Explore the best rated trails in Beavercreek, OH. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Great-Little Trail and Mad River Trail. With more than 52 trails covering 4596 miles you’re bound to find a perfect trail for you. Click on any trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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The Towler Road Spur is a short but pleasant route in the trail hub of Xenia, Ohio. Although the paved pathway parallels the roadway, it's separated from traffic by a wide grassy median dotted with...
Seamlessly spanning the 35.5-mile distance between the Ohio communities of Bellefontaine and Springfield, the Simon Kenton Trail presents visitors with ample opportunities for recreation and wildlife...
Note: This developing route is not yet fully contiguous – it is just over 50% complete. Please refer to the Trail Map for more information on the existing sections of trail, as well as the online...
Opened in 2017, the Clinton-Fayette Friendship Trail, spanning 7.1 miles, is the longest rail-trail in central Ohio's Clinton County. Following a former railroad corridor, the rail-trail spans the...
The Paint Creek Recreation Trail is the flagship pathway of a planned trail network in the Ohio counties of Fayette, Ross and Highland. Nearly 35 miles of paved trail are currently open linking the...
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When complete, the Ohio River Trail in eastern Cincinnati will be an important 23-mile connector between downtown, riverfront parks, the city's municipal airport and many neighborhoods. Currently,...
The Little Miami Scenic Trail is a jewel in the crown of Ohio rail-trails, spanning just over 78 miles from the outskirts of Cincinnati to Springfield over historical bridges and through tranquil...
The Fairfax Trail is 1.5 miles long and parallels the north side of Murray Ave, between Settle Street and Red Bank Road. The Murray Road portion overlaps with the Murray Road Hike/ Bike Trail. There...
Piqua City Linear Park was constructed on an abandoned railroad bed from the city's easternmost point to its westernmost point. Midway, it connects to the Great Miami River Trail and is part of the...
The Great Miami River Trail is the backbone of one of the nation’s largest paved trail networks, spanning 340 miles throughout Ohio’s Miami Valley. The route connects beautiful natural areas, small...
The Mad River Trail offers a paved route connecting a handful of parks along its namesake river in northeastern Dayton. The scenic pathway is also part of one of the nation's largest network of paved,...
The Lowe's Connector Trail parallels Lowe's Drive in Wilmington, OH, and links Rombach Avenue with Prairie Road; however, this is no sidewalk once you reach Prairie Road. The trail is best used to...
The North Lewisburg Trail lies about 40 miles northwest of Columbus in the Village of North Lewisburg. The trail runs northeast from the community park in a wooded corridor that once housed train...
The Creekside Trail is part of a network of more than 340 miles of trails that travel throughout Ohio’s scenic Miami Valley. The route follows a nature-filled corridor offering many opportunities for...
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The 7-mile Iron Horse Trail (open in two disconnected segments) utilizes approximately 2 miles of former Penn Central right-of-way, providing users a pleasant route through neighborhoods, as well as a...
The Sharon Woods Loop Trail encircles a picturesque lake in popular Sharon Woods in Sharonville. The county park offers a visitor center, boathouse, golf course, picnic areas and athletic fields over...
When completed, the Wasson Way trail will span 7.6 miles from Victory Parkway (near Xavier University) to the Little Miami Scenic Trail in Newtown. The latter spans 78 miles from Cincinnati to...
The Lebanon Countryside YMCA Trail offers 8 miles of paved pathway winding through Lebanon, from downtown to a connection to the 78-mile Little Miami Scenic Trail. The trail begins in the north near...
The Xenia–Jamestown Connector links these two eponymous communities and travels east beyond Jamestown to the Greene–Fayette County line at Rosemoor Road. It’s part of Ohio’s Miami River Valley trail...
When complete, the Hamilton Belt Line Trail will wrap 3 miles along a former CSX right-of-way around the west side of Hamilton. In its heyday, Champion Paper Mill used the line track to move coal and...
The Camp Chase Trail plays a role in two of Ohio’s most exciting trail projects: it is a key piece of the cross-state Ohio to Erie Trail and an integral part of the Central Ohio Greenways network...
Note: This developing route is not yet fully contiguous – it is just over 50% complete. Please refer to the Trail Map for more information on the existing sections of trail, as well as the online...
The Towler Road Spur is a short but pleasant route in the trail hub of Xenia, Ohio. Although the paved pathway parallels the roadway, it's separated from traffic by a wide grassy median dotted with...
The Dayton Kettering Connector combines a historic rail-trail and bike lanes, and shared road riding for 7 miles between the two municipalities. The off-road portion is 1.9 miles long and sits in the...
The Great Miami River Trail is the backbone of one of the nation’s largest paved trail networks, spanning 340 miles throughout Ohio’s Miami Valley. The route connects beautiful natural areas, small...
The Wright Brothers Huffman Prairie Bikeway runs from South Street in downtown Fairborn, along the north side of Kauffman Avenue adjacent to an active rail line, to National Road. At that point, the...
The Lunken Airport Bike Path offers a 5-mile loop around Cincinnati's municipal Lunken Airport. Much of the trail sits atop the levee that protects the airport from flooding of the Little Miami River....
The James Ranch Connecting Spur provides an important link between two major trails spiraling out of the trail hub of Xenia. On its east end, the trail connects to the Little Miami Scenic Trail, which...
The Darby Creek Trail is currently available in two disconnected segments that parallel Big Darby Creek, a State and National Scenic River on the western outskirts of Columbus. The northern 3.5...
The Creekside Trail is part of a network of more than 340 miles of trails that travel throughout Ohio’s scenic Miami Valley. The route follows a nature-filled corridor offering many opportunities for...
Opened in 2017, the Clinton-Fayette Friendship Trail, spanning 7.1 miles, is the longest rail-trail in central Ohio's Clinton County. Following a former railroad corridor, the rail-trail spans the...
The Lebanon Countryside YMCA Trail offers 8 miles of paved pathway winding through Lebanon, from downtown to a connection to the 78-mile Little Miami Scenic Trail. The trail begins in the north near...
How can a trail be great and little? When it connects two of the Miami Valley's most popular regional trails, the Great Miami River Trail in the west, to the Little Miami Scenic Trail in the east. The...
The 4C Bicentennial Trail is one of several throughout Wilmington, OH, and runs between Southeast Neighborhood Park and Fife Avenue (CR 82), just across the road from the south end of Denver Williams...
The paved Tecumseh Trail skirts the quaint city of New Carlisle. The trail takes users through some beautiful wooded areas along a former railroad corridor and connects to Smith Park. At the popular...
To cover the five miles suggested by the name of this trail, one has to travel out to the opposite end and back again. The trail is located in Anderson Township, about 13 miles southeast of...
The Lowe's Connector Trail parallels Lowe's Drive in Wilmington, OH, and links Rombach Avenue with Prairie Road; however, this is no sidewalk once you reach Prairie Road. The trail is best used to...
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Ohio’s Miami River Valley, with 340 miles of off-road trails, is home to one of the nation’s largest paved trail networks. Heading northwest from Dayton, the Wolf Creek Trail is one piece of this...
Piqua City Linear Park was constructed on an abandoned railroad bed from the city's easternmost point to its westernmost point. Midway, it connects to the Great Miami River Trail and is part of the...
The 29-mile Prairie Grass Trail is one of four rail-trails that radiate from Xenia Station, the hub of a vast, paved trail network in southwestern Ohio. The site is a former Baltimore & Ohio (B&O)...
The Armleder Park Trail loops along a wide, paved route through the open meadows of the park, located east of Cincinnati. At the southeast end, you'll find an overlook of the Little Miami River....
Note: This developing route is not yet fully contiguous – it is just over 50% complete. Please refer to the Trail Map for more information on the existing sections of trail, as well as the online...
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The Newport Southbank Bridge, commonly known as the Purple People Bridge due to its unique paint scheme, links the large Ohio city of Cincinnati with Newport, Kentucky, a medium-sized city rapidly...
The Tecumseh Trail Multi-use Pathway offers a pleasant route, partially on the former Pennsylvania Railroad's Columbus-to-Saint Louis freight mainline. The rail route was also once used for Lincoln's...
The Fairfax Trail is 1.5 miles long and parallels the north side of Murray Ave, between Settle Street and Red Bank Road. The Murray Road portion overlaps with the Murray Road Hike/ Bike Trail. There...
How can a trail be great and little? When it connects two of the Miami Valley's most popular regional trails, the Great Miami River Trail in the west, to the Little Miami Scenic Trail in the east. The...
The paved Tecumseh Trail skirts the quaint city of New Carlisle. The trail takes users through some beautiful wooded areas along a former railroad corridor and connects to Smith Park. At the popular...
The Wright Brothers Huffman Prairie Bikeway runs from South Street in downtown Fairborn, along the north side of Kauffman Avenue adjacent to an active rail line, to National Road. At that point, the...
The Dayton Kettering Connector combines a historic rail-trail and bike lanes, and shared road riding for 7 miles between the two municipalities. The off-road portion is 1.9 miles long and sits in the...
The Creekside Trail is part of a network of more than 340 miles of trails that travel throughout Ohio’s scenic Miami Valley. The route follows a nature-filled corridor offering many opportunities for...
The Paint Creek Recreation Trail is the flagship pathway of a planned trail network in the Ohio counties of Fayette, Ross and Highland. Nearly 35 miles of paved trail are currently open linking the...
Ohio’s Miami River Valley, with 340 miles of off-road trails, is home to one of the nation’s largest paved trail networks. Heading northwest from Dayton, the Wolf Creek Trail is one piece of this...
The Lebanon Countryside YMCA Trail offers 8 miles of paved pathway winding through Lebanon, from downtown to a connection to the 78-mile Little Miami Scenic Trail. The trail begins in the north near...
The Miami & Erie Canal was built between 1825 and 1845, an engineering marvel stretching from Cincinnati to Toledo. This canal was heavily used until competition from the railroad caused the decline...
The Shaker Trace Trail forms a loop around Miami Whitewater Forest, the largest county-run park in Hamilton County. The fully-accessible, paved trail runs for nearly 8 miles through the park’s...
The Mad River Trail offers a paved route connecting a handful of parks along its namesake river in northeastern Dayton. The scenic pathway is also part of one of the nation's largest network of paved,...
The Sharon Woods Loop Trail encircles a picturesque lake in popular Sharon Woods in Sharonville. The county park offers a visitor center, boathouse, golf course, picnic areas and athletic fields over...
The Cardinal Greenway, the longest rail-trail in Indiana, connects Marion, Muncie, Losantville, Richmond and a host of other small towns in rural northeastern Indiana. The trail takes its name from...
The Camp Chase Trail plays a role in two of Ohio’s most exciting trail projects: it is a key piece of the cross-state Ohio to Erie Trail and an integral part of the Central Ohio Greenways network...
The Luther Warren Peace Path is shady 1.2-mile journey along a level paved surface, delightfully cool in summer. The trail includes two old railroad bridges, one covered and built as a local Boy Scout...
It’s not well maintained, busy, and short. It does have beautiful scenery though.
I longboarded south from the memorial park, and the trail is super smooth and well maintained until you round the corner. Rough path from then on; potholes, big cracks, chert rock, logs, etc.
Mel and I rode our tandem on 14-15 April. We ride an old Pacific Tandem Fat Tire bike. It is not geared for climbing hills. On Thursday we rode from Tingler Rd trailhead to Richmond and back-15M. On Friday we rode from same trailhead in opposite direction 7.5 miles out, just passed the Williamsburg trailhead and back-15M. The weather was just right cool. We were extremely pleased with the mild terrain grade on both days! The other plus is how far apart the trail sections are from each stop sign. We love this trail! Beautiful farm country USA. Next week On our way back to Raleigh NC, we plan to ride another 2 days. We stayed at the Holiday Inn at Richmond IN. It was very convenient and a great place. We will stay there again next week.👍👌🤓
I rode from Urbana to Bellefontaine and back today. It's a nice trail. Most of it is shaded, which compares favorably to Hilliard's Heritage Trail, and parts of the Ohio to Erie, such as Cedarville to South Charleston. It's probably pretty when it is in bloom, but it's still a bit too early in the year for that with our late spring. Still, it was a very calm ride, with only two other riders and a couple hikers spotted on the entire section, out-and-back, and all near Bellefontaine.
The surface is mostly chip-and-seal (other than 1.5 miles north of Urbana), which is fine, and kicks up much less dirt than crushed limestone, for those who haven't ridden chip-and-seal before. There is one rough spot on the paved section just south of where the chip-and-seal ends, and for the first couple miles north of Urbana you have to keep an eye out for railroad spikes on the trail, but otherwise the condition of the trail is good.
There's a well-reviewed coffee shop by the trail in Urbana, and several restaurants that look promising in Bellfontaine, including a brewery that you'll find if you continue north of the northern end of the trail on the dirt trail that continues to parallel the railway for another block, and then follow the bike route signs towards town.
Along the way, if you're paying attention, you'll see some unusual animals for Ohio trails, specifically goats and what I'm pretty sure are elk. Although Wikipedia will tell you there are no elk in Ohio, I counted eight of them visible from the trail, and my research indicates they are likely domestic elk at a farm that neighbors the trail. Now I'll leave it as an exercise to the reader to figure out exactly where they are. You might want to start soon - once the leaves are out it might be much more difficult to see them.
Overall, I'd put this slightly above 4/5. It's not as picturesque as central Ohio's top trails - the Kokosing Gap and Alum Creek Trails - but I'd put it above the Heritage, Camp Chase, and Ohio to Erie west of London. Worth the drive if you're looking for somewhere new to explore, and keep an eye out for the elk.
I re-rode the Camp Chase Trail from its eastern terminus to Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park today, and rode the section from there west last year. It's a nice trail, in good condition, and the gaps have been filled in over the years. Of particular note is that the gap orangedoug mentioned, at the Metro Park, was closed in March of 2020. It is a bit difficult to find the connection through the park from the west though; go to the roundabout at the west end of the parking lot, and find the trail branching off southwest (which would likely be the last direction you would expect to find it), and that's the connector, with an Ohio to Erie trail marker hiding in the woods.
I rated the trail 4/5 instead of 5/5 because while it is in good condition, it's the least scenic of the "big 5" trails in Columbus. I ride the Alum Creek Trail and Olentangy Trail every year; they're beautiful. Comparing this trail to the Alum Creek, the major difference is you forget you are in a city on the Alum Creek Trail. On the Camp Chase, for the first 7 miles going west, it's almost all city (there is a park area near Wilson Road). It does open up and become more scenic past Georgesville Road. Realistically, the section east of there is a "every few years" trail for me.
Parts of the eastern section were also reminders of the increasing poverty in parts of west Columbus since the pandemic; tent encampments were set up along parts of the trail and the parallel railroad, which hadn't been present the last time I rode the trail in 2020. In the afternoon of one of the first warm days of the spring, it didn't feel dangerous, but if you're planning an Ohio to Erie trip and aren't from the area, plan to be Downtown before sunset. At least the trail seems to be of use to the residents living by it; several tents had bikes by them and one man was working on his bike from the tracks when I went by in both directions.
The Hilltop Connector to the Scioto Trail at the eastern end is not a bad connector at all. Road speeds are moderate, most of it has a dedicated bike lane, and even at rush hour it didn't feel risky (and I'm not someone who rides roads).
Started on Batavia end which was promising and pretty but after a short distance, we were just walking on a road within the East Fork Park. I don't consider walking on a road with cars to be a Hiking Trail. Will try from the Williamsburg side next time to see if it's better.
The OTET is not the ETOT. I found out why when cyclists were flying past me Northbound as I fought headwinds Southbound. Yes the winds wind up the Ohio Valley hence the trail is named Ohio To Erie Trail. I was southbound because after my glorious arrival and celebration in Cincinnati I continued through Louisville, Mammoth Cave and Nashville to our daughters horse farm in Shelbyville TN totaling 721 wondrous miles of memories and new acquaintances both 2-legged and 4-legged. I suggest using credit card
Nice easy path. There was one tree down that was easy to get around. We did our route on horse back.
I ride from my house starting at iron horse trail going north across Linden to creekside trail connector and follow it to Xenia Station which gives me a total of 30 miles up and back. The last 2 times I have been on my ride I have seen a total of 6 deer. I seen 4 deer today crossing the bikeway at Factory Rd. I ride this trail 3 times a week for a total of 90 miles. If you have not biked on this trail it is well worth it. The trail is mostly flat with lots of scenery along the way. It is a little crowded on the weekends so I bike m-w-f and just a few walkers and bikers. I will be 70 the end of this month and biking in my opinion is a great way to stay in shape.
A huge shoutout to the organizations that put this trail together, maintain, and promote it - its remarkably well done. There are a few spots that could use some more signage (Westerville is pretty bad) but overall from top to bottom it's hard to get lost. I did this trail in 4.5 days from Cincinnati to Cleveland the last week of October with almost no bike experience. I also used a busted up old mountain bike from the 90s and had pretty much no problem with it.
I discovered this trail at the southern end of the Cardinal Greenway, and figured why not check out the trail by the gorge? It may well be the most scenic part of the entire connected trail system, going up to Gaston and including the White River Greenway Trail in Muncie. There's lots of green, a river (albeit usually hidden from view), and a good amount of elevation change in a short time. Definitely worth adding on to a Cardinal Greenway ride if you have the stamina to spare.
There also are some nice parks along the way, including by the piano/record factory, and at the veterans park near the northern edge, where you can see the difference in size between a light tank and a main battle tank in real life.
Still, there are a couple shortcomings that make this a trail that could easily be a 5, but isn't quite there yet. The largest is that there is a section near the southern end where the pavement is quite rough, which also corresponds with the steepest area, making it potentially hazardous. The connector up to the high school is even steeper and in rougher condition. There should be the next priority for fixing up.
There also was a tree across the trail almost at the southern terminus, which appeared to have been there for some time, and several of the wooden benches in the southern section were not in great condition any more.
It did look like the section by the veterans park was pretty new trail, and that the overseers were still working on an overlook above that park, so this trail may well still be receiving investment. With a little TLC on the southern section as well, it would definitely be a 5 star trail.
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