Find the top rated trails in Sidney, whether you're looking an easy walking path or a long bike trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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The 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 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...
More than half of the smooth, flat, 6.1-mile Heritage Rail-Trail has a parallel 4-mile horse trail. The equestrian corridor starts at Hayden Run Road and continues northwest to the Cemetery Pike...
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 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 Great Miami River Trail is the backbone of one of the nation’s largest paved trail networks, spanning 340 miles throughout Ohio’s Miami Valley. The route connects beautiful natural areas, small...
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 Cardinal Greenway, the longest rail-trail in Indiana, stretches just over 61 miles from Marion to Richmond along a former CSX railroad corridor. In 2018, the trail became an inductee into the...
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Ohio’s Miami River Valley, with 340 miles of off-road trails, is home to one of the nation’s largest paved trail networks. The trails connect cities and small towns; link to cultural, educational, and...
The Franklin Township Greenway Trail runs on flat terrain through conservation, agriculture and residential areas just beyond the southern shoreline of Grand Lake, Ohio’s largest inland lake. Portions...
The Celina Coldwater Bikeway is an early rail-with-trail project from the 1980s. Long a popular trail, users follow the Penn Central Railroad between the village of Coldwater and the city of Celina,...
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 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 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...
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...
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...
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...
The Greenville Creek Trail is a nice, albeit short, retreat through suburban Greenville. The paved path follows its namesake creek, passing under streets and linking neighborhood parks with downtown....
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)...
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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 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 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...
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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 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...
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 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 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 Great Miami River Trail is the backbone of one of the nation’s largest paved trail networks, spanning 340 miles throughout Ohio’s Miami Valley. The route connects beautiful natural areas, small...
The Franklin Township Greenway Trail runs on flat terrain through conservation, agriculture and residential areas just beyond the southern shoreline of Grand Lake, Ohio’s largest inland lake. Portions...
The Celina Coldwater Bikeway is an early rail-with-trail project from the 1980s. Long a popular trail, users follow the Penn Central Railroad between the village of Coldwater and the city of Celina,...
Mad River Trail offers a paved, 7-mile route along its namesake river in northeastern Dayton and is part of one of the nation's largest network of paved, off-street trails. Its western end begins...
The Greenville Creek Trail is a nice, albeit short, retreat through suburban Greenville. The paved path follows its namesake creek, passing under streets and linking neighborhood parks with downtown....
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...
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...
The Cardinal Greenway, the longest rail-trail in Indiana, stretches just over 61 miles from Marion to Richmond along a former CSX railroad corridor. In 2018, the trail became an inductee into 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 Marion Tallgrass Trail is a developing rail-trail which will extend from Marion westward on a former Erie Lackawanna Railway corridor. The line was part of the Erie Lackawanna’s main line that...
The Little Miami Scenic Trail is a jewel in the crown of Ohio rail-trails, spanning just over 78 miles from the outskirts of Cincinnati to Springfield over historical bridges and through tranquil...
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 Marion Tallgrass Trail is a developing rail-trail which will extend from Marion westward on a former Erie Lackawanna Railway corridor. The line was part of the Erie Lackawanna’s main line that...
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 Great Miami River Trail is the backbone of one of the nation’s largest paved trail networks, spanning 340 miles throughout Ohio’s Miami Valley. The route connects beautiful natural areas, small...
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)...
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...
Seamlessly spanning the 35.5-mile distance between the Ohio communities of Bellefontaine and Springfield, the Simon Kenton Trail presents visitors with ample opportunities for recreation and wildlife...
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 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 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 Little Miami Scenic Trail is a jewel in the crown of Ohio rail-trails, spanning just over 78 miles from the outskirts of Cincinnati to Springfield over historical bridges and through tranquil...
Mad River Trail offers a paved, 7-mile route along its namesake river in northeastern Dayton and is part of one of the nation's largest network of paved, off-street trails. Its western end begins...
The Greenville Creek Trail is a nice, albeit short, retreat through suburban Greenville. The paved path follows its namesake creek, passing under streets and linking neighborhood parks with downtown....
The Celina Coldwater Bikeway is an early rail-with-trail project from the 1980s. Long a popular trail, users follow the Penn Central Railroad between the village of Coldwater and the city of Celina,...
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 Franklin Township Greenway Trail runs on flat terrain through conservation, agriculture and residential areas just beyond the southern shoreline of Grand Lake, Ohio’s largest inland lake. Portions...
The 15-mile Creekside Trail is part of a network of more than 340 miles of trails that travel throughout Ohio’s scenic Miami Valley. The route follows a nature-filled corridor offering many...
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 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...
Ohio’s Miami River Valley, with 340 miles of off-road trails, is home to one of the nation’s largest paved trail networks. The trails connect cities and small towns; link to cultural, educational, and...
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...
This former rail line is flat, straight and desolate. Outside of the few miles within Xenia and Jamestown, you are riding between fields of corn or soybeans. Considering that you are surrounded by farms, the trail is surprisingly tree covered for much of its length which I'm sure is a blessing during the summer. At this time of year, there were a lot of acorns and black walnuts on the trail where the trees were the thickest. I suppose that could pose an issue for the tires of some types of bikes.
While there were lots of cyclists out and about when I arrived in Xenia, this trail was lightly travelled. I saw only 3 people while traveling out and back throughout the entire length of the trail. I think that this trail could become much more popular if it was extended into Washington Courthouse, Ohio to connect to the Paint Creek Recreational Trail that extends all the way to Chillicothe, Ohio. (Google Earth shows the undeveloped route of this old rail line.)
As I was told by a local resident, this is the preferred route Xenia residents use to connect between the Creekside and Little Miami Scenic Trails as it avoids the bike lane on busy Detroit Street in Xenia. Listed here on TrailLink as .3 miles my tracking between the two trails came in at 1.25 miles. I think that TrailLink measured from Fairground Road on the fairgrounds to the Creekside Trail rather than the entire length of the connection between the two trails. There is a small residential on-street section from Alameda Drive to the McDonald's on Detroit Street. I imagine that this trail probably is closed during the Greene County Fair. Again this is one of those trails that might be important locally, but not a trail people would travel to Xenia to ride, so why is it listed here?
I rode this trail at the end of August 2018. The trail itself is very flat and straight. This 5.5 mile paved pathway runs east-west through the city. It is marked with mileage posts every tenth of a mile in both the east and west direction with the starting point being the west bank of the Great Miami River. What I found surprising is other than the half mile through the Piqua Central Business District, you don't really feel that you are biking along through a city. Most of the pathway is tree and shrub lined. The section through the business district is well-marked, and highly visible with good street crossings so this stretch is not hard to ride. I would categorize this trail as a community recreational trail, but when combined with the Great Miami River Trail, and the Hydraulic Canal Run Pathway a large loop is formed that travels through and around the city.
If you look for this trail on Google Earth or Google Maps you may find it labeled as the Ohio to Indiana Trail. That is also the name given to the Tecumseh Trail Multi-use Path that runs from Gettysburg, OH to Bradford, OH and the Greenville Creek Trail in Greenville, OH west of Piqua. Obviously, these trails have been created out of the same rail line. Hopefully, there are plans to connect them over time to make one much larger trail. This route was part of the route President Abe Lincoln's Funeral train took from Columbus, Ohio to Urbana, Ohio to Richmond, Indiana and then eventually on to his final resting place in Springfield, Illinois. It would be really cool if this entire route in Ohio could be converted into a trail commemorating this tragic historic event.
31 Aug 2018Rode this trail today. Nice ride, but trail needs some work. Lots of bumps and seams that need repair. But still a nice ride.
The Tecumseh Trail is pleasant enough and connects the Northwest portion of New Carlisle, Ohio to Smith Park, a wetlands area along Honey Creek, the New Carlisle Cemetery, and the New Carlisle Sport and Fitness Center. It is roughly a 2.5 mile long path that could make for a relaxed after work, or early evening ride or run. The only complaint I have about this trail is about the crossing over S. Main Street (Route 235). Despite a system of user-activated flashing lights at the crossing almost no driver stopped to allow me to cross the road. Be cautious when trying to cross this road!
From my observations on Google maps this rail line originally connected New Carlisle to the cities of Troy and Springfield, Ohio. I do not know if any group is looking to make a connection to either one of these cities using this old rail corridor.
The this old railroad route through Ohio's Darke County is significant as this was the route that President Abraham Lincoln's Funeral Train took as passed through from Columbus, Ohio to Richmond, Indiana on its way to Lincoln's final resting spot in Springfield, Illinois. For this reason alone efforts should be made by Darke County and the State of Ohio to buy up the parts of the route that not part of the Darke County Park System and convert the rail bed into a proper trail. The current trail sections that are developed are pleasant but don't yet lead to any areas that are developed, such as the towns of Bradford, Gettysburg, and Greenville. the current on-road sections of this route are on lightly traveled paved farm country roads. They are very flat, but do not have any shoulders at all. The current mapped route shown here at TrailLink suggests riding the trail west of Gettysburg by riding east along US 36 to Gettysburg-Pitsburg Road and then left onto Hahn Road. US 36 is a very busy and fast roadway with lots of traffic. Although the shoulders along this roadway are wide you can avoid riding along it altogether if you follow the bike route along W. Main Street in Gettysburg and cross US 36 onto Mill Road and then on to Hahn. On the eastern end the current TrailLink map shows the trail route ending south of Bradford when you reach South Miami Street (Rte 721). I suggest going into Bradford to take a look at its Y-Yard Park, particularly if you are a railroad buff. I suggest using Harrison Avenue to take a less busy road into town and then left on School Street to reach the park. Google Earth and Google Maps currently label this trail the Ohio to Erie Trail which is what they also call the Piqua City Linear Park as well. Obviously there is a railroad connection between these two trails and work should be done to connect them.
I rode the Hydraulic Canal Run Path in August of 2018. What I found interesting about this trail, which follows the canal's original towpath, was that a good part of the canal along the trail was still preserved. It is obviously, used for recreation as I saw people fishing and kayaking in the canal and associated lakes. What was also interesting was how the canal was actually elevated above the nearby neighborhoods. There are also a cemetery (Forest Hill) and a park (Fountain Park) to the east of the trail route. I would categorize this trail as a community recreational trail, but when combined with the Piqua City Linear Park, and the Great Miami River Trail a large loop is formed that travels through and around the city. For those approaching Piqua from the south on the Great Miami River Trail it certainly would make for a more interesting ride rather than simply turning around when they reached the end of the GMRT.
The Union City Gateway Trail is a tribute to this Indiana-Ohio border town's railroad history. Union City has preserved it's old train station and celebrates it's unique status as a two state city on this trail. While the trail has some unique and interesting features it's short length make it nothing more than a local recreational trail. Only railroad buffs and perhaps trail completists are likely to travel any distance to check out this trail. Previous reviewer Rich Ballash thinks that the trail could be extended to nearby Greenville, but given the rural nature of the area I see that an unlikely proposition unless Darke County Commissioners get a healthy dose of Clean Ohio Fund Money from the state legislature. Besides, I think that the county government is more likely to look to extend the Ohio to Indiana Trail or Ohio Bike Route 36 before extending this small little trail.
I rode this trail as part of a plan to ride all Ohio trails listed at TrailLink.com. The northern-most trailhead is located at the back of Graceland Cemetery in Sydney, Ohio. When you enter the cemetery keep driving to the left and back of the cemetery to find the parking lot. I'm not sure how old this trail is but it is currently well maintained and well marked with distance and historical markers. At present this trail is best described as a local recreational trail. There is potential to expand this trail south to Lockington and on to Piqua, Ohio where it could connect to larger regional destination trail the Great Miami River Trail. I hope local and county leaders and trail partners see this as a goal!
This is a long post to give details for those who want to use the trail in Richmond. I live in Richmond and have walked this trail with my dog regularly for about five years. It’s very well maintained but there are some tricks to accessing and using it. It’s not the trail terminus, but Union Pike is the simplest trailhead to get to if you’re driving in, especially from I-70. Directions there are at the bottom of the post. This is the only trailhead in Richmond that has water. There’s a water fountain that’s turned on except during the winter. This is also the only trailhead in Richmond where I remember seeing porta-potties. My biggest request would be for more bathrooms and water fountains along the way. These access points run south to north. NUMBER 1 TIP: The Whitewater River runs north to south and divides Richmond in half. The Cardinal Greenway follows the river the whole way through Richmond. Find the river on the map and you can find the Greenway right alongside. On the south end of town, the Greenway is on the west side of the river. It crosses the river at several points along the way. NUMBER 2 TIP: Make sure you double check the names of streets. There are N, S, NW, and SW (but not NE or SE). if you’re trying to navigate through town just make sure you’re where you need to be. WHITEWATER GORGE TRAIL This is the oldest and southern-most part of the Cardinal Greenway. It’s been around for a few decades, built by a local trail group. I’m not sure if the Cardinal Greenway oversees it, but I consider it part of the Greenway. It’s a paved trail that goes through a gorge that’s mostly wooded parkland along the river. This has a couple hills and some unpaved side trails that can be fun to explore if you’re into off-road biking, hiking, or fishing. This is not counted as part of the Greenway on the TrailLinks map, but still has about 2 miles of nice trail with interesting views and even some wildlife occasionally. It’s not flat the whole way so if you want less challenging landscape, skip ahead to the D Street Trailhead. That being said, it’s not real rugged either. TEST ROAD The best way to access this trailhead is from Abington Pike. From National Road/Route 40, go south on Southwest 2nd Street (this becomes Abington Pike). You’ll take this for about 2 miles, then turn left onto Test Road. In about a quarter mile, the trailhead parking will be on your left. They just added a gate here and the sign says it’s closed dusk to dawn, so if you park your car there be sure to be out of there by nightfall so you don’t get locked in. RICHMOND HIGH SCHOOL - HUB ETCHISON PARKWAY You can access the trail from a long staircase at the parking lot across the street from Richmond High School on Hub Etchison Parkway. Coming from the north, the school is on the right and the parking lot is on the left side of the street. It’s a school parking lot, but even if you go when school is in session you should be okay. I always park right next to the staircase and I’ve never had trouble. The staircase is in the tree line. There should be a big green sign at the top of the stairs. You could haul a bike down it if you wanted, but it’s probably not the best place. It’s fine if you’re on foot. At the bottom of the stairs, turn right to go south to Test Road and through the more natural (though still paved) part of the trail, or turn left to go north toward downtown Richmond. VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK From East Main Street, at the railroad bridge that has a big “RICHMOND” sign, turn north. You’ll drive down a hill and toward the memorials. You can park there and take the trail south. There is a building with bathrooms and water fountains, but they’re usually not open. They’re supposed to connect this to the rest of the Cardinal Greenway to the north with a staircase, but that’s not finished yet. (An unofficial trail tip: If you’re on foot, you can keep walking north of the parking lot through a grass field. To the right is a big hill. If you walk up that very steep hill where there’s a worn path, you can get to the D Street trailhead parking lot.) STAR-GENNETT BUILDING If you turn south on South 1st Street by the bridge that has the big “RICHMOND” sign, you’ll wind up at a parking lot for the Star-Gennett building where pianos were manufactured 100 years ago. There was also a music recording studio that made jazz and country records. You can’t go inside the building except for special events, but you can use the parking lot any time. Head south on the Greenway to go to Test Road. You can see nice markers commemorating musicians who recorded there, including Louis Armstrong. If you go north on the Greenway you’ll end up at the the Veterans Memorial Park. Along the way you’ll go under some large bridges and you can read some historical markers. It’s a pretty nice part of the trail. You definitely know you’re in a town, but you’re below it all in a partly wooded area. It’s great for a nice short walk with a good flavor of local history. If you’re looking for more quiet and solitude, you may want to go farther north or south. If you’re on foot, you can access the Star-Garnett building area via a stairwell on the bridge on the south side of South A Street/Route 40. D STREET TRAILHEAD This is considered downtown, but it’s on a small side street. The best way to get there is on North 5th Street. Near the intersection with Richmond Avenue, find North D Street, a little side street a block and a half long (NOT the big North D Street that exentends from Richmond Ave. I have no idea why there are two North D Streets a block apart!) The trailhead is straight ahead at the end of this short street. This is the easiest access point if you have a bike trailer. There’s a bike shop very close to the trail here as well. They have a cafe here, but I don’t use it enough to be able to review it. They may have water, I just don’t know for sure. You can access this trailhead by taking North A Street around the front of the post office then turning north on North 3rd Street, but this way can be more confusing. SPRINGWOOD PARK You can park your car here and go up a steep switchback to get to the Greenway. From Waterfall Road, enter the park and drive past the entire lake and to the large parking lot near the closed-in pavilion. The paved trail to the Greenway is on the south end of the parking lot. UNION PIKE From Industries Road (just south of I-70 Exits 151 and 149A), turn south on Union Pike. Drive until you come to a crosswalk with flashing yellow lights. This is the trailhead. You can park there and get right on the trail. INDUSTRIES ROAD This is an old trailhead and is closed off to traffic with barriers. DO NOT PARK HERE. There is some exercise equipment where the parking lot used to be.
I drive 7 hours to cycle this trail. Typically start in Xenia, but have started in other towns. Loveland is also a favorite. This trail is one of my absolute favorites. Great surface, plenty of places to stop for breaks.
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