Find the top rated trails in Boardman, whether you're looking an easy walking path or a long bike trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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The Sippo Valley Trail runs nearly 10 miles, with flat, gentle grades, between Dalton and Massillon. It takes its name from Sippo Creek, which cascades along the side of the trail for nearly its...
As closely as possible, the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail follows a historic canal where mules once pulled boats from 1827 to 1913. Currently, 81 miles of the trail are complete from Cleveland south...
The Conotton Creek Trail is 11.4 miles of scenic serenity in northeast Ohio. The trail models rustic beauty, and its careworn pavement covers a flat, straight route. Several particularly rough spots...
The Trout Island Trail is planned to be a 13-mile rail-trail along the former Erie and Pittsburgh Railroad. Currently, 2.4 miles are open and fully paved in Sharpsville, following the Shenango River...
The well-designed MetroParks Bikeway between Canfield Township and Austintown is an 11-mile paved corridor that passes through both suburbs and countryside in northeastern Ohio. Traveling north from...
Built in 1871 to transport the region's high-quality limestone to support Pittsburgh's growing steel industry, the Butler-Freeport line was the first railroad in Butler County. After a two-day...
Moraine State Park features a nearly seven mile bike trail, which follows the north shore of Lake Arthur. Along the way, you'll enjoy beautiful scenery, especially during the fall as trees line the...
Constructed in 1983 with the help of donations from the Stavich Family and local individuals, the Stavich Trail is unusual in several ways. First, unlike most rail-trails, it was built on an...
The Stark Electric Railway Trail runs on a former interurban rail line that linked Canton and Salem via Louisville, Alliance and Sebring from 1902 to 1939. The company was nicknamed the ‘Bachelor...
The Berlin Lake Trail lies mid-way between Cleveland and Pittsburgh in Deerfield Township of Portage County. The 2-mile crushed limestone rail-trail crosses Berlin Lake, traveling through wooded areas...
The Little Beaver Creek Greenway Trail runs parallel to the Middle Fork of the Little Beaver Creek and has many beautiful and interesting features, including glacial outwashes, upland fields, mature...
Along its 6-mile path, this paved rail-trail crosses through a rich array of natural habitats, from creek bottomlands to meadow, marsh and forest. The trail is named for Calvin Ernst, who owned the...
Closure Notice: As of November 2015, a portion of the Western Reserve Greenway between Hyde-Oakfield Road and Mahan Denman Road near the southern end of the trail (about a mile northeast of...
Situated in downtown Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, the asphalt trail runs through a park setting on the former Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad close to the Beaver River and ending near the rugby...
The John C. Oliver Multi-Purpose Loop Trail is a centerpiece of Maurice K. Goddard State Park, which spans more than 2,000 acres in northwestern Pennsylvania. The paved, off-road trail traces the...
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Northern Ohio's Freedom Trail currently offers more than 6 miles of tree-lined pathway along the former Freedom Secondary Railroad. From Eastwood Avenue in eastern Akron, the paved trail follows a...
The Olde Muskingum Trail parallels the Tuscarawas River and the Ohio & Erie Canalway between Cherry Street in Canal Fulton and Forty Corners Road just north of Massillon. The 6-mile scenic trail has a...
The Montour Trail follows a portion of the old Montour Railroad, which was built between 1877 and 1914 to link the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad with the region's many coal mines. Forming a...
With a wide, paved pathway and adjacent equestrian trail running through lush woodland and riverside terrain, the Allegheny River Trail (ART) has something to offer every trail enthusiast. Following a...
The Niles Greenway is a paved, multi-use path running northsouth between the county line on the south and the town of Niles. The pleasant trail passes through a mix of wooded areas, scattered light...
Situated in downtown Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, the asphalt trail runs through a park setting on the former Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad close to the Beaver River and ending near the rugby...
The Stark Electric Railway Trail runs on a former interurban rail line that linked Canton and Salem via Louisville, Alliance and Sebring from 1902 to 1939. The company was nicknamed the ‘Bachelor...
Located on the abandoned Erie and Pittsburgh branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad, this short but intriguing trail runs through Pymatuning State Park, a large and popular two-state recreation area...
Moraine State Park features a nearly seven mile bike trail, which follows the north shore of Lake Arthur. Along the way, you'll enjoy beautiful scenery, especially during the fall as trees line the...
The John C. Oliver Multi-Purpose Loop Trail is a centerpiece of Maurice K. Goddard State Park, which spans more than 2,000 acres in northwestern Pennsylvania. The paved, off-road trail traces the...
The Montour Trail follows a portion of the old Montour Railroad, which was built between 1877 and 1914 to link the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad with the region's many coal mines. Forming a...
Closure Notice: As of November 2015, a portion of the Western Reserve Greenway between Hyde-Oakfield Road and Mahan Denman Road near the southern end of the trail (about a mile northeast of...
The Vestal Trail is 0.5-mile connection through town of McCandless that joins the Oakridge neighborhood to the playing fields at its eastern end. The trail is maintained by volunteers of the Rachel...
The Niles Greenway is a paved, multi-use path running northsouth between the county line on the south and the town of Niles. The pleasant trail passes through a mix of wooded areas, scattered light...
The Trout Island Trail is planned to be a 13-mile rail-trail along the former Erie and Pittsburgh Railroad. Currently, 2.4 miles are open and fully paved in Sharpsville, following the Shenango River...
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Ohio's Nickel Plate Trail runs for 2.5 miles from 5th Street near Ravenna Avenue (Metzger Park) to Swallen Avenue south of town. The wooded corridor follow an old railroad right-of-way through parks,...
The well-designed MetroParks Bikeway between Canfield Township and Austintown is an 11-mile paved corridor that passes through both suburbs and countryside in northeastern Ohio. Traveling north from...
The bucolic Headwaters Trail is a pleasant 8-mile journey through the rural landscape between Mantua and Garrettsville. The path has a crushed-stone surface and is mostly shaded. It follows the route...
The Olde Muskingum Trail parallels the Tuscarawas River and the Ohio & Erie Canalway between Cherry Street in Canal Fulton and Forty Corners Road just north of Massillon. The 6-mile scenic trail has a...
The Airport Connector is a spur off the impressive Montour Trail that circles the western outskirts of Pittsburgh. The paved pathway begins just off the extended-term parking lot on the western end of...
The Berlin Lake Trail lies mid-way between Cleveland and Pittsburgh in Deerfield Township of Portage County. The 2-mile crushed limestone rail-trail crosses Berlin Lake, traveling through wooded areas...
The Zoar Valley Trail winds along the Tuscarawas River for 20 miles between the village of Schoenbrunn in the south and Fort Laurens State Memorial in Bolivar in the north. The path is mixture of...
The Ohio to Erie Trail is a planned 320-mile route via several existing trails that span the state of Ohio from the shores of Lake Erie in Cleveland to the Ohio River in Cincinnati. When complete, the...
The Sandy Creek Trail carves its way through some of the most remote and spectacular countryside in northwestern Pennsylvania. This 12-mile paved trail has some impressive features, including tunnels...
The Sippo Valley Trail runs nearly 10 miles, with flat, gentle grades, between Dalton and Massillon. It takes its name from Sippo Creek, which cascades along the side of the trail for nearly its...
The Panhandle Trail is another jewel in the Pittsburgh metro area trail system. A Conrail line, known as the Panhandle Railroad, once connected Pittsburgh to Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis on this...
The Portage Hike and Bike Trail stretches nearly 10 miles between Kent and Ravenna, about 40 miles southeast of Cleveland and the southern shores of Lake Erie. As of December 2015, its entire length...
Constructed in 1983 with the help of donations from the Stavich Family and local individuals, the Stavich Trail is unusual in several ways. First, unlike most rail-trails, it was built on an...
Moraine State Park features a nearly seven mile bike trail, which follows the north shore of Lake Arthur. Along the way, you'll enjoy beautiful scenery, especially during the fall as trees line the...
The Shenango River Trail once served as a towpath along the Erie Canal Extension. During the mid-1800s, mules pulled boats along the canal, linking goods from the Great Lakes to Pittsburgh and beyond....
Along its 6-mile path, this paved rail-trail crosses through a rich array of natural habitats, from creek bottomlands to meadow, marsh and forest. The trail is named for Calvin Ernst, who owned the...
Northern Ohio's Freedom Trail currently offers more than 6 miles of tree-lined pathway along the former Freedom Secondary Railroad. From Eastwood Avenue in eastern Akron, the paved trail follows a...
As closely as possible, the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail follows a historic canal where mules once pulled boats from 1827 to 1913. Currently, 81 miles of the trail are complete from Cleveland south...
The bucolic Headwaters Trail is a pleasant 8-mile journey through the rural landscape between Mantua and Garrettsville. The path has a crushed-stone surface and is mostly shaded. It follows the route...
The Vestal Trail is 0.5-mile connection through town of McCandless that joins the Oakridge neighborhood to the playing fields at its eastern end. The trail is maintained by volunteers of the Rachel...
Located on the abandoned Erie and Pittsburgh branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad, this short but intriguing trail runs through Pymatuning State Park, a large and popular two-state recreation area...
The Sippo Valley Trail runs nearly 10 miles, with flat, gentle grades, between Dalton and Massillon. It takes its name from Sippo Creek, which cascades along the side of the trail for nearly its...
With a wide, paved pathway and adjacent equestrian trail running through lush woodland and riverside terrain, the Allegheny River Trail (ART) has something to offer every trail enthusiast. Following a...
The Sandy Creek Trail carves its way through some of the most remote and spectacular countryside in northwestern Pennsylvania. This 12-mile paved trail has some impressive features, including tunnels...
The Harmony Trail in the North Hills is a work in progress, managed by volunteers with the Rachel Carson Trails Conservancy. As of August 2011, about 1 mile of a proposed 4.3 miles of abandoned rail...
The Stark Electric Railway Trail runs on a former interurban rail line that linked Canton and Salem via Louisville, Alliance and Sebring from 1902 to 1939. The company was nicknamed the ‘Bachelor...
The Airport Connector is a spur off the impressive Montour Trail that circles the western outskirts of Pittsburgh. The paved pathway begins just off the extended-term parking lot on the western end of...
The well-designed MetroParks Bikeway between Canfield Township and Austintown is an 11-mile paved corridor that passes through both suburbs and countryside in northeastern Ohio. Traveling north from...
The John C. Oliver Multi-Purpose Loop Trail is a centerpiece of Maurice K. Goddard State Park, which spans more than 2,000 acres in northwestern Pennsylvania. The paved, off-road trail traces the...
The Berlin Lake Trail lies mid-way between Cleveland and Pittsburgh in Deerfield Township of Portage County. The 2-mile crushed limestone rail-trail crosses Berlin Lake, traveling through wooded areas...
Our family uses this trail on a regular basis for both hiking and biking. It is nicely shaded, so offers relief from the hot sun in the summer. The autumn colors are just wonderful. There are several nice views of the river, and a small waterfall along the way. Most of the trial is crushed limestone, and fairly level. (Might be challenging for skinny tires.) There are a few spots that are a bit rough, but nothing that would cause much concern. Midway, there is a short hiking loop off the main trail that takes you in closer to the bog area with an observation platform. The trail is not overly busy, so you can feel quietly connected to nature while out there. It is slightly over 8 miles from Garrettsville to Mantua. There are 3 places to enter the trail; Garrettsville, Rt 700, and Manuta. While in Garrettsville, it is fun to ride a short distance into the town, and enjoy a coffee and snack at the Cellar Door Coffee Shop at the end of Main St, in the old feed store. There is also a Dairy Queen in town which is a favorite stop. Of course, if the library is open, it can provide a great rest stop too. While in Mantua, you might want to plan to enjoy a picnic lunch in the park, or there is a new ice cream shop on Main St, as well as a McDonalds, but don't miss a stop at Jakes Eats. This little restaurant is a village favorite, not far from the trail, on Prospect St and offers a nice variety of items at a reasonable price. If biking or hiking in early to mid July, you might want to plan a stop at Wolff's Blueberry farm. It is located very near the trail at the Rt 700 parking area. This is a You-Pick farm, and might be a great way to end your visit. Going home with a bag of fresh blueberries after a day on the Headwater Trail is a perfect day in my book!
The spacing of the bullion are narrow. I have a 32 inch width recumbent and I can barely fit through, least of all without damaging my fenders. The club is obsessed with keeping quads out but they do not understand that quads are much much wider than 33 or 34 inches. Mothers and ADA riders beware. You may not be able to use the trail. Other trails are not like this. Use them! They were warned about this when they paved the upper section which a few key members use but nothing was done. The spacing is the same.
Just completed the southern loop beginning at route 303 going south to Munroe Falls, through Silver Lake and back up. By the way, Munroe Falls is about 9.5 miles, so it is a nice place to stop almost halfway to watch the kayakers, have a snack, and take a bike picture. Overall, very enjoyable but one of the hardest 22-mile rides I have done due to all the starts and stops and ALL of the very many hills! Take lots of water and some high-protein munchies because you will need the energy. Not the route I would choose for a fixie unless I was in top shape - used my lowest gear to get up the hills. Some of the flatter parts look like they were once part of a rail system, so it was nice to cruise along those. There are some very busy streets as well; a bike lane and a better way to cross would be most welcome (hint, hint - please try to make these crossings safer for those of us on bikes). Country Maid on 303 was a must stop on the way home for some ice cream.
A friend and I rode this route in May 2017, from South to North. Signage is excellent in Cincinnati and as far as Columbus. Once we hit the waterfront in downtown Columbus signage was sparse, and we ended up missing the turn onto Neil Rd, which takes you to the area near the Arena, and instead rode several miles along the Scioto River trail before we realized our mistake.
Signage was also sparse (nonexistent) at the Cleveland end. We ended up following signs for the Towpath, which took us through a questionable part of town, and eventually reconnected with the end of the trail, off of Franklin. Signage even after we returned to the route was nonexistent all the way to the end at Edgewater Park.
I will say that the recent maps, issued in February 2017, are excellent and now include designations for bike shops, definitely a plus.
The route was for the most part fabulous riding. We were self-contained and did fairly short days, taking about 10 days to complete the route. We also did a spur up to Springboro, which was gorgeous horse country riding, and although on roads, fairly low traffic. We especially enjoyed riding around Millersburg and sharing the trail with buggies. All the trails were in very good shape, and even the crushed limestone (the Northernmost two days) was well maintained and relatively smooth to ride.
The State of Ohio definitely deserves kudos for what they’ve put together. It’s amazing to be able to ride across a state almost entirely on bike path. We came from California just to ride this route, and it was well worth it.
We have ridden all the sections before but decided to ride it end-to-end and make a century ride out of it.
We parked a vehicle at Ft. Laurens near Bolivar and a friend drove us up to Lock 39 trailhead off Rockside Road in Independence. From there we rode north to the end of the path at Harvard Road. The route continues north with short sections of bike path intermixed with city streets but we opted to stay off the streets. Turning and heading south the bike path is paved for 6 miles until it enters the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
A couple of recent developments: The section in Akron between memorial park and Mustill Store is closed for construction of the Interceptor Tunnel (a MASSIVE sewer project). The detour is well marked but it goes up a very steep (but short) hill from N-S.
Between Exchange and Cedar in downtown Akron the path is open even though there is a signed detour but it is one lane so ride slow.
There is a new section of path to get off SR212 coming into Bolivar. You have to ride about 0.3 miles on SR212 from McConnel trailhead to reach the new path at the ballfields.
From Ft. Laurens down to SR800 the path is well graded with a fine crushed stone surface. It is narrow in many places - ranging from 3-5' wide. I would recommend riding the old bridge over the Tuscarawas River to Zoar Village (about 0.6 miles each way. Its a historic distric that was a communal village in the 1800's with many original structures.
At SR800 it is possible to pick up the Zoar Valley Trail to continue to Dover/New Philadelphia. There are bike lanes on either sides with crossing flashers which were recently installed. The Zoar Valley Trail is about 0.3 miles east of the OETP. However the trail is a loose river gravel surface better suited to hiking or mountain biking. We decided to ride a few hundred yards on this trail and turn around at the Zoarsville Station Bridge and return to our car at Ft. Laurens instead of struggling on to the Dover Dam.
A couple of other interesting things - There are lots of places to eat and more importantly get ice cream along the trail. The fruit sundae at Szalays Farm Market on Bolanz Road is my favorite. Plus several bike shops. The visitor centers and gift shops of the Cuyahoga Valley NP give you a chance to stretch your legs. I always lock my bike when its out of sight so I make it a habit to always take my lock.
This trail also passes Wastewater Treatment plants in Cleveland, Akron, Barberton, and Massillon so thats just one more bonus.
Wildlife is plentiful depending on the season. Bald Eagles, deer, turtles (sliders and snappers), woodchucks, otters, mink, beaver Canada Geese (with their fuzzlings this time of spring), ducks, great blue herons (who have a rookery off Bath Road). A few years ago semi-professional Bigfoot Hunters were setting wildlife cameras for Grassman - Ohios variation so you may get lucky with a Bigfoot spotting.
Check into the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic RR which offers a Bike Aboard service to let you and your bike ride one way for a few dollars.
This is a great trail for running or walking (maybe not biking until they extend it...would be a quick bike ride). Parking lot is small, but it was not busy on a Tuesday morning in May (use address 3700 Trout Island Road; Sharpsville, PA, to get to the lot). The only downside to the trail was that there were huge swarms of gnats the entire time I was running, which was annoying. Perhaps that would only be at certain times of the day or year, though.
Rode this trail for the 1st time today on my recumbent trike. Of the 15 or so paved trails I've ridden in Ohio, this trail is by far the bumpiest, but not bad enough to keep me from returning. Of course, my trike has small, high-pressure tires and no suspension, which enhances bumpiness. The trail offers gorgeous scenery, 4 covered bridges, lots of rest spots, and several port-a-pottys along the way. I saw more than a dozen different kinds of birds and a fox ran across the trail about 20 feet ahead of me.
While this trail crosses a few low-traffic back roads here and there, overall it's a secluded and scenic ride. You'll pop in and out of nature and small town civilization, bit that's kind of par for the course on rail trails.
While nothing spectacular, you do get a few extras on this trail such as Towner's Woods park, where you can park and the short hikes are all worth it. The trail also gets you really close to the trail near downtown Kent (not sure of the name but it starts at Tannery Park). If you are willing to do a bit of street riding you can connect to that trail, and follow it out to the Freedom Trail near Middlebury Road. That will take you all the way out beyond Tallmadge.
And the nearby Franklin Connector section (not near rails) is a good ride and will connect you to the Summit Bike & Hike Trail. Most will want to drive to get to Franklin Connector, but it's reachable by bike for sure.
Now that the Portage has been fully paved, it really makes it a great casual ride. Very little in the way of elevation, and as mentioned very little cross-street traffic to worry about.
For what it is — a great local bike trail — it's top notch.
I rode this section and completed the Northern most section of the Ohio to Erie Trail.
In Cleveland, the trail is mostly on busy city streets, coexisting with vehicles. Twice I tried to post the turn-by-turn pictures, but for some reason the Northern end pictures in Cleveland haven’t been accepted.
The trail was mostly scenic, until it entered Cleveland. Drew Carey might think Cleveland is the best thing since sliced bread, but the view from this trail had a lot of scrap yards, rock quarries, sewage plants, and vacant buildings with their windows broke out. In other words, a lot of urban decay. I don’t ever plan to go back.
The Ohio to Erie Trail was supposed to go to Lake Erie, the “Erie” in the name. But this trail does not actually end at Lake Erie; it ends about half a mile South on the North end of the Carter Road vertical lift bridge. I’m not going to risk riding on the busy streets of downtown Cleveland and end up like Andrew Gast-dead inside someone’s windshield. There are too many other safe trails that are not on public roadways.
After visiting out of state we were returning home and decided to stop in Emlenton for the night. The next morning we rode from emlenton to the Kendrell Tunnel. The trail was empty and and conditions were great. It was the first time we rode through tunnels that really required headlights. It was awesome. I plan on going back and riding the other connecting trails
Fall ride in November, the day before it snowed! Nice day out and there were others taking advantage of the great weather.
The marina is closed, all the watercraft has been removed.
Restrooms along the trail, some are closed, some remain open year around. They are noted at the restrooms. If one is closed, go to the next one.
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