Explore the best rated trails in Kettering, OH. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Great-Little Trail and Mad River Trail. With more than 52 trails covering 4589 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.
_205824_st.jpg)
_159176_st.jpg)
The Armleder Park Trail loops along a wide, paved route through the open meadows of the park, located east of Cincinnati. At the southeast end, you'll find an overlook of the Little Miami River....
The Dayton Kettering Connector combines a historic rail-trail and bike lanes, and shared road riding for 7 miles between the two municipalities. The off-road portion is 1.9 miles long and sits in the...
The Wright Brothers Huffman Prairie Bikeway runs from South Street in downtown Fairborn, along the north side of Kauffman Avenue adjacent to an active rail line, to National Road. At that point, the...
Opened in 2017, the Clinton-Fayette Friendship Trail, spanning 7.1 miles, is the longest rail-trail in central Ohio's Clinton County. Following a former railroad corridor, the rail-trail spans the...
The 4C Bicentennial Trail is one of several throughout Wilmington, OH, and runs between Southeast Neighborhood Park and Fife Avenue (CR 82), just across the road from the south end of Denver Williams...
The 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 paved Tecumseh Trail skirts the quaint city of New Carlisle. The trail takes users through some beautiful wooded areas along a former railroad corridor and connects to Smith Park. At the popular...
The North Lewisburg Trail lies about 40 miles northwest of Columbus in the Village of North Lewisburg. The trail runs northeast from the community park in a wooded corridor that once housed train...
The Lunken Airport Bike Path offers a 5-mile loop around Cincinnati's municipal Lunken Airport. Much of the trail sits atop the levee that protects the airport from flooding of the Little Miami River....
The Xenia–Jamestown Connector links these two eponymous communities and travels east beyond Jamestown to the Greene–Fayette County line at Rosemoor Road. It’s part of Ohio’s Miami River Valley trail...
The James Ranch Connecting Spur provides an important link between two major trails spiraling out of the trail hub of Xenia. On its east end, the trail connects to the Little Miami Scenic Trail, which...
The 29-mile Prairie Grass Trail is one of four rail-trails that radiate from Xenia Station, the hub of a vast, paved trail network in southwestern Ohio. The site is a former Baltimore & Ohio (B&O)...
Piqua City Linear Park was constructed on an abandoned railroad bed from the city's easternmost point to its westernmost point. Midway, it connects to the Great Miami River Trail and is part of the...
The Lebanon Countryside YMCA Trail offers 8 miles of paved pathway winding through Lebanon, from downtown to a connection to the 78-mile Little Miami Scenic Trail. The trail begins in the north near...
The Roberts Pass Trail runs from downtown London, Ohio, to rural Fairfield Township. The trail passes through farmland for 6.5 miles, although dense tree cover shades the route at all...
The Shaker Trace Trail forms a loop around Miami Whitewater Forest, the largest county-run park in Hamilton County. The fully-accessible, paved trail runs for nearly 8 miles through the park’s...
The Stillwater River Bikeway winds through Dayton's northern suburbs, following the tree-lined eastern shore of its namesake waterway for much of the way. Two disconnected segments of trail are...
The Luther Warren Peace Path is shady 1.2-mile journey along a level paved surface, delightfully cool in summer. The trail includes two old railroad bridges, one covered and built as a local Boy Scout...
Note: This developing route is not yet fully contiguous – it is just over 50% complete. Please refer to the Trail Map for more information on the existing sections of trail, as well as the online...
To cover the five miles suggested by the name of this trail, one has to travel out to the opposite end and back again. The trail is located in Anderson Township, about 13 miles southeast of...
The Tecumseh Trail Multi-use Pathway offers a pleasant route, partially on the former Pennsylvania Railroad's Columbus-to-Saint Louis freight mainline. The rail route was also once used for Lincoln's...
The Steve Whalen Boulevard Bikeway is a short neighborhood trail in East Dayton. The trail parallels the boulevard of the same name, starting at its intersection with Hamilton Avenue, and then heading...
When complete, the Hamilton Belt Line Trail will wrap 3 miles along a former CSX right-of-way around the west side of Hamilton. In its heyday, Champion Paper Mill used the line track to move coal and...
The Paint Creek Recreation Trail is the flagship pathway of a planned trail network in the Ohio counties of Fayette, Ross and Highland. Nearly 35 miles of paved trail are currently open linking the...
The Lowe's Connector Trail parallels Lowe's Drive in Wilmington, OH, and links Rombach Avenue with Prairie Road; however, this is no sidewalk once you reach Prairie Road. The trail is best used to...
The Roberts Pass Trail runs from downtown London, Ohio, to rural Fairfield Township. The trail passes through farmland for 6.5 miles, although dense tree cover shades the route at all...
Centerville’s Archway Trail runs adjacent to a new road on a former railroad corridor that connects downtown to a recently developed neighborhood. The wide, paved trail is one of several open...
The Williamsburg to Batavia Hike/Bike Trail connects its two namesake communities on a paved route that winds through East Fork Wildlife Area and along scenic William Harsha Lake. The experience is...
The Mad River Trail offers a paved route connecting a handful of parks along its namesake river in northeastern Dayton. The scenic pathway is also part of one of the nation's largest network of paved,...
_205824_sc.jpg)
The Buck Creek Trail runs between Buck Creek State Park and Plum Street by Wittenberg University. At its eastern end in Buck Creek State Park, the trail makes a loop and heads into 2 different...
The 4C Bicentennial Trail is one of several throughout Wilmington, OH, and runs between Southeast Neighborhood Park and Fife Avenue (CR 82), just across the road from the south end of Denver Williams...
The Camp Chase Trail plays a role in two of Ohio’s most exciting trail projects: it is a key piece of the cross-state Ohio to Erie Trail and an integral part of the Central Ohio Greenways network...
The Shaker Trace Trail forms a loop around Miami Whitewater Forest, the largest county-run park in Hamilton County. The fully-accessible, paved trail runs for nearly 8 miles through the park’s...
The growing Mill Creek Greenway Trail follows one of Cincinnati’s most important urban waterways and will one day stretch 14 miles through the city's northern neighborhoods. Groundwork Cincinnati is a...
_191483_sc.jpg)
When complete, the Ohio River Trail in eastern Cincinnati will be an important 23-mile connector between downtown, riverfront parks, the city's municipal airport and many neighborhoods. Currently,...
To cover the five miles suggested by the name of this trail, one has to travel out to the opposite end and back again. The trail is located in Anderson Township, about 13 miles southeast of...
The Lunken Airport Bike Path offers a 5-mile loop around Cincinnati's municipal Lunken Airport. Much of the trail sits atop the levee that protects the airport from flooding of the Little Miami River....
The North Lewisburg Trail lies about 40 miles northwest of Columbus in the Village of North Lewisburg. The trail runs northeast from the community park in a wooded corridor that once housed train...
The Towler Road Spur is a short but pleasant route in the trail hub of Xenia, Ohio. Although the paved pathway parallels the roadway, it's separated from traffic by a wide grassy median dotted with...
Hydraulic Canal Run begins in picturesque French Park, where stands of mature trees provide the perfect shady spots to picnic. From here, you can also connect to Piqua City Linear Park, a rail-trail...
D Street Trailhead Park is nestled along Richmond’s waterfront on the East Fork of the Whitewater River. From the park, travelers can go north on the Cardinal Greenway (which, at 62 miles, is...
This recreational path connects the Armleder Park Trail in Otto Armleder Memorial Park to the 5-mile Lunken Airport Bike Path. The trail begins at the parking lot south of the dog park, and heads...
To cover the five miles suggested by the name of this trail, one has to travel out to the opposite end and back again. The trail is located in Anderson Township, about 13 miles southeast of...
The Xenia–Jamestown Connector links these two eponymous communities and travels east beyond Jamestown to the Greene–Fayette County line at Rosemoor Road. It’s part of Ohio’s Miami River Valley trail...
The James Ranch Connecting Spur provides an important link between two major trails spiraling out of the trail hub of Xenia. On its east end, the trail connects to the Little Miami Scenic Trail, which...
When complete, the Hamilton Belt Line Trail will wrap 3 miles along a former CSX right-of-way around the west side of Hamilton. In its heyday, Champion Paper Mill used the line track to move coal and...
The 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 Steve Whalen Boulevard Bikeway is a short neighborhood trail in East Dayton. The trail parallels the boulevard of the same name, starting at its intersection with Hamilton Avenue, and then heading...
The North Lewisburg Trail lies about 40 miles northwest of Columbus in the Village of North Lewisburg. The trail runs northeast from the community park in a wooded corridor that once housed train...
The short Union City Gateway Trail is significant in that it was the first trail to cross the Indiana–Ohio border. A highlight along the paved pathway is the beautifully landscaped park on both sides...
The Williamsburg to Batavia Hike/Bike Trail connects its two namesake communities on a paved route that winds through East Fork Wildlife Area and along scenic William Harsha Lake. The experience is...
_159176_sc.jpg)
The 7-mile Iron Horse Trail (open in two disconnected segments) utilizes approximately 2 miles of former Penn Central right-of-way, providing users a pleasant route through neighborhoods, as well as a...
The Paint Creek Recreation Trail is the flagship pathway of a planned trail network in the Ohio counties of Fayette, Ross and Highland. Nearly 35 miles of paved trail are currently open linking the...
The Canal Feeder Trail begins at Graceland Cemetery on the south end of Sidney and continues southwest on a former historical canal towpath dating back to the 1840s. The paved trail parallels the...
The Camp Chase Trail plays a role in two of Ohio’s most exciting trail projects: it is a key piece of the cross-state Ohio to Erie Trail and an integral part of the Central Ohio Greenways network...
How can a trail be great and little? When it connects two of the Miami Valley's most popular regional trails, the Great Miami River Trail in the west, to the Little Miami Scenic Trail in the east. The...
The Luther Warren Peace Path is shady 1.2-mile journey along a level paved surface, delightfully cool in summer. The trail includes two old railroad bridges, one covered and built as a local Boy Scout...
The Lunken Airport Bike Path offers a 5-mile loop around Cincinnati's municipal Lunken Airport. Much of the trail sits atop the levee that protects the airport from flooding of the Little Miami River....
The growing Mill Creek Greenway Trail follows one of Cincinnati’s most important urban waterways and will one day stretch 14 miles through the city's northern neighborhoods. Groundwork Cincinnati is a...
Opened in 2017, the Clinton-Fayette Friendship Trail, spanning 7.1 miles, is the longest rail-trail in central Ohio's Clinton County. Following a former railroad corridor, the rail-trail spans the...
I longboarded south from the memorial park, and the trail is super smooth and well maintained until you round the corner. Rough path from then on; potholes, big cracks, chert rock, logs, etc.
I went Longboarding here (there’s a sign or two that say “no in-line skates”, so I technically didn’t break any rules ¿). I didn’t mind the $5 to get in, but I do wish the path was a bit smoother. Overall, the path is pretty narrow, with a number of blind turns (usually at the bottom of a hill, of course), many ups and downs, and absolutely Gorgeous views of the water and woods. I’ll keep visiting periodically for as long as they keep letting me skate.
I rode from Urbana to Bellefontaine and back today. It's a nice trail. Most of it is shaded, which compares favorably to Hilliard's Heritage Trail, and parts of the Ohio to Erie, such as Cedarville to South Charleston. It's probably pretty when it is in bloom, but it's still a bit too early in the year for that with our late spring. Still, it was a very calm ride, with only two other riders and a couple hikers spotted on the entire section, out-and-back, and all near Bellefontaine.
The surface is mostly chip-and-seal (other than 1.5 miles north of Urbana), which is fine, and kicks up much less dirt than crushed limestone, for those who haven't ridden chip-and-seal before. There is one rough spot on the paved section just south of where the chip-and-seal ends, and for the first couple miles north of Urbana you have to keep an eye out for railroad spikes on the trail, but otherwise the condition of the trail is good.
There's a well-reviewed coffee shop by the trail in Urbana, and several restaurants that look promising in Bellfontaine, including a brewery that you'll find if you continue north of the northern end of the trail on the dirt trail that continues to parallel the railway for another block, and then follow the bike route signs towards town.
Along the way, if you're paying attention, you'll see some unusual animals for Ohio trails, specifically goats and what I'm pretty sure are elk. Although Wikipedia will tell you there are no elk in Ohio, I counted eight of them visible from the trail, and my research indicates they are likely domestic elk at a farm that neighbors the trail. Now I'll leave it as an exercise to the reader to figure out exactly where they are. You might want to start soon - once the leaves are out it might be much more difficult to see them.
Overall, I'd put this slightly above 4/5. It's not as picturesque as central Ohio's top trails - the Kokosing Gap and Alum Creek Trails - but I'd put it above the Heritage, Camp Chase, and Ohio to Erie west of London. Worth the drive if you're looking for somewhere new to explore, and keep an eye out for the elk.
I re-rode the Camp Chase Trail from its eastern terminus to Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park today, and rode the section from there west last year. It's a nice trail, in good condition, and the gaps have been filled in over the years. Of particular note is that the gap orangedoug mentioned, at the Metro Park, was closed in March of 2020. It is a bit difficult to find the connection through the park from the west though; go to the roundabout at the west end of the parking lot, and find the trail branching off southwest (which would likely be the last direction you would expect to find it), and that's the connector, with an Ohio to Erie trail marker hiding in the woods.
I rated the trail 4/5 instead of 5/5 because while it is in good condition, it's the least scenic of the "big 5" trails in Columbus. I ride the Alum Creek Trail and Olentangy Trail every year; they're beautiful. Comparing this trail to the Alum Creek, the major difference is you forget you are in a city on the Alum Creek Trail. On the Camp Chase, for the first 7 miles going west, it's almost all city (there is a park area near Wilson Road). It does open up and become more scenic past Georgesville Road. Realistically, the section east of there is a "every few years" trail for me.
Parts of the eastern section were also reminders of the increasing poverty in parts of west Columbus since the pandemic; tent encampments were set up along parts of the trail and the parallel railroad, which hadn't been present the last time I rode the trail in 2020. In the afternoon of one of the first warm days of the spring, it didn't feel dangerous, but if you're planning an Ohio to Erie trip and aren't from the area, plan to be Downtown before sunset. At least the trail seems to be of use to the residents living by it; several tents had bikes by them and one man was working on his bike from the tracks when I went by in both directions.
The Hilltop Connector to the Scioto Trail at the eastern end is not a bad connector at all. Road speeds are moderate, most of it has a dedicated bike lane, and even at rush hour it didn't feel risky (and I'm not someone who rides roads).
Started on Batavia end which was promising and pretty but after a short distance, we were just walking on a road within the East Fork Park. I don't consider walking on a road with cars to be a Hiking Trail. Will try from the Williamsburg side next time to see if it's better.
The OTET is not the ETOT. I found out why when cyclists were flying past me Northbound as I fought headwinds Southbound. Yes the winds wind up the Ohio Valley hence the trail is named Ohio To Erie Trail. I was southbound because after my glorious arrival and celebration in Cincinnati I continued through Louisville, Mammoth Cave and Nashville to our daughters horse farm in Shelbyville TN totaling 721 wondrous miles of memories and new acquaintances both 2-legged and 4-legged. I suggest using credit card
Nice easy path. There was one tree down that was easy to get around. We did our route on horse back.
I ride from my house starting at iron horse trail going north across Linden to creekside trail connector and follow it to Xenia Station which gives me a total of 30 miles up and back. The last 2 times I have been on my ride I have seen a total of 6 deer. I seen 4 deer today crossing the bikeway at Factory Rd. I ride this trail 3 times a week for a total of 90 miles. If you have not biked on this trail it is well worth it. The trail is mostly flat with lots of scenery along the way. It is a little crowded on the weekends so I bike m-w-f and just a few walkers and bikers. I will be 70 the end of this month and biking in my opinion is a great way to stay in shape.
A huge shoutout to the organizations that put this trail together, maintain, and promote it - its remarkably well done. There are a few spots that could use some more signage (Westerville is pretty bad) but overall from top to bottom it's hard to get lost. I did this trail in 4.5 days from Cincinnati to Cleveland the last week of October with almost no bike experience. I also used a busted up old mountain bike from the 90s and had pretty much no problem with it.
I discovered this trail at the southern end of the Cardinal Greenway, and figured why not check out the trail by the gorge? It may well be the most scenic part of the entire connected trail system, going up to Gaston and including the White River Greenway Trail in Muncie. There's lots of green, a river (albeit usually hidden from view), and a good amount of elevation change in a short time. Definitely worth adding on to a Cardinal Greenway ride if you have the stamina to spare.
There also are some nice parks along the way, including by the piano/record factory, and at the veterans park near the northern edge, where you can see the difference in size between a light tank and a main battle tank in real life.
Still, there are a couple shortcomings that make this a trail that could easily be a 5, but isn't quite there yet. The largest is that there is a section near the southern end where the pavement is quite rough, which also corresponds with the steepest area, making it potentially hazardous. The connector up to the high school is even steeper and in rougher condition. There should be the next priority for fixing up.
There also was a tree across the trail almost at the southern terminus, which appeared to have been there for some time, and several of the wooden benches in the southern section were not in great condition any more.
It did look like the section by the veterans park was pretty new trail, and that the overseers were still working on an overlook above that park, so this trail may well still be receiving investment. With a little TLC on the southern section as well, it would definitely be a 5 star trail.
I rode the section of the trail from Richmond to Gaston over two days - essentially, all except the part above the gap to the north. It's a really good trail, but there are just enough shortcomings that I hesitate to put it at 5 stars, particularly compared to trails I've been on in West Virginia and Pennsylvania earlier in the year.
First, I'll note that I didn't notice any pig farms, despite expecting to on the southern section, nor any Rottweilers. There were some cow farms and a horse farm, but the only hazard were the many walnuts on the trail. I did see two cats, a lot of chipmunks, and quite a few blue jays, though ironically not a single cardinal.
The scenery is mostly fairly narrow wooded areas, with farms on the other side, though there are a few areas of denser wooded areas, notably by the nature preserve south of Muncie. This can be pretty, but it's also only partially shaded, and the afternoon sun slices through the trees pretty effectively. If you're doing a longer section, I recommend going northwest in the morning, and southeast in the afternoon if possible. I was going northwest and west in the afternoon of the first day, and the sun was doing an admirable job of trying to blind my left eye.
Amenities are good, but just short of great. There are restrooms every 4-5 miles, most of them with hand sanitizer, which is quite good. There are a decent number of water fountains as well, but of the three I tried on the northern section, two smelled bad, and one (by the Hitching Post, technically off of the White River Greenway but close to the Cardinal Greenway) didn't work. The southern section was reliable in this area. Outside of Muncie, there aren't a lot of places to pick up water in the northern section either, so err on the side of packing more water than you'll need.
The trail condition is generally very good, though it can be a bit bumpy in spots in Muncie. McGalliard Road is a more highly trafficked road crossing than most trails have, but it has an island in the center so you only need half of it to be clear at a time. I recommend jogging the bike across halfway at a time if it's a busier time of day.
The elevation gain is not negligible. Including segments on the White River Greenway in Muncie, and the Whitewater Gorge Trail in Richmond, I logged over 2000 feet of elevation gain, and it was noticeable, especially on the southern section where there were moderate, but extended, hill climbs. By comparison, I logged less than 1200 feet of elevation gain on the Greenbrier Trail in West Virginia, which is also longer. So don't assume that because it's in Indiana, you won't have some decent climbs!
I also should note that it's worth going into town in Muncie, whether that's the White River Greenway, which intersects with the Cardinal Greenway in two places, or grabbing some food at some of the excellent restaurants or breweries downtown, which is easily accessible from the trail. I always try to find a cool town or city to serve as a base when exploring a new trail, and Muncie did a great job in that regard.
TrailLink is a free service provided by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (a non-profit) and we need your support!
Map Search
_166953_st.jpg)
_191483_st.jpg)
_164937_st.jpg)
