Find the top rated dog walking trails in Lima, whether you're looking for an easy short dog walking trail or a long dog walking trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a dog walking trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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Had a very enjoyed day on the trail. There were more users on the trail, than I thought there would be… but everyone was spread out and hardly noticeable. The trail had some debris all along the trail, but nothing that made the trail impassable. Plenary of benches spread out… but the only restroom facility was an port-a-John at the very beginning of the trail in Marion.
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.
Nice easy path. There was one tree down that was easy to get around. We did our route on horse back.
I tried to ride from New Bremen to St. Mary’s. I read some reviews, but it wasn’t clear. I also talked via phone to someone who lives in New Bremen and he encouraged me to take the path. Well, 1 mile north of town it was just tall thick grass. Had to do a detour on busy roads
It was shady, somewhat protected from the wind, well maintained. Just a good, basic rail-trail.
I made the trek up from the Columbus area today to check out the Marion Tallgrass Trail. It's just over 12 miles long, and almost as straight as an arrow. For the first couple miles you are by farm fields, but there is at least a little bit of woods for most of the remaining 10 miles.
It's a tough call between 4 and 5 stars. Let's start with the positives. The woods make it peaceful, and shaded. And there is a lot of wildlife, especially for a trail that isn't exactly in the middle of a forest. I saw quite a few deer, a rabbits, squirrels, and a medium-large bird which walked (not flew) away from me; my best guess is it may have been a pheasant. There's more wildlife as you go west; this time of year may also be near peak wildlife season, shortly before the major hunting seasons begin. And best of all, the wildlife I encountered did not include the swarms of mosquitoes others mentioned (I visited in mid-October, on a day with a high in the low 60s).
On the not-quite-five-star side, are that it can be pretty windy (especially near the windmills on the east side; who'd have thought they'd put windmills in a windy place?), there are some bumps between miles 4 and 5 that could use smoothing out, and that aside from the wildlife, it's not an especially scenic trail. Oh, and the farm around mile 6 that uses natural fertilizer; it has usurped first place for worst-smelling place I've been by on a bike trail.
Comparing the level of scenicness to other regional trails, I'd put it ahead of the Heritage Trail in Hilliard, slightly behind the Richland County B&O Trail, and behind the Alum Creek Trail in Columbus, which despite being in a city is for the most part a very scenic trail.
Facilities are somewhat improved from what is on the TrailLink map; there is also a port-a-john around mile 8 (I didn't note the exact location), and there's a water fountain at the eastern trailhead (mile zero; I didn't verify that it is functional). The official site also lists parking at mile 8.4 (probably the same park area with the port-a-john), 1.75 (an ODNR grassy lot), and at the Espyville Baptist Church by mile 3.7, when church is not in session.
The other thing that's a bit odd about the trail is that it currently doesn't connect any population centers, despite its 12+ mile length. There are some dwellings nearby, but unless you're one of the few dozen people who live nearby (mostly in a trailer park around mile 5), you have to drive to the trail. Looking at a map, it's easy to see that the reason it can't easily be extended east is that there's an active rail yard to the east. Still, figuring out a way to extend it into Marion (population 35,000) would likely improve its visibility to a lot of people, and significantly increase ridership; it would also encourage out-of-towners like myself to stop in Marion.
We attempted to ride this trail in two different towns. The trail has not been kept up. Some areas had Thick Loose gravel and other areas it was a grassy field with no path. We couldn’t ride it. No stars can be given!
I ride the southern segments regularly. A good mix of small towns, urban, and scenic areas. The section along the canal to Rentchler forest is one of my favorites. Hopefully, construction on the Third Street Bridge in downtown Dayton will be finished soon, as the trail is closed on both sides of the river.
The Jim Simmons Memorial Trail in Marysville, Ohio is a recreational greenway that traverses park land along Mill Creek which connects to different streets in a large residential area of the city. It also connects the neighborhood with Marysville High School. There is a large bridge that crosses over US-36 that enables students to access the Marysville High School campus. This local paved recreational/commuter trail is in very good shape. If I were a Marysville resident I would like to see this route extended just a bit further east along Mill Creek from Schwartzkopf Park in order to connect to McCarthy Park. The Marysville Disc Golf Course is found in Mill Valley Park. Look for disc golf "holes" on both sides of the trail in that area.. Also look for the bald eagles' nest around mile marker 2.75.
This trail is very nice for a local recreational/commuting trail, and although it is not a rail trail, it is a trail that would be worthwhile checking out if you are in the Marysville area.
My wife and I did the section from Middletown to Miamisburg today. Parked at Carmody Road lot and traveled to downtown Miamisburg. Total time was 5 hours, however this includes a lunch break, sightseeing in Miamisburg and a historic log cabin. Scenic and well maintained we highly recommend this trail! Plenty to discover and enjoy!
If you're looking for a very easy, flat ride that traverses through lush, green countryside (at least in mid-August), this is one for you. Really, this trail was in remarkably good shape. It's extremely straight (we celebrated the 3 or 4 curves!). Very few walkers and just a few bikers on a Saturday morning. The trail is wide (8 - 10 ft) and there are spotless bathroom facilities at both ends. Park at the Black Swamp trail head--the trail head that's listed on Google Maps is at a Montessori school and there are signs posted there that prohibit parking. 26 - 27 miles out and back on the Slippery Elm.
We rode the Slippery Elm in the morning and then drove over to Providence Park in Grand Rapids, Ohio (about 20 minutes from Bowling Green) and rode about 5 miles out and back of the 10 mile gravel Towpath Ohio - Erie through the woods in the afternoon. Totally contrasting experiences--really nice for one full day of biking, about 37 miles total. Found a great restaurant in Bowling Green--"The Clay Pot"--for dinner. Highly recommended if you're looking for slightly upscale, delicious food!
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