Explore the best rated trails in Mentor, OH. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Maple Highlands Trail and Euclid Creek Reservation All Purpose Trail. With more than 39 trails covering 647 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 South Chagrin Reservation All Purpose Trail offers a paved route just over 7 miles through its namesake park in northeastern Ohio. From its western end on Richmond Road, the trail follows Hawthorn...
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The North Coast Inland Trail will one day stretch across northern Ohio from Indiana to Pennsylvania on a network of connecting off-road trails. Today, large sections of the trail, especially from the...
Less than 20 miles from Cleveland, the Bedford Reservation offers a scenic, natural oasis with many amenities and attractions, including opportunities for hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding and...
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The Iron Horse Trail runs along the corridor of a railroad that originally connected Alliance and Minerva. The north section runs from State St, across from the University of Mount Union, to the...
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 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...
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Northern Ohio's Freedom Trail currently offers more than 7 miles of tree-lined pathway along the former Freedom Secondary Railroad. From Eastwood Avenue in eastern Akron, the paved trail follows 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...
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...
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...
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...
Euclid Creek Reservation All Purpose Trail offers a paved, scenic excursion in the northeastern Ohio community of Euclid, a suburb of Cleveland. The trail is currently divided into two disconnected...
The nearly 11-mile MetroParks Bikeway provides a scenic and well-designed link to communities and natural sites in this northeast region of Ohio. The rail-trail follows a corridor between Canfield and...
Though not far from two of Ohio’s largest cities, Cleveland and Akron, the Bike and Hike Trail passes alongside beautiful natural areas, including the 65-foot Brandywine Falls, a stunning cascading...
The Bruce G. Rinker Greenway offers a north-south walking and biking route through Mayfield Village, a suburb of Cleveland. The paved pathway connects Mayfield Center Elementary School, the...
The Lester Rail Trail in Ohio's Medina County runs 3 miles between Abbeyville Road and Lester Road in York Township. The trail passes through bucolic farmland with scattered remnants of prairie, where...
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 short North Olmsted Walking & Bike Trail parallels Interstate 480 and provides an alternate, non-motorized route linking neighborhoods with green spaces and business districts.
South of Cleveland, the Ohio & Erie Canal Reservation All Purpose Trail offers an outdoor excursion of just over 7 miles in Cuyahoga Heights. A good place to begin your journey is at the CanalWay...
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 Bruce G. Rinker Greenway offers a north-south walking and biking route through Mayfield Village, a suburb of Cleveland. The paved pathway connects Mayfield Center Elementary School, the...
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 Maple Highlands Trail totals more than 20 miles. A majority of the trail follows an abandoned Baltimore & Ohio Railroad corridor through a mostly rural landscape, heavily wooded in places. The...
The Niles Greenway is a paved, multi-use path running northsouth between the county line on the south and the town of Niles. The pleasant trail passes through a mix of wooded areas, scattered light...
The 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 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...
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 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 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 North Coast Inland Trail will one day stretch across northern Ohio from Indiana to Pennsylvania on a network of connecting off-road trails. Today, large sections of the trail, especially from the...
Located on the abandoned Erie and Pittsburgh branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad, this short but intriguing trail runs through Pymatuning State Park, a large and popular two-state recreation area...
The 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 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 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 South Chagrin Reservation All Purpose Trail offers a paved route just over 7 miles through its namesake park in northeastern Ohio. From its western end on Richmond Road, the trail follows Hawthorn...
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...
Though not far from two of Ohio’s largest cities, Cleveland and Akron, the Bike and Hike Trail passes alongside beautiful natural areas, including the 65-foot Brandywine Falls, a stunning cascading...
The North Chagrin Reservation All Purpose Trail offers a 4.2-mile route traversing its namesake park, which lies on the northeastern outskirts of Cleveland. Beginning just south of US 6 (Chardon...
Northern Ohio's Freedom Trail currently offers more than 7 miles of tree-lined pathway along the former Freedom Secondary Railroad. From Eastwood Avenue in eastern Akron, the paved trail follows a...
The Western Reserve Greenway travels 43 miles through a scenic, mostly rural area, cutting a north–south course from Ashtabula to Warren in northeastern Ohio. The route follows much of the...
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...
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...
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 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...
The Lester Rail Trail in Ohio's Medina County runs 3 miles between Abbeyville Road and Lester Road in York Township. The trail passes through bucolic farmland with scattered remnants of prairie, where...
The Iron Horse Trail runs along the corridor of a railroad that originally connected Alliance and Minerva. The north section runs from State St, across from the University of Mount Union, to the...
Euclid Creek Reservation All Purpose Trail offers a paved, scenic excursion in the northeastern Ohio community of Euclid, a suburb of Cleveland. The trail is currently divided into two disconnected...
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,...
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...
Northern Ohio's Freedom Trail currently offers more than 7 miles of tree-lined pathway along the former Freedom Secondary Railroad. From Eastwood Avenue in eastern Akron, the paved trail follows a...
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...
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 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 Rocky River Reservation All Purpose Trail parallels Valley Parkway through several western suburbs of Cleveland, but this is no traditional suburban side path. Instead, the winding trail through...
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 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 South Chagrin Reservation All Purpose Trail offers a paved route just over 7 miles through its namesake park in northeastern Ohio. From its western end on Richmond Road, the trail follows Hawthorn...
The Niles Greenway is a paved, multi-use path running northsouth between the county line on the south and the town of Niles. The pleasant trail passes through a mix of wooded areas, scattered light...
The 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...
I rode about 12.25 miles on a lollipop-shaped loop on the Cleveland Metroparks’ Bedford Reservation All Purpose Trail. I started this ride at the Egbert Picnic Area trailhead near the middle of the trail. I road west toward the Alexander Road Trailhead where you can pick up the Summit County Metroparks Bike & Hike Trail. From the Alexander Road trailhead, I turned around and rode back past the Egbert Picnic Area through the remainder of Bedford Reservation in order to connect to and ride the All Purpose Trail in the South Chagrin Reservation Metropark.
The trail in the Bedford Reservation is a very pleasant mostly tree-covered trail following the main roadway, the Hawthorn Parkway, through the park. It’s a bit hilly, which may pose a problem for young riders, or out-of-shape riders, but not for those that ride on a regular basis. I mention this to TrailLink users as this is not a rail trail with gentle ascents and descents they might be expecting.
No matter whether you start from the southwest or northeast end of this trail you will find yourself climbing. This is because the trail crosses over the ridge that separates the watersheds of the Chagrin River to the east and Tinkers Creek to the west. Of course, once you pass the Harper Ridge Picnic Area near the trail's midpoint then it is downhill the rest of the ride. The climbs are not necessarily difficult, but their are a few short spots where the gradient in all likelihood exceeds 7%. I mention this as many TrailLink users will find that this trail is definitely not a rail trail with gentle climbs.
Much of this trail runs through a thin park green space that surrounds the Hawthorn Parkway which connects the Cleveland Metroparks South Chagrin Reservation with the Bedford Reservation to the west. This connection between Cleveland Metroparks is part of a longer 75 mile route through the Cleveland Metroparks Reservations that surround downtown Cleveland known as the Emerald Necklace. Because this particular trail runs through this thin green space between the two aforementioned parks the more interesting sights found in the South Chagrin Reservation are found in the larger park on the eastern end of the trail, though many if these attractions require hikes off the trail to see them.
Very nice trail to ride. It’s asphalted, well maintained, shaded and other trail users are friendly/courteous.
My wife and I rode the Maple Highlands Trail from just below Chardon to the southern end at Swine Creek reservation. There are some changes in elevation, most are quite mild, but this trail isn't flat. Use by the Amish has left most of the southern section of this trail littered with horse manure. The two covered bridges across creeks are nice places to stop and take in a the rural countryside views. The trail is poorly marked in the town of Middlefield where you use streets for about half-mile before returning to the paved bike way. (We're familiar with the area and we still needed to use our GPS.) The last section of this trail is on a 2-lane rural road where, despite signs warning drivers of pedestrian use, vehicles whiz by a little too quickly. There's a nice mix of sunny meadows and shaded areas.
I rode 5.97 miles on an out-and-back ride on the Bruce G. Rinker Greenway through the Progressive Insurance Headquarters campus in Mayfield, Ohio. This is a very flat, wide asphalt pathway through a parklike setting.
Beside riding by the numerous Progressive Insurance buildings, you also pass by athletic fields, the Parkview Pool, the Mayfield Branch of the Cuyahoga County Public Library, the Grove Amphitheater, and part of an industrial/commercial park before ending up on the south end of the trail at the First Responders Memorial Trailhead at the Mayfield Village Fire Department. Since there is lots of recreational and business sites along this trail, the trail is busy, so don't expect to post record speeds while riding this trail.
Combine this trail with the All Purpose Trail in the Cleveland Metroparks' North Chagrin Reservation [across SOM Center Road (Rt. 91)] from the Progressive Insurance campus for a much longer ride.
The North Chagrin Reservation All Purpose Trail is a decent shaded trail that’s relatively flat except for the southern end of the trail which descends into/climbs out of the Chagrin River Valley.
I rode almost 14.5 miles on a complete out-and-back ride of the North Chagrin Reservation of the Cleveland Metroparks in Willoughby, Ohio. The trail is listed as only 4.2 miles long, however, if you follow all the trail spurs off the main north-south All Purpose Trail, and follow the Strawberry Pond Trail along SOM Center Road (Rt. 91) as shown in TrailLink's map then you quickly add additional miles to the 4.2 mile long All Purpose Trail that runs through the park.
My one complaint about this trail is that the All Purpose Trail from Strawberry Pond north to the Chardon Road Entrance should be repaved. There are lots of bumps due to tree root lifting, quite of few dips from water ponding on the trail, and even some rough spots due to erosion.
Combine this trail with the Bruce G. Rinker Greenway in the nearby Progressive Insurance Headquarters Campus [across SOM Center Road (Rt. 91)] from the North Chagrin Reservation for a much longer ride.
This trail is a real gem. You get to experience a great variety of scenery. The trail surface is paved and in pretty good shape, although there are some areas that could use a repaving. The route combines a rail trail with a city greenway, residential streets, and park trails. My biggest complaint has to do with the crossings of some of the more heavily traveled roads that the trail crosses; mostly in the Stow Loop. [Kent Rd. (Rt.59), Graham Rd., East Steels Corners Rd., Seasons Rd., and W. Aurora Rd. (Rt 82) in Sagamore Hills] Keep you eyes open and be aware of the drivers at these crossings. Twice I had a car stop to allow me to cross and people decided to pass around the stopped car as I was crossing. At one light where I was given a cross signal I had a car stop in the middle of the cross walk in front of me as I crossed. These crossings should be better marked, perhaps with signs with flashing lights at all of them with signage about stopping for all crossing cyclists. Regardless, I ride this trail several times a year because of the scenery.
I took a day to ride all 3 Segments of the Portage Hike & Bike Trail and here are my impressions.
---The Franklin Connector is the shortest and most isolated of the 3 segments of this trail. It does not connect to either of the other two segments, it does however connect to the Bike and Hike Trail of Summit County at Young Road. This segment is very flat and goes through a wetlands area. Looking at a map of the Kent area, it certainly appears that this segment could be extended eastward and connect up with the Towner's Woods Segment of the trail. The asphalt surface of this trail was rough in spots.
---The southern most segment of the Portage Hike and Bike is the Cuyahoga River/Kent State University segment. tThis segment follows the Cuyahoga River from Middlebury Road through Fred Fuller and John Brown Tannery Parks, then there is a short on-road sharrow section on Summit Street and Franklin Ave. to connect to a bike path that goes through downtown Kent, Ohio until you reach the University. You will then ride on the Lester A. Lefton Esplanade through Kent State University until you reach Dix Stadium on the eastern end of Campus. The trail is fairly flat except for the middle of the KSU campus where you have to climb a couple of hills. On the western end you can connect to the Freedom Trail after a short .2 mile bike lane and travel into Akron, Ohio. If you plan on riding the Esplanade through campus, I would suggest riding this segment of the trail during the summer when there are not many students on campus.
---The longest segment of this trail is the Towner's Woods Segment. It sort of connects to the Cuyahoga/KSU segment in Franklin Mills Riveredge Park. However, the path through this park is narrow and can be crowded with pedestrians. In addition there is a stairway where you would have to carry your bike through. This trail runs from downtown Kent through the northern end of Ravenna, Ohio and beyond it is very flat but has a number of street crossings in Ravenna. I have seen long range plans to someday try to extend this trail eastward to Warren, Ohio where it could connect with the Western Reserve Greenway. I have not seen any recent news that this extension is in progress.
If the three sections of this trail could be connected without any barriers, and the Towner's Wood Segment extended to the Western Reserve Greenway in Warren this trail would give county residents trail access to quite a wide portion of Ohio. This would then really be an All-Star Trail.
Took a quick out-and-back ride on the Freedom Trail from the Portage-Summit County Line near Kent, Ohio through the City of Tallmadge and on into Akron, Ohio. The Freedom Trail is a pleasant trail with a few gradual hills. My only complaints are there are quite a few road crossings as this old rail line crosses just south of the traffic circle in Tallmadge, and at this point the western end in Akron does not yet connect to the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
Heading N/E, first 1/3 mile out of Kent (Crain/Lake/water st intersection) pretty heavily washboarded. Remainder is relatively flat, with easy grades crossing over few roadways. Nice
This section connects to the Bike and Hike Trail which is part of the Summit County, Ohio Metropark System. I started at the eastern end of this trail segment at the Tenney Trailhead. Heading west, the Portage County portion of this trail ends at Spell Road. But the trail continues from there as the Bike and Hike Trail. I rode on the Summit Bike and Hike up to Young Road where in the past I have turned south on Young Road to ride on the Stow Loop of the Bike & Hike. This was a very flat trail that seemed to go through a wetlands area. My one complaint was the asphalt surface was somewhat rough in spots. This was a 4.03 mile round trip.
Maps indicate that if the Franklin Connector was extended further east it could connect to the "main line" portion of the Portage Bike and Hike. Such a connection would connect the cities of Kent and Ravenna to the Summit County Bike and Hike Trail and the Cleveland Metropark All Purpose Trail System.
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