Find the top rated trails in Cleveland, 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 Cleveland Lakefront Bikeway extends 17 miles along the city's Lake Erie shoreline, between the suburbs of Euclid and Lakewood. The bikeway has on-road sections, and the route is signed. The...
The Maple Highlands Trail consists of 3 separate segments totaling more than 18 miles. A majority of the trail follows an abandoned Baltimore & Ohio Railroad corridor through a mostly rural landscape,...
The Chippewa Rail Trail runs for 2.4 miles between Chippewa Road (SR 50) in Chippewa Lake to suburban Wycliffe Drive southwest of Medina (Lafayette Township). The trail is mostly rural in feel,...
The Newton Falls Trail, built on a former railroad bed, follows the Mahoning River as it winds its way downtown. The route provides pleasant neighborhood views of the quaint township that was...
The Chippewa Inlet Trail runs for nearly 4 miles between Lafayette Road/State Route 42 and the Chippewa Nature Area. The trail traverses an open, pastoral landscape along the Chippewa Inlet, which...
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The North Coast Inland Trail through Huron County is just one segment of a system of trails in the North Coast Inland chain. Other segments include Lorain County, Sandusky/Ottawa counties and the...
The Rocky River Reservation All Purpose Trail, sometimes referred to as the Valley Parkway Trail, runs the length of the Rocky River Reservation, offering beautiful views of the winding waterway,...
The Brideway Trail is found within the Black River Reservation, a park in Lorain County, where you can walk, jog, inline skate, cross-country ski or bike. The trail runs between Day's Dam in Lorain...
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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 Bike & Hike Trail is a rambling, rolling 33.6-mile rail-trail peppered with bridge crossings and neighborhood road riding in both a rural and suburban setting. Unlike most flat rail-trails, this...
Cleveland Metroparks’ Lake to Lake Trail links Lake Isaac and Lake Abram in Middleburg Heights via an asphalt- and boardwalk-surfaced path. The two lakes are the largest remaining glacial wetlands in...
For nearly 9 miles, the Mill Stream Run Reservation All Purpose Trail runs through a wooded park in Berea, a western suburb of Cleveland. Though the trail loosely parallels Valley Parkway, you will...
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...
The Brecksville Reservation All Purpose Trail offers a pleasant paved pathway connecting the community of Brecksville with the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail, a well-loved 81-mile route from...
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 Morgana Run Trail runs on a former Wheeling and Lake Erie Railway corridor through Cleveland’s historic Slavic Village neighborhood. The paved rail-trail connects residents to Cleveland...
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...
When completed, the Cleveland Foundation Centennial Trail will make a critical connection between Cleveland's downtown neighborhoods and the vast Lake Erie. As of August 2015, the first phase of the...
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The County Line Trail travels the path of the former Erie Lackawanna Railroad between Rittman and Creston. A highlight of the trail is a former Baltimore & Ohio freight station located just west of...
The Garrett Wonders Bike Trail, formerly the Warren Bikeway, is an integral component of the Great Ohio Lake-to-River Greenway, which will eventually link Lake Erie and the Ohio River via a multiuse,...
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...
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 Steel Mill Trail is a 2-mile continuation of the Bridgeway Trail, which lies within the Black River Reservation, a scenic wooded park in Lorain. The Steel Mill Trail picks up at the north end of...
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...
For nearly 9 miles, the Mill Stream Run Reservation All Purpose Trail runs through a wooded park in Berea, a western suburb of Cleveland. Though the trail loosely parallels Valley Parkway, you will...
The Huron River Greenway MetroPark Trail has two separate segments, each just under 1 mile long. The northern (Huron) segment runs from DuPont Marsh State Nature Preserve off River Road and heads...
The Rocky River Reservation All Purpose Trail, sometimes referred to as the Valley Parkway Trail, runs the length of the Rocky River Reservation, offering beautiful views of the winding waterway,...
Big Creek Reservation All Purpose Trail provides a paved pathway connecting the Mill Stream Run Reservation, Big Creek Reservation, and the Fern Hill Picnic Area. At its southern end, you can connect...
The County Line Trail travels the path of the former Erie Lackawanna Railroad between Rittman and Creston. A highlight of the trail is a former Baltimore & Ohio freight station located just west of...
The Harrison-Dillard Bikeway is a north-south urban path that not only connects the Lake Erie shoreline with the University Circle district, but connects trail users with Cleveland’s cultural past....
The Newton Falls Trail, built on a former railroad bed, follows the Mahoning River as it winds its way downtown. The route provides pleasant neighborhood views of the quaint township that was...
The Cleveland Lakefront Bikeway extends 17 miles along the city's Lake Erie shoreline, between the suburbs of Euclid and Lakewood. The bikeway has on-road sections, and the route is signed. The...
The Maple Highlands Trail consists of 3 separate segments totaling more than 18 miles. A majority of the trail follows an abandoned Baltimore & Ohio Railroad corridor through a mostly rural landscape,...
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 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 short North Olmsted Walking & Bike Trail parallels Interstate 480 and provides an alternate, non-motorized route linking neighborhoods with green spaces and business districts.
The Morgana Run Trail runs on a former Wheeling and Lake Erie Railway corridor through Cleveland’s historic Slavic Village neighborhood. The paved rail-trail connects residents to Cleveland...
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 Gates Mills Interurban Bridge, known locally as simply The Walking Bridge, offers a pedestrian-only route over the scenic Chagrin River. The steel truss bridge was built in 1899 for the Eastern...
The Lake Metroparks Greenway Corridor runs for more than 5 miles through Painesville, Painesville Township and Concord Township. The elevation rises a little more than 200 feet from Painesville (north...
The Morgana Run Trail runs on a former Wheeling and Lake Erie Railway corridor through Cleveland’s historic Slavic Village neighborhood. The paved rail-trail connects residents to Cleveland...
The Garrett Wonders Bike Trail, formerly the Warren Bikeway, is an integral component of the Great Ohio Lake-to-River Greenway, which will eventually link Lake Erie and the Ohio River via a multiuse,...
The Lake Metroparks Greenway Corridor runs for more than 5 miles through Painesville, Painesville Township and Concord Township. The elevation rises a little more than 200 feet from Painesville (north...
The North Coast Inland Trail through Huron County is just one segment of a system of trails in the North Coast Inland chain. Other segments include Lorain County, Sandusky/Ottawa counties and the...
The County Line Trail travels the path of the former Erie Lackawanna Railroad between Rittman and Creston. A highlight of the trail is a former Baltimore & Ohio freight station located just west 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 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...
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 Huron River Greenway MetroPark Trail has two separate segments, each just under 1 mile long. The northern (Huron) segment runs from DuPont Marsh State Nature Preserve off River Road and heads...
The Chippewa Inlet Trail runs for nearly 4 miles between Lafayette Road/State Route 42 and the Chippewa Nature Area. The trail traverses an open, pastoral landscape along the Chippewa Inlet, which...
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 Brecksville Reservation All Purpose Trail offers a pleasant paved pathway connecting the community of Brecksville with the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail, a well-loved 81-mile route from...
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 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 Steel Mill Trail is a 2-mile continuation of the Bridgeway Trail, which lies within the Black River Reservation, a scenic wooded park in Lorain. The Steel Mill Trail picks up at the north end of...
Cleveland Metroparks’ Lake to Lake Trail links Lake Isaac and Lake Abram in Middleburg Heights via an asphalt- and boardwalk-surfaced path. The two lakes are the largest remaining glacial wetlands in...
The Harrison-Dillard Bikeway is a north-south urban path that not only connects the Lake Erie shoreline with the University Circle district, but connects trail users with Cleveland’s cultural past....
The Brideway Trail is found within the Black River Reservation, a park in Lorain County, where you can walk, jog, inline skate, cross-country ski or bike. The trail runs between Day's Dam in Lorain...
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 Bike & Hike Trail is a rambling, rolling 33.6-mile rail-trail peppered with bridge crossings and neighborhood road riding in both a rural and suburban setting. Unlike most flat rail-trails, this...
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!
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.
Went on our normal bike ride on the NCITrail with 12 people stopped at the Oberlin Café for lunch . Found out the city of Oberlin passed laws against locking your bikes to lamp post ,park bench, tree, they will confiscate your bike. Charlie
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.
The condition of this trail is pretty bad for inline skaters. I've been hoping for years that they would repave it. There is a hill where a part of the path is actually sunken in/missing, totally dangerous. Yes, it is a beautiful path for biking, running and walking, but not for inline skating.
What is so nice about these trails is you can take a short walk around the lake or head into the woods and make it longer, and I can take my son in his wheel chair and the paths are great. We don't have a lot of places to go that are this nice. I wish there was a web sight that told handicap people about these gems.
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.
Rails to Trails of Wayne County deserves to be commended for their decision to convert the old Erie Lackawanna right of way into a trail - it parallels the CSX ex-B&O mainline for much of its length between Creston and Rittman. Since I found the trail in late 2013, I have visited it many times and seen countless trains, but one really stands out. On August 8th, 2016, while I was sitting in my car at the Kauffman Avenue parking lot, a CSX freight went past me... with Norfolk Southern SD70ACe 1071 (Central of New Jersey heritage) trailing the leading CSX diesel! On two occasions, I spent an entire day in Sterling watching and recording trains on my Sony HandyCam. Over in Rittman, there is a restaurant in the old Erie depot at the east end of the trail. They serve good food, but they aren't open past 3pm (2pm on Saturday). If you're a railfan from Wayne or Medina County, I recommend that you visit this trail!
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.
It's beautiful in the spring beautiful in the autumn beautiful in summer you will always find deer the colors of the leaves amazing in Autumn I always pick different kinds of flowers I have seen different kinds of birds 3 miles down 3 miles up great exercise on a bike or walking. I love it I love it.💕
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