Explore the best rated trails in Coshocton, OH. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Hoover Park Connector Trail and Holmes County Trail. With more than 32 trails covering 4300 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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True to its name, the Heart of Ohio Trail lies in the central part of the state, extending from Mount Vernon southwest to the Knox-Licking County line just south of Centerburg. Along its nearly 16...
Hoover Park Connector Trail sits between Applegrove Street to the north and Maple Street to the south in the heart of North Canton, Ohio. The limestone and asphalt trail winds from west from the...
The Zane's Landing Trail—also known as the Zanesville Riverfront Bike Path—extends north from downtown Zanesville on a former railroad corridor wedged between the Muskingum River and an active rail...
Following a portion of the former Wheeling & Lake Erie Railroad corridor, the Sippo Valley Trail spans 10 miles between Dalton and Massillon in northwestern Ohio, presenting a mix of rolling farmland,...
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 Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail is an amazing trail journey that takes users from the heart of this country’s industrial might in cities like Cleveland and Akron, to some of the most beautiful...
Cruising along on the nearly 10-mile T. J. Evans Panhandle Trail (known locally as the Panhandle Trail), you might be surprised to encounter a massive basket seemingly plunked down by a giant. In...
The Loudonville Pedestrian and Bicycle Pathway is nestled in a scenic valley in a small town nicknamed the "Canoe Capital of Ohio." The trail begins in downtown Loudonville, crosses the Blackfork...
The Great American Rail-Trail highlights some of the country’s most iconic landmarks, well-known geography and storied history across a 3,700-miles-plus route between Washington and Washington....
The Kokosing Gap Trail delights visitors with its rich railroad history, which is on display throughout the paved route. Once the corridor of the Pennsylvania Railroad, the rail-trail now connects the...
Once the corridor of the Wheeling and Lake Erie Railway, today the 11.2-mile Conotton Creek Trail offers complete immersion in a bucolic setting in northeastern Ohio. Situated in the rolling...
The Buckeye Scenic Trail, a recent addition to the expanding Licking County trail system, stretches roughly 6 miles from the northern reaches of Heath to Lakewood High School on US 40. In the north,...
Don't let the Panhandle Passage Trail's small stature fool you, it is just the start of an incredible adventure that awaits you in Tuscarawas County and one that you will remember for years to come....
Located in central Ohio, the 14-mile T. J. Evans Trail is a popular route, attracting both locals and visitors. With its tree-covered canopy that provides respite from the sun on hot summer days,...
The Meredith State Road Trail is a part of the Ohio to Erie Trail in Centerburg, Ohio. From Meredith State Road, the paved trail heads northeast within a wooded corridor towards the border between...
Beginning at a connection with the T. J. Evans Trail, this 3-mile paved pathway heads through Newark's western neighborhoods along the scenic Raccoon Creek to Flory Park. For much of the route, the...
Traveling just over 18 miles through some of the most scenic areas of the Buckeye State, the Richland B&O Trail is an ideal way to immerse yourself in the region. Built partially as a result of the...
Although the Downtown Connector Trail is short, just a mile through Mount Vernon, it's a key connector between the Kokosing Gap Trail, which heads east to Danville, and the Heart of Ohio Trail, which...
The Blackhand Gorge Trail, the only bike path in the Ohio nature preserve system, features some of the best scenery in the state. Perhaps this is to be expected from a trail that passes through a...
The Heartland Trail is a developing rail-trail project that will one day connect the northeastern Ohio communities of Orrville and Clinton. A mile of the pathway is already on the ground in Orrville,...
The Coshocton Three Rivers Bikeway provides safe and direct access from the City of Coshocton to the Coshocton Lake Park Recreational Complex and historic Roscoe Village. Two crossings under US 36...
Although the Downtown Connector Trail is short, just a mile through Mount Vernon, it's a key connector between the Kokosing Gap Trail, which heads east to Danville, and the Heart of Ohio Trail, which...
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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 Ohio to Erie Trail is a colossal project, not just for the state of Ohio but also nationally. Dreamed up more than 25 years ago, this route will eventually connect the Ohio River in Cincinnati to...
The Muskingum Recreation Trail runs for 4.5 miles along a ballast trail between Main Street in Dresden and Rock Cut Road. The trail offers views of the Muskingum River, with impressive rock...
The Great Guernsey Trail runs for 7 miles from the eastern edge of Cambridge to Lore City. The paved trail occupies a former CSX railroad corridor through rural wooded countryside. Because it...
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...
Hoover Park Connector Trail sits between Applegrove Street to the north and Maple Street to the south in the heart of North Canton, Ohio. The limestone and asphalt trail winds from west from the...
The Mohican Valley Trail runs for nearly 5 miles along a former right-of-way of the old Penn Central Railroad on the eastern edge of Knox County, between Brinkhaven and Danville. The trail features...
The Zane's Landing Trail—also known as the Zanesville Riverfront Bike Path—extends north from downtown Zanesville on a former railroad corridor wedged between the Muskingum River and an active rail...
True to its name, the Heart of Ohio Trail lies in the central part of the state, extending from Mount Vernon southwest to the Knox-Licking County line just south of Centerburg. Along its nearly 16...
Beginning at a connection with the T. J. Evans Trail, this 3-mile paved pathway heads through Newark's western neighborhoods along the scenic Raccoon Creek to Flory Park. For much of the route, the...
The Meredith State Road Trail is a part of the Ohio to Erie Trail in Centerburg, Ohio. From Meredith State Road, the paved trail heads northeast within a wooded corridor towards the border between...
Cruising along on the nearly 10-mile T. J. Evans Panhandle Trail (known locally as the Panhandle Trail), you might be surprised to encounter a massive basket seemingly plunked down by a giant. In...
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 Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail is an amazing trail journey that takes users from the heart of this country’s industrial might in cities like Cleveland and Akron, to some of the most beautiful...
The Heartland Trail is a developing rail-trail project that will one day connect the northeastern Ohio communities of Orrville and Clinton. A mile of the pathway is already on the ground in Orrville,...
Don't let the Panhandle Passage Trail's small stature fool you, it is just the start of an incredible adventure that awaits you in Tuscarawas County and one that you will remember for years to come....
The Kokosing Gap Trail delights visitors with its rich railroad history, which is on display throughout the paved route. Once the corridor of the Pennsylvania Railroad, the rail-trail now connects the...
The Great American Rail-Trail highlights some of the country’s most iconic landmarks, well-known geography and storied history across a 3,700-miles-plus route between Washington and Washington....
The Kokosing Gap Trail delights visitors with its rich railroad history, which is on display throughout the paved route. Once the corridor of the Pennsylvania Railroad, the rail-trail now connects the...
The Loudonville Pedestrian and Bicycle Pathway is nestled in a scenic valley in a small town nicknamed the "Canoe Capital of Ohio." The trail begins in downtown Loudonville, crosses the Blackfork...
Located in central Ohio, the 14-mile T. J. Evans Trail is a popular route, attracting both locals and visitors. With its tree-covered canopy that provides respite from the sun on hot summer days,...
The Great American Rail-Trail highlights some of the country’s most iconic landmarks, well-known geography and storied history across a 3,700-miles-plus route between Washington and Washington....
The Ohio to Erie Trail is a colossal project, not just for the state of Ohio but also nationally. Dreamed up more than 25 years ago, this route will eventually connect the Ohio River in Cincinnati to...
Beginning at a connection with the T. J. Evans Trail, this 3-mile paved pathway heads through Newark's western neighborhoods along the scenic Raccoon Creek to Flory Park. For much of the route, the...
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 Zoar Valley Trail winds along the Tuscarawas River between the village of Schoenbrunn in the south and Fort Laurens State Memorial in Bolivar in the north. The path offers a mixture of rolling...
Hoover Park Connector Trail sits between Applegrove Street to the north and Maple Street to the south in the heart of North Canton, Ohio. The limestone and asphalt trail winds from west from the...
The Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail is an amazing trail journey that takes users from the heart of this country’s industrial might in cities like Cleveland and Akron, to some of the most beautiful...
Following a portion of the former Wheeling & Lake Erie Railroad corridor, the Sippo Valley Trail spans 10 miles between Dalton and Massillon in northwestern Ohio, presenting a mix of rolling farmland,...
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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 Zane's Landing Trail—also known as the Zanesville Riverfront Bike Path—extends north from downtown Zanesville on a former railroad corridor wedged between the Muskingum River and an active rail...
The Buckeye Scenic Trail, a recent addition to the expanding Licking County trail system, stretches roughly 6 miles from the northern reaches of Heath to Lakewood High School on US 40. In the north,...
The Coshocton Three Rivers Bikeway provides safe and direct access from the City of Coshocton to the Coshocton Lake Park Recreational Complex and historic Roscoe Village. Two crossings under US 36...
The Ohio Canal Greenway extends south from Hebron on an old Penn Central Railroad right-of-way. Farm fields border the trail on the west, while remnants of the historic Ohio and Erie Canal are to the...
Cruising along on the nearly 10-mile T. J. Evans Panhandle Trail (known locally as the Panhandle Trail), you might be surprised to encounter a massive basket seemingly plunked down by a giant. In...
Although the Downtown Connector Trail is short, just a mile through Mount Vernon, it's a key connector between the Kokosing Gap Trail, which heads east to Danville, and the Heart of Ohio Trail, which...
The Mohican Valley Trail runs for nearly 5 miles along a former right-of-way of the old Penn Central Railroad on the eastern edge of Knox County, between Brinkhaven and Danville. The trail features...
The Great Guernsey Trail runs for 7 miles from the eastern edge of Cambridge to Lore City. The paved trail occupies a former CSX railroad corridor through rural wooded countryside. Because it...
I've ridden the Ohio to Erie Trail (OTET) three times; first in July of 2013, again in May 2016, and most recently in October of 2019. It is interesting to note the progress that has been made in filling in the on-road gaps in the trail between each ride. However, it is frustrating to witness the glacial pace at which this trail is being completed.
Currently, the largest on-road gaps in the OTET exist between the end of the Sippo Valley Trail in Dalton and the beginning of the Holmes County Trail in Fredericksburg; between Killbuck and Glenmont on the Holmes County Trail, and between the end of the Heart of Ohio Trail southwest of Centerburg and the beginning of the Sandel Legacy Trail in Sunbury. There are a few smaller gaps in the OTET among which include, the bike lane in the Ohio River Trail in Cincinnati, the missing bridge over Little Miami River at the end of the Little Miami Scenic Trail needed to connect to the Lunken Airport Bike Path and a less than 1 mile gap between the Prairie Grass Trail and the Roberts Pass Trail in London.
The Ohio to Erie Trail is a paved trail except for the portion of the Ohio & Erie Towpath Trail that runs through northeast Ohio's Cuyahoga Valley National Park. It is unlikely that the National Park Service will pave this portion of the trail due to the canal's historical significance in developing the Ohio territory and helping to expand our nation from the original 13 colonies.
This trail links the three C's of Ohio -- Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati. These are Ohio's 3 largest cities. In between you will encounter a variety of cities and towns; rivers, wetlands, and forests; industrial, commercial, and agricultural areas; and different types of topographies. This variety makes the Ohio to Erie Trail unique when compared to the nation's other long-distance trails.
It is important to understand that the OTET is still a work in progress. While some locations have embraced being a part of the trail, others seem to have completely ignored it. Communities that embrace the trail offer bike friendly establishments whether they be bike shops, hotels, Bnb's, restaurants, or trailheads. There just are not enough of them. The state of Ohio should be looking into promoting such businesses along the trail. One thing that is certainly needed are more official, recognized campsites along the trail. Whereas riders of C&O/GAP Trail, or Missouri's Katy Trail can expect to see a campsite roughly every 8 to 12 miles, the OTET has some areas where such campsites are 60 miles apart. Such distances don't make the trail appealing those that would prefer to camp. It also doesn't give riders much wiggle room in their itineraries to explore around the trail or deal with the unexpected such as a flat tire. Perhaps more campsites and other amenities will become a priority once the trail is fully completed.
My complaints are not intended to be a trashing of this trail but rather constructive criticism designed to help improve this into one of America's great trails. With the Rails to Trails Conservancy designating much of the OTET as part of its route for the Great American Rail-Trail through Ohio, I'm hoping that improvement and completion of the trail will become more of a state priority. If you are considering riding the Ohio to Erie Trail, don't hesitate. It is worth every pedal stroke.
The Meredith State Road Trail is a new, isolated section of the Ohio to Erie Trail (OTET). At present it does not have a trailhead or any parking along its length. On my recent southbound ride on the Ohio to Erie Trail, I had to road ride for several miles from the end of the Heart of Ohio Trail in order to connect to and ride this trail. Because the trail is new and is not directly connected to any other part of the OTET route, the trail signs posted on the trail do not indicate the milage to other destinations on the Ohio to Erie Trail. This is a nice, flat, smooth trail that will be a great trail addition to the Ohio to Erie Trail when it is connected to other nearby trails. This 1.5 mile trail will help to close the current on-road gap between trails in the area north of Columbus, Ohio.
When you enter Mount Vernon, Ohio on the Kokosing Gap Trail you have to cross over Mount Vernon Avenue. If you go straight ahead you end up in Phillips Park, a recreational baseball park and picnic area. This is where the Kokosing Gap Trail used to end. If you turn left after crossing over Mount Vernon Avenue you are on the Downtown Connector. This one mile trail follows the Kokosing River and connects directly with the Heart of Ohio Trail. It also brings you to South Main Street and the southern end of the city's business district. There is a Comfort Inn hotel right at the end of this trail which makes it very convenient for bikers.
A useful trail, but not a trail to travel out of your way to ride.
The Kokosing Gap Trail is one of my favorite Ohio rail trails. I first learned of and enjoyed this trail during my first trip across Ohio back in 2013. On a southbound Ohio to Erie Trial route ride the trail starts in Danville, advances to Howard, then Gambier, and finally to Mount Vernon, Ohio. The first 10 miles are very flat, but after Gambier you begin climbing at railroad grade into Mount Vernon.
Each town has something unique to see along the trail. In Howard there is a unique stone bridge and building combination that carries US-36 over the once former rail line. When you come into Gambier, you come upon Gambier Station and the Kenyon College Athletic facilities. At the station you will find restrooms, a picnic pavilion with tables, and a repair station.
You will also see an 0-6-0 switching steam engine, a flat car, and a caboose on display. A little farther down the trail you come upon Kenyon’s Brown Family Environmental Center. There is a beautiful garden there, quite a few hiking trails, and lots of environmental programming.
After the environmental center you begin climbing toward Mount Vernon while following the Kokosing River. You'll cross two beautiful railroad bridges in the process.
When you reach Mount Vernon you'll have to cross over Mount Vernon Avenue. If you go straight after crossing you'll end up in Phillips Park a recreational baseball park and picnic area. This is where the Kokosing Gap Trail used to end. However, if you turn left after crossing Mount Vernon Avenue you'll ride on the short Downtown Connector Trail. This one mile trail connects directly to the Heart of Ohio Trail.
The Mohican Valley Trail is a short rail trail of 4.8 miles located on the eastern edge of Knox County, Ohio that connects the Holmes County Trail with the Kokosing Gap Trail. I rode this trail on October 1, 2019 as I headed south on the Ohio to Erie Trail route.
The most interesting feature of this trail is located near the town of Gann (or Brinkhaven). This feature is the Bridge of Dreams. It is an old railway bridge over the Mohican River that has been converted into a covered bridge. The bridge is 370 feet long. The bridge is open to pedestrian, bike, and Amish buggy traffic but not motorized vehicles. There is a fairly large trailhead on the eastern end of the bridge with a portapotty and a picnic pavilion. Trail users may camp here near the river.
The rest of this trail is somewhat uneventful. It is a paved tree-lined trail where you get the impression that you are constantly climbing if you are traveling westward. However, It is not one big long climb. Once you get to the small town of Danville, you need to make a very short road ride on a couple of streets in order to make the connection to the next link in the Ohio to Erie Trail route -- the Kokosing Gap Trail.
To me this is a 3-star trail. Perhaps it deserves an additional 1/2 star for the Bridge of Dreams, which is impressive. However, this trail is not of the same quality as the two trails it connects.
I rode The Holmes County Trail as part of my recent southbound cross-state ride on the Ohio to Erie Trail route. This trail is one of the most beautiful trails I have ridden in Ohio. One section runs from Fredericksburg to Holmesville, Millersburg and then Killbuck, Ohio. Another section runs from Glenmont to Brinkhaven/Gann, Ohio. Between Killbuck and Glenmont one must currently ride on OH-520 in order to make the connection to the southern section of the trail. Plans are in the works to complete the rail trail between Glenmont and Killbuck, but it will require an engineering study and plan as the abandoned rail line between these two towns runs through swampy and wet conditions.
What I like about this trail is that in between Fredericksburg and Killbuck it is very wide and flat. One side of the trail is designated for bikes and pedestrians and the other side is designated for Amish horse and buggies. The trail is fairly wide open from Fredericksburg to Holmesville, but after you pass the Holmes County Home south of Holmesville, a canopy of trees engulfs the trail for most of the rest of its length.
From Millersburg to Killbuck the trail is wide and tree-covered. It is surrounded by swamps and Killbuck Creek. I can imagine that at certain times of the day and of the year it can be quite buggy. There are a few spots along the trail in this area where there are wetlands observation decks. Once you reach Killbuck you will road-ride on OH-520 to reach Glenmont, Ohio and the trailhead for the southern section of the trail. Route 520 is a scenic road that meanders and rises and falls on short rolling hills through the Black Creek Valley. There is good driver visibility on this stretch of road but use your head and tail lights as the short hills and curves can create a few blind spots.
Once you reach the Glenmont trailhead the trail climbs over a ridge to get out of the county. The climb is 3.5 miles long but is a very manageable railroad grade slope. The last 500-1000 feet of this climb, get tough as the slope increases quite a bit to get up and over Holmes County Road 75. The next 4.5 miles is a gentle descent on the other side of the ridge which parallels US-62 until it passes through a tunnel under the roadway and connects to the Mohican Valley Trail.
This will be a 5-star trail once the gap between Killbuck and Glenmont is developed.
On September 30, 2019 I rode the Sippo Valley Trail as part of my southbound ride on the Ohio to Erie Trail. This is a 10 mile trail that essentially runs westward from Massillon to Dalton, OH. The Sippo Valley Trail is weird. The ends of the trail in Massillon and Dalton are paved for the city residents but the middle which travels between quite a few farms remains crushed stone. This crushed limestone surface gets softer when it rains a lot, which it did on September 30th. The wet stone surface was passable with my 26 x 2.0 Schwalbe Marathon tires, but the wet stone surface on this day certainly ended up providing increased rolling resistance.
After reaching the end of the Sippo Valley Trail in Dalton, you must currently road-ride to the start of the Holmes County Trail in Fredericksburg, by riding from Dalton to Apple Creek and then Fredericksburg. This on-road section is the toughest section of the entire Ohio to Erie Trail (OTET) Route. It is also the largest continuous gap in the OTET. The abandoned rail lines between Fredericksburg, Apple Creek, Dalton, and Orrville certainly exist, but they need to be developed. This may be the area you want to skip if you are riding the OTET. This road route is fairly well signed with Ohio bike route #1 signs at most intersections or change in directions. However, I would suggest that anyone attempting to ride the Ohio to Erie Trail should purchase a set of maps from the Ohio to Erie Trail website.
Finally, a word of warning to all you potential OTET riders. If you are looking to reserve a room in Amish country make sure you make the call before you get into Amish country. Since the Amish don’t use cell phones there are very few cell towers, if any. In addition, the hills in this area can create dead zones, if you are below the tops of the hills. I had hoped that this situation had improved in the 3 years since I last came through this area on a cross-state ride but, alas, no such luck.
The Mohican Valley Trail is often overlooked by cyclists. It is one of three Knox Country trails that are part of the Ohio to Erie Trail. It is definitely one to put on your must-cycle list.
The trail starts on Danville. The best place to park is at the Kokosing Gap Danville trailhead. Ohio to Erie Trail signs direct you the half-mile of quiet small-town streets to the trail.
This trail's surface is similar to chip and seal. It passes through words with only a few crossroads. There is some elevation changes but none are large.
The highlight of this trail is the Bridge of Dreams, a very long covered bridge over the Mohican River. The bridge is 1/2 mile from the trail's end at the Holmes Country line. Be sure to cycle down to the river from the trailhead parking for great photos of the Bridge and scenic river.
You can continue 7 miles beyond the country line on the Holmes County Trail to Glenmont. Plans are in the future to connect this trail section to the Holmes County Trail at Killbuck
I rode 66 miles from the northern most part of this trail starting in Scranton Flats in downtown Cleveland to the the start of the Sippo Valley Trail in Massillon, Ohio. The trail does continue further south to Bolivar, Ohio but the trail south of Massillon is not a part of the Ohio to Erie Trail route. The scenery along this trail is spectacular. You get the tall buildings of downtown Cleveland and Akron, the industrial might of Cleveland's steelyards, chemical, and manufacturing valley, the peacefulness of Ohio's only national park, and the bucolic farms south of Akron. The trail surface varies depending on your location. The trail is paved in Cleveland and Cuyahoga County north of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Inside the National Park the trail surface is primarily crushed limestone, with treated lumber boardwalks in wetter areas. In some spots the trail may be paved for a stretch in areas were erosion of the trail surface has been evident. Outside of the CVNP you will find the trail paved once again through the city of Akron, only to return to crushed limestone/gravel until you reach it's end.
My only complaint relates to the condition of the crushed limestone when it rains heavily or over an extended period of time. The rain softens up this trail surface. I had to work harder to peddle through the the wet limestone. It was pretty soft -- not so soft as to sink into the trail but soft enough to give noticeable additional resistance.
I've rode it 3-4 times. It is a nice in the woods for most of it. The drawback is that it is not connected on either end with any other trails or parking. I understand that someday soon, the HOOT will link to it from the north. That would be great!
Started in Akron and went downhill along the trail through the national park and just had a wonderful time. We also enjoyed riding the train back for just $5!
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