Hamilton Beltline Recreational Trail

Ohio

3 Reviews

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 products. The first 2 phases are complete for a total of 1.5 miles of paved trail from Cleveland Avenue to B Street near Spooky Nook Champion Mill. The first half-mile of trail was completed in the summer of 2021 and another mile was added in 2022.

Already the trail is a popular place for families to get outside. Surrounded by greenery, it features a bridge over Two Mile Creek. As a bonus, there's an ice-cream shop on Eaton Avenue. Phase 3 is funded and is expected to be finished by 2024. A connection to the Great Miami River Trail is planned as part of phase 4.

Parking and Trail Access

Parking is available at Jim Grimm Park (1025 Cleveland Ave, Hamilton). Take Cleveland Avenue north to the start of the trail (1025 Cleveland Ave, Hamilton).

A Promising Trail That Needs Better Signage

July 2026 orangedoug

Two years ago I rode what is considered Phase 1 and 2 of the Hamilton Beltline Recreational Trail which runs west to east from Eaton Avenue to North B Street. I returned this year because I had read somewhere that a new phase of this trail had opened.

Once again I started from the center of the trail by parking in Jim Grimm Park. I rode east from this park toward the Great Miami River. Over the next half mile you descend about 50 feet in elevation until you reach North B Street. When you reach B Street, you will see the Grand Miami River and the Hamilton Electric Production power plant on the river's far side. As you come up to North B Street there are two signs – a stop sign and an End Bike Route sign. There is no indication that there is any additional part of the trail nearby and no sign indicating how you could connect to the Great Miami River Trail on the other side of the river. The last time I rode this trail, I noted to myself that the sidewalk along B Street was doubly-wide and might have been intended as a trail extension. However, I did not choose to investigate that possibility at that time. This time would be different because I wanted to see how easily I could connect to the Great Miami River Trail located on the east side of the river.

So I turned right, and rode down this wide sidewalk along B Street toward the Main Street Bridge. Many of the buildings here used to be part of the Champion Paper Mill upon whose rail corridors the Hamilton Beltline Recreational Trail is being built. Many of the Mill's buildings have been repurposed into other businesses such as a hotel, a conference center, a restaurant, a sporting goods store, a gym & training center, and an indoor sports complex. As I came to the end of the Champion Mill building there was a parking lot between it and the Great Miami Rowing Center Boat House. Once again I could see the Great Miami River, but on the other side of the Boat House parking lot, for the first time, I saw a trail. I cut across B Street and through the parking lot to get onto that trail. I continued toward Main Street on this trail segment, which in turn, gave me access to the Main Street Bridge and the ability to connect to the Great Miami River Trail. Later, upon my return to the west side of the river, I would ride this section of trail in its entirety. It ran behind all of the buildings on the river side of B Street from the Main Street Bridge to the Black Street Bridge. Again, let me emphasize that there are no signs indicating that this part of the "Beltline" exists either on the Great Miami River Trail on the east side of the river or on the portion of the "Beltline" that runs between Eaton Avenue and North B. Street. I think that there should a signs on both sides of the Great Miami River near the Main Street indicating that you can connect to another trail on the other side of the river. I also think that the gap between where the trail ends at B Street and where it picks up again at the Black Street Bridge needs to be connected by an additional trail section. The satellite view on Google Earth seems to indicate that the old rail bed still exists between these two segment end points. Filling this 4/10ths of a mile gap would eliminate the need for signs to help trail users to navigate this current gap.

I look forward to coming back to ride this trail again in the future, once Phase 4 of the trail from Eaton Avenue to Main Street is completed.

A Nice Local Trail in Need of Further Development

July 2024 orangedoug

After parking in Hamilton, Ohio's Jim Grimm Park located on Cleveland Avenue, I rode 2.4 miles on an out-and-back ride on the Hamilton Beltline Recreational Trail. The current trail is a combination of the first and second phases of a planned 3.5 mile loop on the west bank of the Great Miami River. Eventually plans include an off-road connection to the Great Miami River Recreational Trail located on the east bank of the river.

Jim Grimm Park which is located in the center of the current 1.15 mile trail. The trail runs between Eaton Avenue and North B Street which runs along the Great Miami River. This tree-lined trail runs through a ravine in which Twomile Creek runs toward emptying into the Great Miami River. This asphalt trail is in very good condition and seems to be popular with walkers and joggers. I think that it would probably get more cyclists riding it if the entire planned loop were to be completed. This would include completing an off-road or separated bike lane along B Street and over either the Black Street or Main Street bridges in order to connect to the Great Miami River Recreational Trail. Early plans of the trail’s route showed a trail connection to these bridges along the banks of the Great Miami River. However, when I reached B Street there was a sign indicating the end of the trail and there was no indication of any route paralleling B street to the bridges. However, after looking at a photo I took at B Street, and also looking at images from Google Earth, the sidewalk on the west side of B Street appears to have been widened to accommodate both pedestrian and bike traffic. I may have to ride this trail again to explore this possibility.

From what little research I’ve done, the other phases of the project to extend the trail beyond Eaton Ave. are well behind schedule so perhaps local interest in completing the trail has waned. The Hamilton Beltline Recreational Trail seems to be a trail that local residents like, but at this time, it is not one I would recommend going out of your way to ride.

Trail is now 1.15 miles in length with easy access at both ends and in the middle. Short length but pleasant ride.