Find the top rated birding trails in Massillon, whether you're looking for an easy short birding trail or a long birding trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a birding trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
Yesterday was a beautiful day for a ride and the Conotton Trail was incredibly well maintained. We started at the Bowerston entrance and went the full length into Jewett, and back again. The trail was smooth, well maintained, with 5 quaint covered bridges, flower boxes along the way, plenty of resting spots if needed, lots of wildlife (bunnies, squirrels, chipmunks, deer, a large variety of birds). A pit stop at the ice cream shop in Scio for a cone was a sweet treat. If you watch the trees at the beginning of the trail, there are some miniature decorated bird houses in the trees. Great ride!
Brookside Reservation is a Cleveland Metropark that contains a number of athletic fields and the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. TrailLink.com lists the length of the Brookside Reservation All-Purpose Trail as 2.3 miles in length but I rode almost 9 miles that included out and backs on several spurs that connect to local Cleveland, Ohio neighborhoods of Brookside, Old Brooklyn, and Brooklyn Center. I was baffled by a previous review of this trail that stated "small elevation gains." There are several taxing climbs on this trail as the zoo and the park itself are located at the bottom of the narrow Big Creek Valley. When I rode this trail I parked at the baseball fields found at the Jim Thome All-Star Complex in the center of the park. This area of the park is in the Big Creek Valley. The surrounding neighborhoods are located atop of the valley walls so almost any direction you ride on this trail involves climbing. I rode west out of the Jim Thome Complex toward the park’s Ridge Road entrance. This part of the trail parallels the park’s main road, John Nagy Blvd. About halfway to the Ridge Road entrance the trail splits and you get the option to climb out of the valley and up to the residences of Cleveland’s Brookside neighborhood. This is the most manageable climb out of the valley the park has. The climbs along Wildlife Way near the zoo and the climb up to Denison Avenue from the historic Brookside Stadium site are more difficult. Kids definitely would be walking their bikes up these climbs.
Most of the trail in the valley is wide open with very little shade because of the athletic fields and parking lots located there. The prettiest part of the trail is along Park Drive; it is tree covered and includes an overlook loop that offers views of the baseball fields. Take advantage of the crossing over the Fulton Road Bridge which provides views of the Cleveland Zoo’s Tiger Passage and Wolf Lodge areas. The trail while it provides access to the zoo does not actually pass through the zoo.
The Treadway Creek Trail is the easternmost of a series of short trails that connect the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail with the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. You must ride about a quarter of a mile south on Jennings Road from the Towpath (at the corner of Jennings Rd & Harvard Ave.) to reach the trail's start on Crestline Ave. From there you will climb about 80 feet in elevation over the next half mile to the trail's end in Harmody Park. As mentioned by another TrailLink reviewer, at some point, "Kids will likely walk bikes up."
This is a nice little trail. It runs up a ravine to reach the top of the valley wall. The trail is shaded and lush with foliage. So much so, that you are completely unaware of the homes that surround the upper half of the trail until you actually reach Harmody Park. My biggest complaint is that the on-street connection needed to reach the Brighton Park All-Purpose Trail and the way to the Cleveland Metropark Zoo is not marked with signs. If I had not had the TrailLink app I would not have been able to figure out how to find my way to the zoo.
We really enjoyed the ride and scenery. It was fun seeing horse and buggy too.
This trail needs some much-needed maintenance, fallen tree across the path 5/15/24 as well as numerous branches overhanging at head level ready to take out any unaware biker or hiker.... come on Cleveland City Services you need to do better......
Nice Trail but can't wait for that section to be completed from Glenmont to killbuck. I sure did not enjoy riding on Route 520
Mostly flat ride. Some sketchy areas, but nothing awful. Links fairly easily to other trails to put in more distance.
Flat, well maintained, and beautiful trail. You cannot escape tree root heave but these trail caretakers did well in that most of them are ground flattening them some and eliminating the sharpness. It also helps you see them coming.
The trail was fairly well-maintained sections of the of the trail had a lot of root heaves, which made the riding a little rough. There was a couple of road crossings that had jagged metal supports sticking up from the ground for posts that should’ve been there, if you’re not careful you might run over one as they’re not well marked.
This is a great biking path! Artwork and sculpture along the way, and a picnic area near 71st and Union.
Makes a great clockwise-loop when combined with the Towpath Trail / Washington Reservation All Purpose Trail / Mill Creek Connector Trail.
(Crossing Broadway is a bit harrowing, but the new pedestrian-crossing measures make it easy on the sidewalk.)
Today was so beautiful ! This was a fabulous trail, and I felt safe, and it was so peaceful. Everyone I encountered was so nice, and the scenery was lovely. Do this trail people.
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