The Mill Creek Metroparks Bikeway is the second of two Northeastern Ohio trails utilizing the former Erie Railroad Branch. The first, a few miles farther south, is the LIttle Beaver Greenway, and while the scenery on this trail doesn't quite match that of its southern neighbor, this is also a very nice trail, with much superior facilities. A very nice trail brochure is available at that wonderful Kirk Road Trailhead, which supplies the trail's railroad history which, unfortunately, is not presented trailside. The Niles & Lisbon Branch, a 33.2 mile branch line off of the Erie's New York-Chicago main line at Niles, Ohio, was constructed in the 1860's, to haul coal, steel, iron ore, produce, dry goods, and passengers between its namesake Ohio towns. Stations on the line were listed (from the south, as Lisbon (Milepost 0), Teegarden, Leetonia, Washingtonville, Greenford, Calla, Marquis, Canfield, West Austintown, Ohlton, Mineral Ridge, and Niles (at Milepost 33.2). Passenger service on the line was discontinued in the late 1930's. The Erie was absorbed into the creation of Conrail in 1976, and most of its west end through Ohio and Indiana, to Chicago, was immediately abandoned. The tracks and ties on this branch line were removed in 1989. Planning for the trail began a year later, and by the year 2000, the 11-mile trail was opened for use. I am sad to report that there is only one single, solitary railroad artifact left on the lower eight miles of the trail, the concrete bases of a classic Erie water tower (for steam engines), located at Trail Mile 8.5. Although unfortunately not classic Erie mile markers, the trail boasts ten beautiful solid granite pentagonal pyramid mile markers, showing mileage and kilometers from the north end of the trail, at (Trumbull) County Line Road. Grades on the trail are what I call "mild rollercoaster", but there is a substantial uphill grade from just south of the Kirk Road Traihead, at MP5.5, to Mile Marker #8, and a "railroad steep" 2 to 3% grade from MP7 to MP8. You can SEE the hill from the bottom at MP7 (which is steep when you can actually SEE a railroad grade!), and coming back down, you can coast, FAST, at 10 to 14mph, from MP8 to MP5.5... No pedaling at all! The dedication of the Mill Creek Metroparks crew is most apparent at the Mahoning Avenue Overpass. In my just short of 800 miles of regional rail-trail riding, this is the most awesome structure, specifically DESIGNED for a rail-trail, which I have seen! It is an engineering beauty, designed, as the trail brochure states, "to resemble a historic railway trestle and to mimic architectural features found along the former Niles and Lisbon Branch..." And I must applaud the interesting nature posts near the south end of the trail, describing the resident longhorn cattle, native plants, and wildlife which can be observed in the vicinity. Finally, in regards to trail access, your best bet is the Kirk Road Trailhead, paved and with plenty of parking spaces. But I did note a small (maybe 10-car) dirt parking lot at the north end of the Mahoning Avenue Overpass. Both of these access points are easy to find. Exit Interstate 76 at the "To Ohio-45" exit. Follow the signs to Ohio 45, then take 45-South to Kirk Road. Mahoning Avenue is the main east-west road paralleling I-76 east from the Ohio-45 exit, and that road will take you right to the smaller of the two parking areas for this trail. - Rich Ballash, 11-25-11.

Tried this trail out yesterday, getting on at the Mahoning Ave. trailhead heading South. I was with a friend who is handicapped and is a beginning cycler. Just getting up the bridge incline to cross Mahoning was a chore, coming back was worse. The trail itself is very clean and well maintained with the Kirk Road trailhead providing shelter, water and clean restrooms. Plenty of chipmunks use this trail as well! Besides the gradual, but constant uphill ride (going), I found crossing traffic intersections a bit concerning. All-in-all, a decent trail, but not for beginners or cyclers looking for a flat easy ride. I give this trail 2 out of 5.

Really needs to have parking areas available at both ends of the trail. There is absolutely nowhere to park where it ends at Western Reserve Rd. Personally, I don't want to get on a trail in the middle and would prefer to ride it from end to end. Does anyone know if there are plans to build a parking area out that way?