The Portage Hike and Bike Trail stretches 9 miles between Kent and Ravenna, about 40 miles southeast of Cleveland and the southern shores of Lake Erie. Between the two busy downtowns, quiet woods and meadows can be enjoyed. In some areas, the trail parallels an active, but infrequently used, railroad.
In Kent, the western leg of the trail follows the Cuyahoga River and the old P&O Canal, and Kent State University is only a few blocks away. Farther east, you'll come to a highlight of the journey: Towner's Woods Park in Franklin Township. The trail runs along the southern border of the 175-acre park, which has beautiful natural settings of forest, wetlands, and meadows. Here, you'll also find an ancient Native American burial mound on the shores of picturesque Lake Pippen.
One day, the trail is hoped to connect to the 33-mile
Bike & Hike Trail that runs through Cuyahoga, Summit, and Portage counties, connecting more communities, parks, and attractions.
On the trail's western end, parking is available at Lake Rockwell Road and at Towner's Woods Park (2296 Ravenna Road, Franklin Township). On the trail's eastern side, a paved parking area and public restrooms are located in Chestnut Hills Park on Route 44 in Ravenna.
The 8-mile portion of the Portage from Crain Ave. in Kent to Peck Rd. in Ravenna is indeed open, despite the current overview listed and the information listed on the Portage Park District website. Work is underway on the pedestrian bridge over the Cuyahoga ...
8/1/2010
I was excited to ride the newly completed north section of the Portage Bike & Hike Trail. Their on-line trail map shows connections to the Akron Bike & Hike Trail (ABC trail). The map is apparently a couple years old, and shows some sections ...
Overall this trail is nice, scenic and not crowded.
The web site makes one believe that the trail is one continous trail from Middlebury Road to the Eastside of Ravenna. That is not true despite the disclaimer on their web site.
There is a nice ...