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Print Friendly MapThe Heartland Trail is a developing rail-trail project that will one day connect the northeastern Ohio communities of Orrville and Clinton. A mile of the pathway is already on the ground in Orrville, beginning at the downtown trailhead, just 3 blocks from the Orrville Historical Museum on Depot Street. The trail then threads northward through the downtown business district and the Orrville Dog Park before terminating near Hostetler Road.
The next phase of the trail opened in September 2019 and spans 2.4 miles between Forrer Road in Orrville and the Village of Marshallville.
Once the trail reaches Clinton, it will connect to the Ohio & Erie Towpath Trail, which spans more than 80 miles from Cleveland to Bolivar.
The Orrville Historical Museum features restrooms, benches and a drinking fountain. Its parking lot is at the corner of West Market Street and Depot Street.
You can also park at the Orrville Dog Park on Ella Street. A paved path leads to the trail.
In Marshallville
The Heartland trail's pavement currently ends in Marshallville. However, the park district keeps the next 4 miles mowed. You have to go off trail on worn paths to get around gates that are installed to keep vehicles off the trail. The park district plans to have this 4 mile section paved in 2026. It was fun to ride this section. Of course this requires a bike that is able to ride on grass/gravel.
Stopped at this trail while traveling (by auto) in the area. Trail is 2.5 miles in length, and asphalt paved in very good condition. We parked in Marshallville and went North about a half mile where the trail ends. We traveled South on the trail towards Orrville and that section is approx 2 miles in length and ends at Forrer Road. Pretty countryside. The trail is mainly open through farmlands. Horse friendly, ride along side of the trail in the dirt/grass. Nice little trail will someday connect with the other section in Orrville.
Nice short trail close to home
This is an awesome scenic ride (very flat), but very short. It is fantastic for scenic exercise (went back and forth a few times)
this trail is under construction and is short. but, will be very nice when finished. already a lot of family usage. much needed for the area. very scenic and an easy ride for little ones.
I waited for the rain to pass and still had to deal with sprinkles to check this short little trail off my list of TrailLink.com’s Ohio listed trails. The Heartland trail is under development and will achieve two major goals. First, it will fill in an on-road section of the Ohio to Erie Trail route and move it on to trail from Fredericksburg to Clinton and connect the Holmes County Trail with the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail. Secondly, this trail when completed will also be a piece of the RTC’s nationwide rail trail route, The Great American Rail Trail, as it makes its way through Ohio.
The trail is so short right now it probably is unfair to evaluate it. Presently, it travels through Orrville, Ohio’s Dog Park and parallels Main Street as a widened sidewalk up to a parking lot just south of Hostetler Road. I believe that the current map on TrailLink.com is incorrect as it shows the southern part of the trail in Orrville as an on-road route down N. Ella Street to W. Market Street. However, Sterling Avenue coming out of the Dog Park is signed as a bike route and is marked with sharrows. Once you reach W. Market Street, if you turn left and ride one block down to Depot Street you will arrive at Orville’s Union Station and a new trailhead for the Heartland Trail. In addition, the present map here at TrailLink.com doesn’t show what appears to be a fairly new trailhead with bathroom facilities.
There's great potential in this trail already, I can't wait until it begins connecting to nearby towns. Only two stars for now because of its current length.
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