The Ohio & Erie Canalway Towpath Trail follows its namesake canal from Cleveland south to Zoar. When complete, the trail will eventually extend farther south to New Philadelphia, a total of roughly 110 miles. The trail itself is contained within a national heritage corridor that also includes an on-road scenic byway and the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, which operates between Garfield Heights in Cleveland to Canton.
The Ohio & Erie Towpath Trail is roughly divided into four segments: the
Cuyahoga,
Summit, Stark and
Tuscarawas sections. Cyclists wishing to ride only one way on the towpath trail between Canton and Akron can hop on the scenic rail for the return trip for a cost of only $3.
The Stark section runs between Crystal Lakes and Massillon. There are numerous things to see and do along the way, including cultural and historical sights and wildlife watching. For more information, visit the Ohio & Erie Canalway webpage (click on the link under Related Links).
Generally, this trail is in good shape. It's relatively flat, packed nicely, not crowded. Its scenic and shaded for the most part. It could be a bit wider to accomodate side by side riding. It could use a bit more frequent maintenance on brush growing ...