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I rode from WCH to Hopewell Mounds and back (50 mi) and found the trail to be very enjoyable, scenic and worth doing. The trickiest part is navigating the portion where the trail winds through multiple industrial parks and then dumps you on Robinson Rd for a stretch. Had the map noted there is parking lot by Shaw Wetlands- the place where you turn off the street, it would have been the ideal starting point. Please add. I note that if you magnify that area significantly the parking is noted in blue. You wouldn’t know unless you are searching for it. Otherwise very enjoyable
I like this trail quite a bit. There were a number of interesting things to see along the route -- the Clarence J. Brown dam and reservoir, Old Reid Park, the Springfield Art Museum, Veterans Park Amphitheatre, and Wittenberg University. The trail surface is well maintained and I did not see any poor conditions or concerns that were expressed in a previous review. Getting across the dam on the Engineers Road was a challenge due to a very strong headwind. The trail seemed pretty quite for a Thursday afternoon, but that might have been because of the recent change in the weather that put a chill in the air. I saw a number of cyclists out by the reservoir but not a one on my way into, nor back from Springfield. There were a number of pedestrians I passed by in town. I think that this trail probably gets a lot of use in the summer.
Since this trail intersects with the Simon Kenton Trail I will be back in the area once again. I did see one sign that stated if you wanted to connect with the Little Miami River Trail follow the signs, but I did not see any signs suggesting an actual route. In fact, I would not have known that the one bridge over the Buck Creek trail actually carried the Simon Kenton Trail at all if not for the fact that there was one small spur off of the trail near this bridge that I decided to explore. There definitely needs to be better signage to and from all connecting trails in this town.
This is a nice trail which many might label as boring because there are no real turns or hills. What I liked about the trail was it certainly appears that the city of Hilliard and Franklin County are using this rail trail as a spine to a much larger citywide cycling network with many spurs and bike lanes connecting to neighborhoods and parks along its length.
I would like to see this trail extended out to nearby Plain City. In the long, long-term perhaps the Metro Parks could extend the Darby Creek Trail this far north to make a connection somewhere by Three Mile Creek near Plain City.
I rode both the Battelle Darby Creek and the Prairie Oaks Metro Parks sections of this trail. Interstate 70 and U.S. 40 seem to be the obstacles to connecting these trails. The trail surface is gravel that varies in size from crushed to medium-sized rocks with some areas well compacted and others very soft. Definitely not recommended for road bikes with skinny tires. I don't think the trail surface will be upgraded to something better as the trail intersects with bridle trails within these metro parks. Much of the land in these two metro parks has been reverted back to prairie vegetation and restoration. As a result riding or hiking this trail in the late Summer or Fall might not be enjoyable for those who suffer from seasonal allergies. I would love to see the current parts of this trail connected and then also expanded further north to connect with the Heritage Rail Trail in Hilliard or Plain City, Ohio and further south to connect to the Camp Chase Trail and then beyond to Harrisburg or Orient, Ohio.
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.)
My wife and I took this trail on recently. It is definitely rustic compared to the asphalted bikeways we are used to. Not being paved it has its share of tree roots and adventure navigating the path. Thus, I would call it a “real” trail in the same vein that I would call the old cinder high school tracks “real” tracks! Give it a shot. Very enjoyable!
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.
Three of us rode from the west side of Chillicothe to Austin and found it to be a terrific trail. Nice and wide, sunny stretches, shady stretches, great scenery, a few hills that even we could handle, and the Dairy Cone in Frankfort was refreshing stop. There were a couple spots where roots had pushed the pavement up but they were minor and were similar to the spots on the Hockhocking Adena but not as bad as the ones on the Alum Creek Greenway. We look forward to riding this trail more.
Which is one of the 2 greatest elevation changes in the whole OtEt, although it really doesn't feel that way from S to N. More so the other way as you go uphill longer. (The other being on the roads from Fredericksburg to Dalton.) I went from the "orphaned" section from Meradith to N County Line, south of Huffman through the mile and 1/2 and then used the roads to get to the main line at Huffman. Then went all the way to Danville. This trail ends right past the Ariel Foundation Park, which is a worthy place to stop and check out. The tower climb and picture taking is nice. I'm really hoping they'll connect the 2 sections on the southern end, and someone will realize that putting a trail on 36 off the right side of the road for the 2-3 miles along US 36 from Sunbury to the Heart of Ohio Trial would be great!
Rode this morning from outside WCH at the Wetlands, to Frankfort, about 30 miles roundtrip. Nice group of volunteers wanting to improve the trail surface which has been rutted due to roots from adjoining trees. Too bad the Country does not do more to keep this up and provide maintenance. I mean I came from Texas to ride this trail with my nephew, and spent some money in the local towns. Very nicely mowed and maintained rest stops.
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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