OH, why not!
Six reasons to cycle or hike the Ohio to Erie Trail
Spring is in the air as the grass greens in Ohio. Trails are open year-round and destinations for winter sports enthusiasts. Warm spring temperatures bring many more out of hibernation. Cyclists dust off their bicycles from overwintering in garages.
Winter is a time for cyclists and hikers to plan and dream of spring, summer, or fall adventures. Here are six reasons to put the Ohio to Erie Trail on top of the destinations for your next adventure.
1. Ohio is not all corn and soybeans.
Ohio is a crossroads of American culture, agriculture, industry, history, and more. The Ohio to Erie Trail is the path that passes through the state’s 3C’s; Cincinnati, Columbus, and Cleveland where you can enjoy urban experiences. Sports, museums, world-class universities, theaters, varied entertainment experiences, and vibrant reinvented neighborhoods are along the trail.
2. Ohio is corn and soybeans.
Ohio ranks seventh in soybean and eighth in corn production of the fifty states. The Ohio to Erie Trail gives you a firsthand view of green and golden fields from a shaded trail. Telltale grain silos and feed mills are signs that you are approaching a rural Ohio town. Locals in small-town diners and shops are happy to share their pride in their community and rural Ohio life.
3. Greenspaces galore!
The Ohio to Erie Trail follows the Little Miami Scenic Trail State Park heading north from Cincinnati and the Cuyahoga Valley National Park as it heads south from Cleveland. The trail passes through and along many county and municipal parks in the miles between these signature parks. The Ohio, Miami, Scioto, Kokosing, Tuscarawas, and Cuyahoga Rivers offer kayaking and other watersports along the trail.
4. Ohio has a history.
History just makes things more interesting. The State of Ohio is 220 years old. The Ohio to Erie Trail follows a path through history along Ohio’s rivers, canals, and railroads. These passages brought settlers and industry as America headed west. 19th and 20th-century industry shaped small towns, large cities, ethnic neighborhoods, and architecture that are popular hotspots today.
5. Looking for a cold one?
Ohio has a long love affair with beer. German immigrants to Cincinnati and Eastern European immigrants to Cleveland brought their brewing talents to the Buckeye State. The craft brewing craze built on this tradition with Ohio being home to almost four hundred breweries. A ride through Ohio on the trail passes several trailside breweries. The most notable destinations are Akron and Cleveland where breweries are plentiful on or near the trail.
6. 90% paved trail!
The Ohio to Erie Trail is now a 90% off-road trail with the majority on paved rail trails and multi-purpose trails. The Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail, the major northern portion of the trail, is a groomed crushed limestone surface. Most of the off-trail miles pass through scenic Ohio Amish country on low-traffic roads. All the reasons I listed above are more than enough reasons to cycle or hike the Ohio to Erie Trail.
Summing it up
For many years, Tourism Ohio branded Ohio with the slogan, “Ohio, the heart of it all”. It was replaced with “Ohio, Find it here.” I suspect those slogans were designed to attract visitors to a state seen as all corn and soybeans. I hope that the six reasons above convince you to experience the Buckeye State, soybeans, and more, on the Ohio to Erie Trail.
A glimpse of what awaits you in Ohio
Ohio to Erie Trail Links
Happy Trails!
Tom on the Trails
HA HA! Looks like you made Mike and me famous! ☺