Explore the best rated trails in Defiance, OH. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the University/Parks Trail and Wabash Cannonball Trail Connector. With more than 24 trails covering 253 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 DeKalb County Trail was constructed in 1976 and is called Indiana's first rail-trail. It runs between Morning Star Rd. at the Greenhurst Country Club in Auburn and Cedar Street along Wayne Street...
The Sylvania River Trail follows the Ottawa River as it flows through the heart of town. The trail is a pathway for residents to get closer to the river and enjoy nature's scenic beauty just steps...
The name Pufferbelly comes from the historical nickname for a steam locomotive. As of 2018, the rail-trail stretches 4.9 miles. The north end of the trail begins in the Pentolina Grove neighborhood...
The Fishing Line Trail will someday span 12 miles between the cities of Kendallville and Rome City, Indiana. Noble Trails, the group behind this project, is in the process of acquiring the parcels...
The Rieke Park Trail runs behind the large community park in Auburn, Indiana, on an abandoned New York Central Railroad corridor. The paved trail is shaded for most of its route, although it emerges...
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Findlay lies at the heart of Hancock County's 17-mile Heritage Trail. From the city center, the trail extends west to Litzenberg Memorial Woods and east to Van Horn Cemetery. The trail mostly follows...
In 1875, the Bowling Green Railroad Company operated its first train from its namesake city in Ohio south to Tontogany on rails made from the wood of the local slippery elm tree. The trees were...
The Wabash Cannonball Trail Connector is a short, but valuable, paved route on the west end of Maumee that connects historical attractions, a popular park, and a rail-trail that spans more than 60...
The Wabash Cannonball Trail in northwest Ohio is actually two trails in one: its North Fork runs east–west for 46 miles and its South Fork makes up the balance of this nearly 63-mile trail. The forks...
The Baw Beese Trail, named in honor of a former chief of the local Potawatomi population, connects the Michigan communities of Hillsdale and Jonesville. The paved trail is a model of efficient land...
The University/Parks Trail is a wide, paved trail that extends from Toledo into its western suburbs along a former railroad corridor. More than half the trail also parallels an active freight...
For more than 4 miles, Angola's trail winds through the heart of the city, which sits in the northeast corner of Indiana, just 10 miles from the bordering states of Michigan and Ohio. The paved...
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The Kiwanis Trail occupies an old railroad bed between Adrian and the southern edge of Tecumseh. The trail is currently the only open component of a much longer proposed regional greenway trail. In...
When envisioning a canal towpath trail, most people probably picture a path surfaced with crushed stone where mules once led barges up an adjacent canal. Indeed, this is what once occupied the site of...
The Rivergreenway is an impressive 30-mile linear park that is part of a growing network of trails in the cities of Fort Wayne and New Haven. The Rivergreenway connects neighborhoods, historical...
The Lima Rotary Riverwalk trail follows the southeast bank of the meandering Ottowa River between Heritage Park southwest of Lima and Schoonover Park northeast of city center. At its north end, the...
The St. Joseph River Greenway begins on the southern outskirts of the small town of St. Joe, not far from the Indiana–Ohio border. The short paved trail (just over 1 mile long) runs through a scenic...
The Chessie Circle Trail (formerly Westside Corridor Rail-to-Trail) provides a paved (and compacted stone), 11-mile north-south route through western Toledo built along the former Toledo Terminal...
The Dr. Richard D. Ruppert Rotary Trail circles International Park along the east bank of the Maumee River in East Toledo. The trail runs between the Main Street bridge and Navarre Avenue, where it...
The Blanchard River Greenway Bike Trail runs along a former Baltimore & Ohio Railroad corridor on the riverfront in downtown Findlay. The trail primarily courses through woodlands, with highlights...
In 1875, the Bowling Green Railroad Company operated its first train from its namesake city in Ohio south to Tontogany on rails made from the wood of the local slippery elm tree. The trees were...
The DeKalb County Trail was constructed in 1976 and is called Indiana's first rail-trail. It runs between Morning Star Rd. at the Greenhurst Country Club in Auburn and Cedar Street along Wayne Street...
The St. Joseph River Greenway begins on the southern outskirts of the small town of St. Joe, not far from the Indiana–Ohio border. The short paved trail (just over 1 mile long) runs through a scenic...
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 Decatur Greenway is an extensive collection of trails linking parks and other amenities on the eastern side of Decatur, Indiana. Begin your journey at the loop around Adams Memorial Hospital,...
The Rieke Park Trail runs behind the large community park in Auburn, Indiana, on an abandoned New York Central Railroad corridor. The paved trail is shaded for most of its route, although it emerges...
The Lima Rotary Riverwalk trail follows the southeast bank of the meandering Ottowa River between Heritage Park southwest of Lima and Schoonover Park northeast of city center. At its north end, the...
The Dr. Richard D. Ruppert Rotary Trail circles International Park along the east bank of the Maumee River in East Toledo. The trail runs between the Main Street bridge and Navarre Avenue, where it...
For much of its 9-mile length, the Towpath Trail traces the scenic Maumee River, paralleling US 24 (at some distance), on the southwestern outskirts of Toledo. It traverses three parks as it follows...
Findlay lies at the heart of Hancock County's 17-mile Heritage Trail. From the city center, the trail extends west to Litzenberg Memorial Woods and east to Van Horn Cemetery. The trail mostly follows...
The Blanchard River Greenway Bike Trail runs along a former Baltimore & Ohio Railroad corridor on the riverfront in downtown Findlay. The trail primarily courses through woodlands, with highlights...
The Wabash Cannonball Trail Connector is a short, but valuable, paved route on the west end of Maumee that connects historical attractions, a popular park, and a rail-trail that spans more than 60...
The Rivergreenway is an impressive 30-mile linear park that is part of a growing network of trails in the cities of Fort Wayne and New Haven. The Rivergreenway connects neighborhoods, historical...
When envisioning a canal towpath trail, most people probably picture a path surfaced with crushed stone where mules once led barges up an adjacent canal. Indeed, this is what once occupied the site of...
The University/Parks Trail is a wide, paved trail that extends from Toledo into its western suburbs along a former railroad corridor. More than half the trail also parallels an active freight...
The Fishing Line Trail will someday span 12 miles between the cities of Kendallville and Rome City, Indiana. Noble Trails, the group behind this project, is in the process of acquiring the parcels...
The name Pufferbelly comes from the historical nickname for a steam locomotive. As of 2018, the rail-trail stretches 4.9 miles. The north end of the trail begins in the Pentolina Grove neighborhood...
The Sylvania River Trail follows the Ottawa River as it flows through the heart of town. The trail is a pathway for residents to get closer to the river and enjoy nature's scenic beauty just steps...
The Oakwoods Trail system runs through a 155-acre nature preserve bordering Interstate 75 southwest of downtown Findlay. The preserve features a small lake, woodlands and meadows. The trails form...
For more than 4 miles, Angola's trail winds through the heart of the city, which sits in the northeast corner of Indiana, just 10 miles from the bordering states of Michigan and Ohio. The paved...
The Blanchard River Greenway Bike Trail runs along a former Baltimore & Ohio Railroad corridor on the riverfront in downtown Findlay. The trail primarily courses through woodlands, with highlights...
The Dr. Richard D. Ruppert Rotary Trail circles International Park along the east bank of the Maumee River in East Toledo. The trail runs between the Main Street bridge and Navarre Avenue, where it...
The Lima Rotary Riverwalk trail follows the southeast bank of the meandering Ottowa River between Heritage Park southwest of Lima and Schoonover Park northeast of city center. At its north end, the...
The St. Joseph River Greenway begins on the southern outskirts of the small town of St. Joe, not far from the Indiana–Ohio border. The short paved trail (just over 1 mile long) runs through a scenic...
The Kiwanis Trail occupies an old railroad bed between Adrian and the southern edge of Tecumseh. The trail is currently the only open component of a much longer proposed regional greenway trail. In...
The Rieke Park Trail runs behind the large community park in Auburn, Indiana, on an abandoned New York Central Railroad corridor. The paved trail is shaded for most of its route, although it emerges...
The University/Parks Trail is a wide, paved trail that extends from Toledo into its western suburbs along a former railroad corridor. More than half the trail also parallels an active freight...
The Sylvania River Trail follows the Ottawa River as it flows through the heart of town. The trail is a pathway for residents to get closer to the river and enjoy nature's scenic beauty just steps...
Findlay lies at the heart of Hancock County's 17-mile Heritage Trail. From the city center, the trail extends west to Litzenberg Memorial Woods and east to Van Horn Cemetery. The trail mostly follows...
In 1875, the Bowling Green Railroad Company operated its first train from its namesake city in Ohio south to Tontogany on rails made from the wood of the local slippery elm tree. The trees were...
For much of its 9-mile length, the Towpath Trail traces the scenic Maumee River, paralleling US 24 (at some distance), on the southwestern outskirts of Toledo. It traverses three parks as it follows...
The Rivergreenway is an impressive 30-mile linear park that is part of a growing network of trails in the cities of Fort Wayne and New Haven. The Rivergreenway connects neighborhoods, historical...
The Chessie Circle Trail (formerly Westside Corridor Rail-to-Trail) provides a paved (and compacted stone), 11-mile north-south route through western Toledo built along the former Toledo Terminal...
The Decatur Greenway is an extensive collection of trails linking parks and other amenities on the eastern side of Decatur, Indiana. Begin your journey at the loop around Adams Memorial Hospital,...
The Wabash Cannonball Trail in northwest Ohio is actually two trails in one: its North Fork runs east–west for 46 miles and its South Fork makes up the balance of this nearly 63-mile trail. The forks...
The Oakwoods Trail system runs through a 155-acre nature preserve bordering Interstate 75 southwest of downtown Findlay. The preserve features a small lake, woodlands and meadows. The trails form...
The Baw Beese Trail, named in honor of a former chief of the local Potawatomi population, connects the Michigan communities of Hillsdale and Jonesville. The paved trail is a model of efficient land...
The name Pufferbelly comes from the historical nickname for a steam locomotive. As of 2018, the rail-trail stretches 4.9 miles. The north end of the trail begins in the Pentolina Grove neighborhood...
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...
For more than 4 miles, Angola's trail winds through the heart of the city, which sits in the northeast corner of Indiana, just 10 miles from the bordering states of Michigan and Ohio. The paved...
Great scenery, unsuspecting calmness and tranquility.
I really enjoyed this trail. It was a great way to spend a few hours on the bike.
The trail from Pokagon Park runs along the camp road, with a clearly painted white line to set it off. There are traffic lights and crosswalks out of the park toward Angola. There is 7% grade going up as you leave the park, just after the park sign. Keep going. The view from the top is spectacular, especially with the autumn colors. After you get around and past the Ramada Inn, there’s another steep hill (8%). In both cases, we didn’t see the sign until we had turned around and headed back. It was a fun ride down!
I rode this trail for the first time a few days ago. It's great and well used. A trail is across the road at the western end point, which is a 1/2-1 mile long. Another cyclist said they hope to extend that trail. Parking at the western end point on King Road is only by businesses. Ask for permission since the signs say they will tow you away. I parked there along the trees with permission and had no problems. Try to take the time to go into Wildwood Preserve Metropark if you can. There is a nice 1.65 mile loop (Walk/Bike Path) there and a spur off of it through a covered bridge over the Ottawa River and beyond to Corey Road, called the Regional Walk/Bike Connector.
On October 7, 2020, I parked at Bowman Park to take the route south. The first approximately 2 miles was on the gravel/crushed stone trail, but then it ended at a road. I checked the trail on Google Map, which led me straight (sort of) onto grass and gravel. That didn't seem right and I knew I couldn't always trust Google, so I checked TraiLink, which I should have done in the first place. The trail zigzagged a bit, crossing the road and onto residential streets. It then went into Ottawa Park. Another section of the trail curved through the wide meridian between opposite one-way streets. Grass and weeds were growing through the cracks, otherwise it would have been a really nice section. Other parts of the route were on sidewalks, some which were narrow, uneven and had grass growing in the cracks. Some places there was an option of using the bike lane on the road. The trail also went on roads through a portion of the Health and Science campus of the University of Toledo. The southern most 1-2 miles was on a really nice wide asphalt trail. I was confused about the mile markers there since I saw 9.25, but then the trail soon ended. I was expecting to go until I saw 11. I didn't think I went that far beyond the 9.25 marker. There is parking there for only a few vehicles. I did not see restrooms of any type there, however there were some in Highland Park, Ottawa Park, and Bowman Park. Some might have been closed due to COVID regulations, but pit toilets were just off the trail in Ottawa Park. The southern portion had more signs (Bike Toledo CC Trail), than I remember seeing once in Ottawa Park and north of it. There were many many road crossings, some which had designated cross walk signals to use. It took me 1.5 hours to go north. I would recommend parking at River Road at the southern end point and bike north, follow the signs and the map on TraiLink. That way if you decide not to do the whole route, you would have done the better part.
On Thursday, we drove to the Wood County Park District’s Rudolph Savanna looking for a trail to explore. I am in a wheelchair. My spouse provides my locomotion. From the Savanna’s parking lot, we accessed a lovely compacted earth/grass pathway, with very modest changes in elevation, that meandered through prairie and forest. At the end of the path, we found ourselves on a portion of the Slippery Elm Trail. We seized the opportunity and completed the section from Rudolph to Greensburg Pike before returning to the Park. We enjoyed The lovely fall colors and native plants and look forward to visiting in the spring.
Beautiful September afternoon to ride this trail. Gets lots of use but people nice. Can enjoy Salamon Farm and the sunflower fields in September.
I started in Jonesville. The trail was littered with trash, including car parts from the significant 4 lane road next to the trail. It was overgrown in parts and simply was in terrible shape. I got a flat at about mile out and walked back. I was confident that if I changed the tube that there was enough litter on the trail that riding would soon result in another flat.
This is an excellent trail that is very well travelled by bikers, walkers, runners and skaters. The majority is tree covered and very comfortable. The trail is well maintained and has plenty of directional and safety signage. Ample parking at each end. A favorite ride in the city!
Park at the Black Swamp Preserve just a bit south of the north terminus.
The trail is nice and well maintained. For variety on the return north from North Baltimore, we road some of the parallel county roads. They're smooth and with virtually no vehicle traffic on a Tuesday morning.
Parked at Oak Openings on SR64. Rode East about 9.5 miles on North Fork. Took the connector trail to the Fallen Timbers Monument. Should have followed the sign that said “To Battlefield”. Missed it and had to turn left at mall entrance. Rode across SR24 bridge to the monument, then down a short paved hill trail and over to the Side Cut Metropark. Turned around and rode through the mall parking lot to a Subway in the back by the movie theaters. Found the unofficial shortcut just to the right of the theatres. Saved about a mile of riding back to the Connector Trail. Rode about 10 miles on the South Fork to Fulton-Lucas Rd. Rode about 5.5 miles North on the road. Very little traffic. A Friday night about 7PM and not a single car passed us. A right turn on the North Fork and about a mile back to the truck.
Now I know how the Cannonball got it’s name. Both trails were straight as an arrow. Nicely paved the whole way. Glad we rode it clockwise. South trail seemed to have more trees on the North side, so heading West at 7PM we had some nice shade.
I prefer a trail with some turns, but this was nice to do 32 miles with no backtracking. Thx for the nice trails.....Bikin-Mike - Aug 2020
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