-end cyclists, on the Ohio to Erie Trail are no different than these tourists. Bike touring is driven for most by a budget of time and money. I am offering up eight experiences along the Ohio to Erie Trail that are a short detour for a deeper view of the Buckeye State beyond the trail.
Fountain Square in Cincinnati
Fountain Square surrounds the iconic Genius of Water fountain at the corner of Fifth and Vine in downtown Cincinnati. It is only five blocks from the Roebling Suspension Bridge and the start of the Ohio to Erie Trail. The square is surrounded by shops and restaurants. A short trip north leads to the historic Over the Rhine neighborhood alive with entertainment.
Village of Waynesville
Downtown Waynesville is less than a mile from the Corwin trailhead of the Little Miami Scenic Trail. This picturesque village calls itself the antique capital of Ohio with its many antique shops in historic village buildings. Its Sauerkraut Festival makes an ideal diversion on a fall visit to the trail.
Ohio Statehouse and Topiary Park
Downtown Columbus is only a few blocks south as the Ohio to Erie Trail passes through the Arena District. The 3rd Street bike lane leads you to the Ohio Statehouse grounds and the heart of downtown Columbus. Topiary Park is a few blocks south and east for a special treat. Follow the 4th Street bike lane to return to the trail.
Prohibition Museum in Uptown Westerville
Westerville was integral to the crusade to ban the sale and consumption of alcohol which led to the prohibition amendment. This history is showcased in the Anti-Saloon League collection at the Westerville Public Library. The library is on the western edge of the Hanby Park trailhead parking lot. The state-of-the-art library offers many amenities to trail users and is blocks from Uptown Westerville’s shops and dining.
Mount Vernon dog fountain
As a Knox County resident, I am partial to the amenities and photo-ops on our trails. Downtown Mount Vernon is across the Kokosing River from the CA&C Mount Vernon Depot and Visitors Center. Downtown has been reinvented with shops and dining. The most unique and memorable spot is the dog fountain at the corner of Main and Gambier Streets. It is well worth the 3-block detour from the trail.
Downtown Millersburg and courthouse
Hills, so many people hate to climb hills. The three-block climb to downtown Millersburg from Hipp Station on the Holmes County Trail is worth the effort. The Holmes County Courthouse exemplifies the grandeur of historic courthouses. Enjoy the many restaurants, shops, and breweries surrounding the square on Jackson Street.
Akron’s Portaging Indians
Indians portaged the land between the Tuscarawas and Cuyahoga Rivers many years before the hikers and cyclists on the Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail. Bronze portaging Indian sculptures are only a few steps off the trail at both termini. The southern terminus is just north of the Manchester Road underpass on a path to the east. The northern terminus is visible on the west side of the towpath at the corner of Merriman Road and North Portage Path.
Cleveland’s Westside Market
Cleveland has a rich ethnic past with the immigration of Europeans to work in the steel mills. The Westside Market in the Ohio City neighborhood is a living monument to this past that lives on today. The market stalls offer meat, produce, pastry, and many more fresh goods. The surrounding neighborhood had a wide variety of food, drink, and shops along W 25th Street, only a few blocks off the trail route.
“Look for chances to take the less-traveled roads. There are no wrong turns.” ― Susan Magsamen.
The above eight diversions are a sample of what you can enjoy a short distance from the Ohio to Erie Trail. The art of exploring our world is venturing off the well-trodden path and discovering what makes a place unique. It is an opportunity to meet new people and catch a glimpse of their lives and the world they call home.
Take the trail less traveled!
Tom on the Trails