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Print Friendly MapClosure Notice: The trail is closed north of Nisbet Park in Loveland, OH where it crosses O'Bannon Creek. Please see the Miami Valley Trails site or Friends of the Little Miami Scenic Trail for more current information.
Overview
The Little Miami Scenic Trail is a jewel in the crown of Ohio rail-trails, spanning nearly 78 miles between the outskirts of Cincinnati and Springfield over historical bridges and through tranquil state parks, charming small towns, and stunning natural habitats. In addition to walking and biking use, equestrians are permitted on the trail within Greene County.
About the Route
The trail's northern endpoint is located in the heart of Springfield, a town of 50,000 people with dining and convenience options. The trail heads south from here through the suburbs, where the trail backs up to several backyards, although at a berth.
After the trail leaves the suburbs of Springfield, the route enters a more rural space. The trail corridor itself here is shaded over by a cover of trees but the surrounding landscape is mostly flat sprawling farms dotted with houses.
7 miles from the northern endpoint is Yellow Springs, which offers a small downtown with a number of quirky shops and restaurants as well as a reminder of the trail's railroad past, Yellow Springs Station which now houses the town's Chamber of Commerce. The trail here also passes the Glen Helen Nature Preserve and Antioch College.
South of Yellow Springs, the trail heads through some tranquil wooded areas before reaching Xenia, a town that offers another old railroad station and numerous trail connections. Just to the south is the town of Corwin and Caesar Creek State Park, which offers more than 70 miles of hiking and bridle trails as well as canoe rentals.
There is a lot of ground to cover between Morrow and Xenia, but trail users should stop by Fort Ancient State Memorial, home to a large museum and 3.5 miles of mounds built by the Fort Ancient tribe. Near the town of Morrow, with its railroad depot and an ancient (but safe) iron trestle, the trail congestion ebbs.
The trail also crosses "Old Loveland" where the quaint, older section of town is jam-packed with stores, cafes, and a bike shop. The trail is busy here, and traffic remains constant past the Jeremiah Morrow Bridge and all the way to Hamilton Township's Fosters Park, where you'll find parking, and restrooms. As the trail heads toward Milford, a 2,500-foot-long bridge carries trail users south. The bridge, which carries I-71 and is named after a former governor, is the highest bridge in Ohio—a twin-deck, arch-truss bridge looming 239 feet above the river and the trail.
For most of the southern portion of the route, the Little Miami River accompanies the trail. After the trail passes Milton, it heads south on a bridge over US 50 and heads towards Avoca Park in the village of Terrace Park, which offers a plethora of natural greenspace.
In Newtown, the trail passes the Little Miami Golf Center and then Clear Creek Park, which offers a picnic pavilion and numerous athletic fields.
Shortly after this, the trail reaches its southern endpoint as it crosses the Little Miami River over the Beechmont Bridge, but trail users may continue along a number of trails from here.
Connections
At the trail's northern end in Springfield, the Little Miami Scenic Trail meets the Simon Kenton Trail and the Buck Creek Trail (OH).
In Xenia, the trail crosses with many other trails including the Prairie Grass Trail, Creekside Trail, Towler Road Spur, and the James Ranch Connecting Spur.
In South Lebanon, the trail intersects with the Lebanon Countryside YMCA Trail.
At the trail's southern end, the route meets two different loop trails, the Armleder Park Trail and the Lunken Airport Trail.
The Little Miami Scenic Trail is a significant section of the cross-state Ohio to Erie Trail, which travels from the Ohio River in Cincinnati to Lake Erie in Cleveland on more than 270 miles of off-road trails.
The Little Miami Scenic Trail is part of the Miami Valley Trails, a series of interconnected trails in the Dayton Metro Area and surrounding western Ohio.
The Little Miami Scenic Trail runs between W Jefferson St & S Center St (Springfield) and Beechmont Ave, Otto Armleder Trail (Anderson).
Parking is available at:
There are numerous parking options along this route, see TrailLink Map for all parking options and detailed directions.
We rode from Beatty Station near Springfield south to Xenia station on 4/9/2024. We liked the trail just fine. Not too many road crossings, paved, rail trail grades, etc. If headed south, when you get to Xenia be aware that the trail turns right at a street with virtually no signage except for a sign that said Xenia Station .5 straight ahead. So we stayed straight ahead which encompassed the sidewalks of Xenia instead of the actually bike path. Other than that mixup we were happy with the trail. We hope to do the rest of it at a future date.
Still closed at Cartridge Brewing but can pass through.
Rode south and then north from Yellow Springs. Great trail, well maintained. Yellow Springs has a lot to offer, including the Yellow Springs Brewery right off the trail!
Greatest place ever is Loveland Ohio to launch this trail. Just go and enjoy.
Nice mix of rural, suburban and city riding. Wide asphalt and lots of leafy cover. Nice bike lane in Xenia and good ice cream in Spring Valley. However, there are dozens of road crossings both city and rural where cross traffic does not stop or yield. The street/ road crossings are also very rough and you'll be on the brakes often.
The trail is as beautiful as advertised. I have ridden it many times from both the Newtown, Milford, and Loveland, Ohio trailheads. Access is very easy. Lots of shops and restaurants in Loveland right along the trail. In October, 2022, the trail connector from the Newton, Ohio trailhead south to the Lunken Airport and Armleder trails was officially opened. Cyclists can now park at the airport terminal and access the trail which runs in front of the terminal, or, get on River Road and ride into downtown Cincinnati along the river.
Great trail but if you’re not a local, finding a place to jump on the trail can be tricky. Recommend Loveland. Would be great to have more hotels nearby the trail. Something to aspire to!
Yellow Springs is a lively little town and we were pleased to be camped so close to be able to take advantage of it. We rode the trail from Yellow Springs to Xenia. I expected to be riding along the Little Miami river, but picked the wrong trail section. My bad. The trail is paved and runs through farm land which got a little boring for my liking. There were plenty of riders who seemed to be happy to be putting away the miles just for the sake of riding. I also had the expectation that Xenia was a ‘trail town’, but we struggled to find a place for lunch and wished we had not gone so far. We will return again and ride the river section next time.
Trail surface in super condition; mostly dappled shade. Quiet on a Monday in late May. Great place to stay in YS is Arthur Morgan B&B; we’ve been there several times and enjoy the town.
We did Avoca Park to Lake Isabella Park on this trail today. About 20 miles round trip. It was an absolute beauty of a ride. The trail is wide and well maintained. There are lots of toilet spots and it only crosses a handful of small, low-traffic roads. I highly recommend this ride.
We ride this trail very often from Corwin to Yellow Springs and love this portion of the Trail. We went North of Yellow Springs for the 1st time this past weekend heading to Urbana. for the 1st time we felt unsafe on the trails in Springfield. We have been on 100's of miles of the trails all over Dayton, Troy, Miamisburg, Piqua, Loveland, Morrow, Beavercreek, Xenia. I have never feared being on the path with my husband. This was the 1st time we made it a point to turn around before getting to our planned stopping point to be sure we had the energy to keep a steady pace to get back through an area without slowing or stopping. homeless, graffiti, glass on trail, we love riding but will not go on this portion of trail again. I want to be clear it was only the Springfield area. If going North of Yellow Springs I would stop at I believe it was called Beatty Park, skip Springfield and hope back on at a different time north of Springfield. I will Note that we never passed any other bike riders in this area in either direction, which we have never encountered being completely alone for a few miles.
Scary sections of the trail. My husband and I road the trail starting in Corwin to Springfield. Several sections of the trail we went thru were questionable areas. On more then one occasion we were harassed by random homeless people. This can be very scary when out on the trail in the middle of nowhere . I recommend taking some sort of protection with you. I don’t know about the other sections of the trail but we will not be riding these parts ever again. Also, large sections of the trail were overgrown with lots of sticks and brush on the trail. I did not feel safe riding this trail
Did a 50 mile out and back from trailhead start off highway 32. I’d say 80% in the shade even in the heat of the day. A few places to get water. Lots of places to eat right off the trail. Pretty easy to ride hard, not a lot of traffic. I’m not a big trail rider but this one is pretty good.
Wide trail, blacktop, woodsy trail with stops at towns. Easy riding, highly recommend, safe area. Highly recommend the brewery for lunch. About 8 miles from Newton, right on the trail. Loved this trail. Rode 35.5 miles, starts Rt 32, at speedway.
I needed to complete an 11 mile run while I was visiting Cincinnati. This trail was well maintained and primarily flat in the section I ran. The scenery was beautiful. I ran early in the morning and had my headlamp and light up vest - felt safe running alone.
The Little Miami Scenic Trail has 6 breweries between Mariemont and Kings Mill. CHEERS! 50 West Brewery - Mariemont Little Miami Brewery - Milford Trailhead Brewery - Miamiville Narrow Path Brewery - Loveland The Monkey Bar and Grill - Fosters Cartridge Brewery - Kings Mill
The Little Miami Scenic Trail has 6 breweries between Mariemont and Kings Mill: 50 West Brewery - Mariemont Little Miami Brewery - Milford Trailhead Brewery - Miamiville Narrow Path Brewery - Loveland The Monkey Bar and Grill - Foster Cartridge Brewery - Kings Mill Cheers!
Maybe the best trail in Ohio. Well marked with scenic views and lots of amenities.
The Little Miami Scenic Trail (LMST) is one of my favorite trails in Ohio. It has length (78 miles), scenery, wildlife, trail towns, amenities, lodging, camping, dining and shade. I've ridden this trail numerous times but this is my first review of the trail. I consider my home trail to be the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail that runs through the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. The Little Miami Scenic Trail probably should be considered my home away from home trail as it is so close to where my daughter lives. During my 2019 Ohio to Erie Trail ride, I rode the LMST from Xenia to Loveland and from Loveland to Avoca Park before having to road ride to get to Lunken Airport and the trail that circles the airfield there.
I rode part of the Simon Kenton Trail from Buck Creek into Springfield, Ohio back in July. The northern part of the LMST travels through Springfield and on to Yellow Springs before moving on to Xenia. Since this trail runs through both cities, farm land and the Little Miami Valley, there is quite a variety of scenery to look at. The city and towns vary as well. The trail towns range from some that have seen better days, to others that seem to be very trendy, and some that appear to be stuck in time. There is something for everyone along this trail. You won't be disappointed when riding this trail. Yellow Springs and Loveland are towns with restored train stations and dining and other amenities.
The trail surface is asphalt and is in very good condition with just a few spots where river bank slippage has caused some undermining of the riverside edge of the trail. The trail has numerous road crossings but once you get out of the larger cities you can ride for miles before having to cross another road. South of Xenia, because the trail parallels the Little Miami River in the narrow Little Miami Valley you feel as though you are in a much more isolated area than you truly are. There is plenty of wildlife. One of the highlights of my ride south from Xenia this time was having 3 deer cross the trail in front of me and ran down into a gulley that paralleled the trail only to race me along the trail route for about half a mile. My one complaint about the trail is this. The Little Miami River has been designated a National Scenic River. However, that designation must only apply if you are canoeing or kayaking on the river. From the trail you rarely get an unobstructed view of the river. Sometimes I think to myself, "Would it hurt to cut down a few trees here and there to let users of the trail enjoy the sights of the river, too?"
South of Loveland, the trail continues following the Little Miami River through Miamiville and Milford before reaching Avoca Park outside of Mariemont, Ohio. Once you reach Newtown Road you will have to ride out of the park and cross US-50 and ride through Mariemont to Wooster Pike before trying to connect to the Lunken Airport Bike Path. I should note that the Little Miami Trail does not end at Newtown Road. It actually passes under a bridge there and then goes across the Little Miami River and heads toward Lunken Airport. The problem is that the bridge that is supposed to be built over the Little Miami River to connect to the Lunken Airport Bike Path has not been built yet. I read about bridge construction of this bridge would start this summer, but there is absolutely no sign as to when this will happen. When this bridge is built the trail near Mariemont will be shorter and safer.
You can now go straight through S Springfield to downtown without getting off the trail. Then only 1.1 block N to the Simon Kenton trail that heads east from there. (Note the SKT is trail for 2 blocks, then has a 2 block on Washington St then finally stays trail as it turns northbound.)
Traveling from Georgia to Michigan, decided to spend a day riding the trail. We chose to camp with our RV at John Bryant State Park, as it was near the trail. It turned out to be a good choice for us. About two miles via road to the the trail from the campground. Yellow Springs is a fun little town, and Sunrise Cafe is an great place to eat.
I rode from the campground to Morrow and back, which was right at 80 miles. Flat (compared to what I am used to in North Georgia), scenic, well maintained. Had a great time.
We are in our 60's and prefer paved trails, like this one. We rode from a great b&b just south of Xenia, only a few tenths of a mile from the trail, approx. 40 miles to Loveland. Then hired the Ohio Trail Shuttle to bring us back. Trail is mostly shady, wonderful scenery, wildlife, downhill to Loveland. Not many services available near the trail on this segment, except Corwin, a convenience store right next to the trail. Well maintained right of way, through pretty country. And when we got to Loveland, some great restaurants right along the trail. Certainly more folks on trail as you get closer to Cincinnati. Highly recommend this trail and thanks to all who maintain it! We also rode a small segment of the trail north from Yellow Springs but rain was threatening. YS is a cute college town with lots of amenities just west of the trail downtown. Make sure you check out the brewery along the trail just north of YS, and Youngs Dairy about 1/2 mi east of the trail for some ice cream. We will likely come back to explore other trails that cross in Xenia.
We rode 2 days 2 different sections. First day started at xenia station & rode to Corwin & then back. About 32-34 miles round trip.Ate lunch at a cute place in Waynsville right on trail.Pretty flat,nice scenery. Second day parked at Milford on hill. Little tight ,small parking lot. We rode to almost morrow. 40 miles round trip. VERY busy.Some parts are alittle narrow.Pretty flat mostly & some inclines. Loveland was a really cool town. Had a great lunch there.
My wife and I bike this trail multiple times throughout the year and we've ridden (in sections) nearly every mile of it. We're leisure riders, so the (mostly) flat, shaded nature of this trail is perfection. There are so many spots along this trail to stop and enjoy life.
From the Milford trailhead, 50 West Brewing and the Schoolhouse Restaurant are just a short ride. Additionally, downtown Milford is full of charm
Downtown Loveland is an amazing spot to hit this trail, with an entire section of town seemingly centered on the trail with multiple restaurants, bars, bike shops, etc. Just to the north of Loveland is the Monkey Bar which is an extremely cool little watering hole. And a little farther to the north, the historic Peters Cartridge Company, which is slated for renovation into a brewery/taproom in late 2019.
If you're not able to bike as far north as Yellow Springs, we highly recommend driving up for a ride there. It's a very cool little town with the Yellow Springs Brewery right on the trail and the Glen Helen Nature Preserve just to the south. It is well worth parking your bikes and taking a hike through the preserve to visit the famous Yellow Spring.
Just can't say enough good things about this trail.
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.
I spent the week riding this trail. I think the best section was the 20 miles from Oregonia to Xenia. I parked at the diner in Oregonia. I only passed a few joggers and cyclists on the trail the Friday morning I rode. There were fewer street crossings compared with the more southern part of the trail. The trail itself temporarily disappears briefly in Xenia. However, it was fairly easy to navigate around Xenia to find a coffee shop on Main St. (and Detroit St.). The ride back (South) was definitely easier as I perceived a very slightly downward grade. Kenneth Haft, Glen Allen, VA
I started at the Hamilton Township Park ( old 3c highway adjacent to Monkey Bar and Grill ). There is parking and fairly decent bathroom facilities. On day one, I rode 18 miles to Oregonia. The trail is in excellent shape and going north, the Little Miami River was nearly always visible on my right. There were a few walkers/joggers that did hinder my 16 mph progress. There were a few rural but trafficked streets to cross over. There were several deer along the trail and many rabbits. The restaurant in Oregonia was not open Monday at 8:30am, but there were nice rocking chairs on the porch.
I’ve been riding the Little Miami trail for 20 years. Well-maintained and scenic, it’s popular here in the Cincinnati area and beyond. One note for new riders - the route running between Milford and Loveland can be congested on weekends and holidays during the warmer months; if you are looking to hammer some fast miles tread carefully. Loveland in particular can be extremely crowded on weekends and the town hosts a farmer’s market every Tuesday evening which can lead to people walking back and forth across the trail. Montgomery Cyclery is located right on the trail in Loveland so any last minute tools, food - even a new bike - can be found there. Did I mention the trail side bars and restaurants? Check it out.
The volunteers do a good job of managing the trail, thank you to the reviewer who helps keep the trail maintained. Yes, after a storm, there will be branches and leaves, but it's all part of the experience.
I am one of those riders who uses headphones while I ride. I do not turn my music up loudly, and can clearly hear if someone calls out to pass. They also come out of my ears when crossing a road. I also call out when passing. Only thing is, maybe 50% of folks actually tell you they're passing.
I've ridden the entire trail, not all at once though. My favorite ride is Spring Valley - Corwin - Spring Valley - Xenia
I volunteer with Friends of LMSP to help maintain and improve the trail. The LMSP covers 50 miles of the Little Miami Scenic Trail between Xenia and Cincinnati. The recent review copied below prompts me to comment. We volunteers try our best to improve the trail. But we are only volunteers and cannot do everything and are limited to what issues we can address since we are not managing the trail--Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources is the owner. We are limited by ODNR rules and by our limited number of volunteers and financial resources.
Admittedly some sections of our trail are in need of more attention than others. Where volunteers are available we do the best we can. Knowing which sections that trail users feel need the more attention would be helpful.
Keeping debris off the trail is a constant problem since it's a tree lined trail--both a blessing and a curse. But we volunteers regularly use a towed-behind blower to blow the trail. A second blower was recently purchased in order to more frequently clean the trail.
Reducing the overgrowth of the trail has been a major effort of us volunteers over the past 8 years since we were formed as a non-profit group. Mowing along the sides of the trail is the only practical way to reduce the overgrowth and prevent it's return. Broad application of herbicides is not permitted. The mowing is the responsibility of the ODNR based at Caesar's Creek State Park. Concerns about lack of mowing and the resulting overgrowth need to be directed to them.
Rules for trail users are set by ODNR. The rules prohibit headphones for cyclists but not for other users. Yes, it's frustrating for cyclists to pass someone on the trail and announce "passing on your left" only to be unheard since that person is wearing headphones. Until rules are changed all trail users who want to wear headphones should do so in only one ear for safety sake of all users.
Users of the LMSP trail who want the trail to be maintained and improved should become members of our friends organization, donate and/or volunteer to help by going to our website, www.littlemiamistatepark.org or simply www.flmsp.org.
Don
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Little Miami Scenic Trail
Submitted: 08/12/2017
Love ¿ to get out to ride it, great for a man of 62 to ride 30 to 40 miles on. Do wish several sections were taken care of better, needs overgrowth cleaned out, and sticks cleaned up after storms. Also need certain people to follow rules about no ear buds or headsets, how do you announce you are passing if they can hear.
We rode the trail on the 19th & 20th of August. The abundance of shade along the trail was a welcome addition to the beautiful sights along the way. We enjoyed old rail cars, bridges, a restaurant restored from an old fire station, multiple bike shops and much much more. I would highly recommend this ride!
Love ¿ to get out to ride it, great for a man of 62 to ride 30 to 40 miles on. Do wish several sections were taken care of better, needs overgrowth cleaned out, and sticks cleaned up after storms. Also need certain people to follow rules about no ear buds or headsets, how do you announce you are passing if they can hear.
I love the Little Miami bike trail , been riding it for years. It is a real asset to quality of life in Ohio. Not sure if it is just me but I have one issue with the trail.
The one small problem I speak of is the piles of horse manure left by the horses that people ride. If they would stay in the areas at the side of the trail that would be ok. But they ride on the paved areas. How about a diaper on your horse or at least stop and push the stuff over in the grass. After all they call it the Little Miami BIKE Trail not the Bridle path.
Hey Armstrong, just relax and enjoy the ride...:)
We rode this trail because of all the 5 star reviews. Our experience was definitely different. The trail is flat, boring, and exceedingly overgrown, and, there are too few comfort stations. The only bright spots were the towns along the trail and some of the eating and drinking establishments in these towns. We will not return.
My wife and I have ridden this entire trail many times in segments as well as connecting trails. All trails are paved. Trail follows Little Miami River, and is generally tree lined so can ride it year round. It is very pretty. So I will divide this into 3 sections south middle and north. SOUTH segment--Trail has been extended to about 3 miles south of the golf center where it ends roughly east across the river from Lunken airport. Stay at the Mairimont Best Western if doing south section. From the hotel Trail is 1 mile away down 50 west. You can ride to it or drive down and park at the new 50 West brew pub. South segment is busiest segment. Ride north by Milford to Loveland which is a very cool bike friendly town. Can eat at Julian's or Paxton's both on the trail in Loveland. Bike shop in Loveland too. But no place to stay in Loveland. North of Loveland is prettiest part of trail with very few road crossings. We go up to about Lebanon then go back south. MIDDLE segment--if doing middle section can Stay in Lebanon at Hardy's B & B or the Golden Lamb hotel. Lebanon is a very cool town too. You have to take the Lebanon trail 8 miles to connect to Little Miami trail. Lebanon trail has a BIG hill on the way back. Or drive to the Little Miami Trail and park at Lebanon trail head. If go south from there can go to Loveland. Going north go through Morrow then on to Oregonia. There can eat at Little River Bar-- a bikers bar but very cool. Continue north by Waynsville through Spring Valley to Xenia. Not much in Xenia. Waynsville is 1 mile off the trail but a cool town and can get something to eat there too. Middle segment is not heavily used. But very pretty. In Xenia can get the Ohio to Erie Trail to go on to Columbus. NORTH segment--Here can stay at Yellow Springs at Morgan House B&B or at a new hotel Mills Park Hotel. Several places to eat and drink in town. Yellow Springs is a Very quirky cool bike friendly college town. Trail here is new and wide. Not very busy either. Going south from Yellow Springs takes you to Xenia. Can go as far south as you want. Or pick up Ohio to Erie trail in Xenia towards Columbus. Can turn around at Cedarville another cool town. In Cederville can stay at Hearthstone Inn. Going north from Yellow Springs you go through Springfield an old town that has seen better days. A little sketchy through this town. Then can go north all the way to Urbana. Nothing in Springfield.
I rode from a spot on the trail near Morgan Canoe Livery in Oregonia which was nearby our campsite, to Xenia, and then caught the Creekside trail to Beavercreek Station. This route fit my time-frame and the general direction I needed to be going. This trail is beautiful - it had rained the night before and it was damp and fall-feeling. Even though it was a Thursday morning, damp and in the 50s, plenty of people were out using the trail. It is beautiful and tree-covered the entire way, the pavement is in great shape, and the signage is very well done and helpful. Too bad I did not have time to stay in the area longer and do more of this trail system. Thanks Ohio!!!!
We rode this trail by starting in downtown Lebanon and rode the trail from there to the YMCA connector trail to the Little Miami. Be advised if you start here as we did there is a section in Lebanon of road riding and until you connect with Little Miami there are several decent hills and one large one which are fun downhill but challenging uphill, especially the large one. The connection was made to Little Miami north of Loveland and from there the ride is flat, shady, and breathtakingly beautiful ride in woods along the river. We stopped in Loveland and explored by foot and as many others have noted this is a wonderful trailhead with many dining options and ice cream places. We returned to Lebanon and we had been so impressed with Loveland we returned by car to have supper and explore old Loveland area more and we were not disappointed. This is a very active and friendly community. When we ride this again we will start at Loveland. As the sign for Loveland says, it is the sweetheart of Ohio.
My wife and I rode the southern end of the Little Miami Trail on September 19, and it is perfect trail road bikes or hybrids. It is a scenic, shady, and well-paved route mostly through rural countryside with occasional river and pasture views, interspersed with small towns. We started in Loveland where the trail bisects the downtown and parking is plentiful. Montgomery Bike Shop, one of the friendliest and largest bike shops I’ve seen, is in Loveland along with Julian’s Deli, where we had such a great BLT we returned the next day. We rode north on the trail through Morrow (the ice cream shop was apparently closed on weekdays) to a trail closure a short distance south of Ft Ancient Park. No detour route was posted and the rural roads were a bit rough, so we returned to Loveland for lunch and a pleasant walk through the town. Heading south from Loveland we encountered another closure near Milford (another nice town with dining 1 block off the trail), but crews were laying gravel for a detour of about 200 yards that was easy to walk. At the southern end of the trail, there is parking at the Little Miami Golf Center (small fee for parking) or a nearby public trailhead, but not the inviting atmosphere of Loveland. An extension of the trail continues to an abrupt dead end 3+- miles south of the Golf Center, with plans to connect that point to downtown Cincinnati. The Mariemont Inn proved to be a great place to stay (apparently the only hotel in Mariemont) not far from the trailhead, with several good dining options and a wonderful theatre nearby showing only independent films. We look forward to discovering the remainder of the trail, but Loveland and Mariemont are true gems.
My wife and I rode this trial on September 13-14th, 2016. This was number 2 of 29 trails from the Rail-Trial Hall of Fame from book we purchashed from this website. This was a great trial. We started from Little Miami Golf Center in Newtown, Ohio and traveled north to end in Springfield, Ohio. We spent night at Wayneville, Ohio which is about half way. Trail is all asphalt and very shaded. Trail is in great shape. Be advised though we parked at Little Miami Golf Center. This is gated and I had to pay 10 dollars to park overnight. Our car was broken into there along with 2 other cars. They broke our rear door window and took a bag and binoculars. These where later found and returned to us by Sheriff and Ranger department. So park at own risk or find another place. Now, get out and ride
I rode this trail from the Corwin trail head and turned around at Morrow because bad weather was rolling in. Unfortunately, a strong thunderstorm hit about 10 miles before I got back to Corwin, but nothing to do but keep pedaling. In spite of the weather, the trail running alongside the river and through the woods was beauitful. I highly recommend it.
I rode a section of this trail while in the area on business. The route was scenic and shady, the surface was smooth and flat. This was one of my first trail rides when I started cycling in 2015. Love it! Will be back!!
Great ride and trail system
Mostly a city trail, which is why it was just okay for me! It's not a continuous trail either; as you have to cross roadways to get to the "connecting" side!
From Short Park in Newtown, to a few miles north of Morrow, I have ridden this trail many, many, many times. Yes, there is a section where they are doing work during the weekdays, but other than that, this trail is so lovely and fun. Sometime this summer I'm going to ride some of the northern parts of this trail as I've walked part of the trail near Yellow Springs more than once.
In the last two months I've put in hundreds of miles just between Newtown and Loveland. Given that I live in the Cincinnati area at the moment, it stands to reason. It's a mix of covered and open trail with the Little Miami river nearby and Loveland is not to be missed for a stop for food and restrooms. Enjoy, I do!
This is an all paved asphalt trail, with lots of shade which is especially nice in the summer. North of Xenia the trail widens a bit and is newer and slightly smoother. Yellow Springs has lots of places for food and interesting little shops. South of Xenia, there are a few small towns with ice cream shops and restrooms. Loveland also has lots places to eat, and is a little more crowded with walkers and families. Otherwise, little traffic along the trail . Scenery is nice, following the Little Miami Creek with a few old bridges and even a new covered bridge just south of Yellow Springs.
I was able to ride from Loveland to Oregonia and back on a beautiful fall day late in the year. Being paved, the trail invites people on road bikes, skates and everything in between. There were a variety of areas that were fairly congested especially around Loveland, but long stretches of my 46 mile ride that I was the only one on the trail for miles. The Trail has Scenic in the name and does not miss the mark on that score. Be sure to bring plenty to drink as there are long gaps with no water sources nor public restrooms. I found it also helped to bring a map. Even thought there were periodic signs that said how far it was to the next trailheads, when you got there, the trailhead itself was poorly signed and it was necessary to get clues from road names or other landmarks.
All said, it was a fun ride and makes it easy to want to find time to do the rest.
I love this wonderful ride. I leave my door in Hyde Park and enjoy a short trip to Loveland or an all day peddle to Xenia then use the Creek Side trail to overnight in Dayton. My only problem is finding restrooms after Loveland in the winter months. Thank goodness for the portable potty in Oregonia! Other than that this is a beautiful easy ride all year long.
A friend and I rode this trail as part of a 12-day, 460 mile “Tour of Ohio Trails” – riding as much of the network of Miami Valley trails as we could. Of the 11 connected trails we rode, this one is definitely a MUST DO. It is scenic along the river, has many canopies, goes through multiple parks, through farmland, and is a well-maintained multi-use trail. It crosses bridges and goes through a bunch of great towns to visit. It is as they say “A JEWEL”. We started in Newtown at the Little Miami Golf Center (mile marker 55.5) and rode to Loveland for lunch. Loveland is a great stop right on the trail with lots of fine restaurants offering great food. We had a bit of a problem at mile marker 35.5. The trail was closed for the day until 5:30 for construction on a “Powder Plant – i.e., munitions” being turned into a shopping center! So…we rode the 6 miles back to Loveland, contented ourselves with some cheesecake at Paxton’s Grill and then headed back up the trail around 5PM. We chose to take the Lebanon Countryside YMCA Trail to Lebanon for the night – then back down the next morning to continue on the Little Miami. We intended to stop at Fort Ancient, but the road did not appear to be bike friendly, i.e, uphill with no bike lanes. Seems you need to leave your bikes outside at the Canoe rental and hike up to the museum, etc. We just didn’t have the time for that. We stopped in Waynesville for the night—great place to spend a day/night! The next day, we rode through Xenia Station (very cool) and Yellowsprings up to Springfield and then back down to Yellowsprings for (A) a Yellow Springs Brewery Flight of beer (B) a night at the Arthur Morgan House and (C) Dinner at Winds! ALL GREAT THINGS. The trail is really magnificent the whole way – but mile markers are not as prevalent in the northern section (north of Xenia) as they are in the southern section. Note that Xenia is mile marker 0.0 in every direction. It was more difficult to tell precisely where you were at any point in the northern section. Two places to see in Yellowsprings: Glen Helen Park and Antioch College (a very nice campus to take a walk through). Note that there are many street crossings along this trail. Our experience was that there was very little traffic as most of these roads are country roads. You can hear if there is anything coming or not as you cross these streets. We were cautious but found that compared to our home state of California, there was rarely any traffic crossing the trail. We turned around in South Springfield at Possum Road – mostly to not have too much mileage for the day! This trail has a lot to offer in terms of cities/historic centers/sites to see: Milford/Loveland/Waynesville/Oregonia/Yellowsprings/Ft. Ancient (if you have time!)/Lebanon (if you take the branch) and more, I’m sure. Loved this trail!
I have ridden this section many times and Labor day was the most recent 52 mile round trip. We started at the Depot in Urbana and rode south on a paved well maintained trail. The first aprrox 5 miles is the Simon Kenton trail that has a nice trail head @ County Line Rd. This was a mixed open and tree canopy ride to Springfield where you need to cross a hi-way but use the crossing buttons and wait for the lights. As you enter Springfield from the north you will encounter street crossings which are well marked. By the ball stadium there is a crossing that has a island so you can cross in stages. From there you will encounter some older housing and enter just south of the downtown where there is the hotel and a coffee shop.
The trail heads south and is a mix of trail and lightly traveled streets. OR you can bike south on Fountain Street (the fountain by the hotel is the giveaway) through the Historic district, turn right on John Street and it will dump you back onto the trait at South Yellow Spring St where you will pick up the street signs again. An other mile and you are back on the trail which is mainly a tree canopy all the way to Yellow Springs.
All along this 25 mile ride watch for wild life, chipmunk, squirrel,rabbit, deer and turtles. Have seen all of these on the trail. If the weather is nice you will encounter many other users on the trail(walkers, joggers, etc)
We started out in Springfield at the suggested starting point which is 307 South Center St. Springfield. All I can say is, don't.
We started out OK and it looked like we were going into a forest, but it turns out, it was more like a trail in the ghetto. As soon as I realized what kind of location it was we saw a van coming up behind us on the bike trail! I was somewhat in a panic because we had no retreat and I was with my kids and we had no way to get off the trail except to keep going forward, which we did as there were steep hills on either side of the trail and a fence on each side of the trail. The forest section did not last long, thankfully, but we wound up in a real ghetto like neighborhood. As we looked back, we saw that the van trailing us on the bike path was a policeman whom I suppose was trying to look out for our safety. I suppose I should have felt better but it just added to my anxiety as to our situation. We never did find the connection to the rest of the trail as we went about 4 or 5 blocks in a purgatory like atmosphere. There were signs pointing us to where we needed to go to find the rest of the trail but we simply could not find it and had had enough and turned around to go back home. I suppose if we had kept following the signs we could have found the trail that everyone raves about on this site.
In the 40 years since its downgrading and abandonment, much has fallen away from this once mighty PRR main line. Over the past two days, I have endeavored to locate and document my finds. Vegetation has encroached so much, so I am sure there is much there that the summer vegetation is hiding. Mileposts are far and few to find. Two cast iron Pennsy mileposts still locate distances from Columbus Union Station, now just the location of a convention center (sigh). Milepost 79 is in place 0.2 miles south of Fort Ancient, and Marker 99 is located 0.1 miles south if the trail parking lot in South Lebanon. (FYI- It was 125.1 miles from CUS to Cincinnati Union Terminal, terminus of this branch line from Columbus via Xenia) Position light ground mast signals on this line were doused in 1975. A scant few skeletons of these remain over the length of this trail. I found one intact position light unit (out of seven on each signal head) half buried in the plowed over concrete base of the former southbound automatic spacing signal, 1.3 miles south of Morrow. And of course, there are those two denuded signal masts which remain in front of the Morrow depot (Who took the signal head numbered 83.2, which was still intact there years ago?) The beautifully preserved depot and Pennsylvania marked cabin car #256885 add a rare notation of railroad honor at Morrow, as do the three cast iron "Railroad Crossing - Danger" grade crossing markers that just ooze "PRR." I found the base legs of one southbound relay case 2.1 miles south of Mile Marker 79. I am always fascinated by the multitude of 3-armed telegraph poles which have survived down here even after those along the still alive ex-PRR main lines elsewhere were removed years ago in lieu of satellite and underground cable communcication lines. There are many telegraph poles along the west side of the line north of Morrow, in various stages of decay, many collapsing under the wet rot of overhanging trees. South of Morrow, just a few poles remain, and the pole line switches over to the east side of the right-of-way. South of South Lebanon, the pole lines and everything else have been stripped clean, as there are pipe lines now buried along the widened right-of-way here. From Foster to Loveland, the line was double-tracked (Single-tracked PRR main lines like Xenia to Foster were truly an anomaly on the usually multi-tracked "Standard Railroad of the World"). The trail becomes notably wide south of Foster. A nice new marked details Butterworth Station, an old underground railroad station and water station 2.8 miles north of Loveland. The old interchange track between the B&O and PRR at Loveland has been obliterated by downtown commercial construction at the crossing, where Pennsy's "Loveland" Tower once stood. Finally, the trail to Lebanon from Middletown Junction is really only 1.2 miles of rail-trail. The Middletown Branch continued straight ahead from the 90-degree turn north, and the trail north is just a series of hilly street running. Although the Middletown Branch was reportedly a victim of rerouting due to the 1930 construction of Cincinnati Union Terminal, I found still clearly painted PRR Bridge Numbers "13.33" on the piers of the I-71 overpasses. This trail uses only the northbound wye leg at its juncture with the old PRR main, but one can still see the very overgrown south leg of the wye which carried Middletown passengers southward onto the Little Miami main to Cincinnati's pre-CUT old PRR Court Street Station. -Rich Ballash, Latrobe PA 8-11-2015
All trails should be this nice!!
Started at the parking lot just north of the municipal airport. There is a 3.00 parking fee I was unaware of this until I returned from the ride. Almost this entire ride up to Lebanon is in the shade. The trail is constantly in the woods and as a result is cool and very quiet for the most part. I have read complaints about the heavy usage although this was not my experience. The town of Loveland is ALL
IN when it comes to this trail. The town has done just about everything possible to cater to the riders and some of the restaurants are literally 5 ft off the trail for outdoor seating. Went a block off to the Works restaurant for a pizza and beer and was a sight in that its in an old firehouse and some good food. You don't see the river as much as I would have liked to but its always close by it seems. Some good scenic areas but this ride is more for a quiet comfortable experience more than anything. Really liked this section and hope the rest is half as nice
We have ridden all of the trail from the Xenia rail head to Springfield, and have only one regret--that the trail is over a two-hour drive from our home in Indiana.
Once you leave Xenia, you are quickly in a very peaceful rural setting, which is what our preference is for trail riding. There are a few roads to cross, but nothing too risky or dangerous. The gradual climb from Xenia will provide some resistance, but it is not too strenuous.
Arriving in Yellow Springs, you are greeted with a pleasant college campus, and several restaurants to choose to grab a bite to eat.
Make sure that you take a short side trip from the trail just north of Yellow Springs to Young's Dairy Farm for a fantastic ice-cream treat!
My boys and I just finished riding this segment of the trail as part of a longer ride with stops in Dayton and Columbus. This was our first time riding the Little Miami Scenic Trail. We traveled on road bikes.
There were no closures along the trail for this ride.
The trail was paved and mostly smooth with occasional small bumps and ridges but no areas were hazardous. A good portion of the trail is under a tree canopy so watch for sticks and branches that have fallen on the path. Also be aware of squirrels darting across the path with no apparent regard for your safety or their own.
There were a variety of users on the trail including walkers-many with dogs, runners and cyclists in all forms. Calling out our presence and intentions was appreciated. Usage was generally light, however in Loveland we did experience some congestion and is recommended to slow down through that area.
Trail bathrooms, water and picnic tables were available at several locations along the route. The facilities used were basic and clean.
We enjoyed an ice cream cone at Miranda's in Morrow. The shop was retro with indoor and outdoor seating. A very nice touch was a cooler full of ice water just outside the door to fill our water bottles. A bike rack was also available.
Overall we really enjoyed our first ride on this trail and plan to come back to explore the towns, parks and recreation along this route!
Xenia Station is the coolest trail head ever --- four major trails are assessable, great rest area between rides, clean facilities and water are available in the historic and well kept building.
I took trail 3 ten miles to Yellow Springs which has a nice trail head as well. This is hands down the most senic ride I have taken to date. There are frequent street crossings for a mile or so as you ride through Xenia but not bad and so worth it.
I especially enjoyed the old railroad bridge and the bridge over the trail as you enter the Yellow Springs area. Be sure to stop and walk that bridge, steps are provided and it's a great place to take pictures of the trail.
Yellow Springs is a college town and it shows with galleries and museums, great eating stops etc. One could easily spend a half day just enjoying the town. I'll be back and next time it's all the way to Springfield which will be a 40 miler from Xenia Station and back.
Check my photos which speak to the beauty of this trail.
One of the nicest trails we've been on. Smooth, level and WIDE enough to adequately handle traffic. The section we rode was from South Lebanon north about 20 miles, scenic and tranquil. Just south of Lebanon at the 33 mile point, the trail is closed on weekdays with no posted detour. The trail itself is not damaged. It is closed for construction on adjacent property. There is no way around it, so it may as well be a dead end.
Rode the Little Miami last May, 2014 and plan to return this year.
I’ve traveled and ridden a good many Rails to Trails and the Little Miami is hands down the best I’ve enjoyed to date. Drove 3 ½ hours from northern IN to start at Xenia. Rode North to Springfield and back to Xenia station trailhead and on to a the Mill Pond B&B nearby in Fairborn (www.millpondacre.com) after a great breakfast provided by the Innkeeper (she's a great cook) returned to Xenia station trailhead to ride to S trail's end and back. This trail is outstanding…. Well shaded areas, great scenic views, interesting sites along the way and pass- through small towns offered great lunch, snacks and drink options – they welcome and cater to cyclists (local Ace hardware, adjacent to trail, offers Free COLD bottled water to trail users) cafes offered cyclists lunch specials & more. Trail surface was paved & well maintained, minimal cross roads and where encountered, motorists waved me through with a smile. Ride it, you won’t regret it!
The beauty of this trail is it is part of a great trail system connecting many communities! We enjoy riding in this area every time we are in the area!
We had a small group of average road riders come to Cincinnati for one night and ride a portion of the trail. The day was overcast and chilly, which probably helped keep the trail pretty clear of others. The pavement was well-maintained and the scenery was what you would expect a rural train route to provide. The small towns were quaint with options to stop and eat, drink, etc.
You could plan many different ways to visit the area and ride this trail. We started at Terrace Park (New Street) parking lot as we were told it would avoid the busier section near Cinci. We rode 35 miles and turned around to make it a 70 mile ride in about 5 hours. We averaged 15 mph. This ride would work for the stronger rider or also a casual family day ride, as we encountered both.
The trip was capped off with great accommodations at 21c Museum Hotel and several of the downtown pubs & restaurants.
I rode this paved trail with four friends on August 24, 2014. We parked at the Milford trailhead and rode north to Xenia then back to Milford. The trail is almost entirely in the shade. Sure there are sections where it isn't but it seems like you spend 90% of the time in the shade. There are some nice trail towns nearer to Cincinnati but the further north you go the less there are. The trail was quite busy nearer the urban areas but that wasn't any problem. Xenia is a nice town but we had a little trouble finding food. Go north three or four blocks from the rail trail station then west a few blocks and you will find several fast food choices.
I would recommend this trail to anyone no matter your bicycle experience. Be careful to stay on your side of the trail and be alert to other riders in front of and in back of you.
Loveland a great place to start your ride or take a break for lunch or dinner. Don't miss the old time candy and ice cream store and several good places to eat.
Have ridden the southern portion from Milford, to Loveland, to Morrow three times now. Once solo, once with a friend, and once with my son.
The surface is smooth and well maintained. The shade of the tree canopy is great on a hot day. We will be back again soon.
3 days. Parked in Springfield near I-70 and rode to Morgan's Riverside Campground. Set up camp. Ride to Milford and back on day 2 (without panniers and camping gear). we ate lunch in Loveland at the Works. Rode back to car on Day 3. Nice trip. Total mileage between 145 and 150 (extra riding in towns).
Highlights: Riverside cafe 8 miles north of Morgan's for dinner; Trailside music and beverages. And camping at Riverside.
Just one of the rail-trail role models out of the Xenia hub, the Little Miami Railroad, this trail segment, north of Xenia, was obviously a very early railroad, 8-10-1846 to be exact. Freight rail traffic ended between Xenia and Yellow Springs in early 1967, very late in the Pennsylvania Railroad era. I have not located when the last passenger train service ended on this line, but it must have been very early. The line between Xenia and Yellow Springs is a big "bowl", with long grades upward into both Xenia and Yellow Springs from the center of that "bowl", the latter being much longer and quite steep. It is about a 5-mile climb into Yellow Springs from the south. One can see that in the center of the "bowl", washouts must have been a much recurring event, with the creek running very close to track level. The trail is a series of gentle roller coaster grades from Yelllow Springs to Springfield. Trail surface is a gem the whole way, silky smooth asphalt with no ruts or tree root upheavals. Not so appealing is the closed-in vegetation which prevents side visibility for much of the way. You can hear and smell cows, for example, but you can't see them. Maybe its better when foliage is absent. It's a busy trail, lots of people, but not quite as annoying as the heavy traffic down near Cincinnati. Sadly, there are no interesting railroad artifacts along the trail, but that absolutely BEAUTIFUL Yellow Springs two-story board-and-batten 1888 depot replica is enough to give the trail my 5-star rating. Correct Pennsy paint scheme, and those beautiful rectangular red-and-gold lettered station signs complete the scene. Even the red and gold men and women signs above the restrooms, in the light umber and brown interior paint scheme, just scream "Pennsylvania Railroad!" Wonderful! Loved it! The depot also houses a very friendly chamber of commerce office, and I made sure the lady in the office might consider offering some depot printed T-shirts! Yellow Springs is a VERY touristy, friendly little town. You will enjoy it for sure. Outside of the towns, though, most of the trail is very isolated where it moves away from paralleling US-68 (a rude, noisy neighbor near Xenia). And speaking of Xenia, make sure to move over to the east side of Detroit Street (US-68) just north of Main Street, Business-US35 (Xenia's main east-west street). I rode a half mile north down the west-side sidewalk without realizing that the trail runs on the old elevated railroad grade not far from where the trail dumps you out onto Detroit Street, right out of the Xenia Station complex. It's not well-marked from the south. The railroad ran in the street in this short stretch, so there is no old grade here. As for trail parking, it looks like no one listed the "Beatty Station" lot, complete with porta-john, on US-68 south of Springfield. Lots of parking at Yellow Springs, but very heavily utilized, too! Rather than pursue the always hectic and less than safe street running in Springfield, I chose to turn around at the Interstate-70 overpass bridges. I also have heard that the northern end of this trail, in the southern end of Springfield, runs through a less-than-safe neighborhood. Oh, and do check out the brand new (2014) covered bridge, over the trail, 1.6 miles south of Yellow Springs. Enjoy the ride! -Rich Ballash, Latrobe PA 8-10-2014
As a beginner, the thought of long distances scared me, but I felt like I could bike all day long on this trail. We stopped and had ice cream in Morrow, and dinner in Loveland. The bike store there is also worth stopping in for a browse, and maybe using their facilities. It was mostly shaded and the breeze from the river was refreshing. This could be my favorite place, and even though it's 2 hours from home, it's worth the drive.
The trail was generally smooth and shaded. The downside was all the stop signs and the trek through Xenia. The Xenia section is a mix of sidewalks and poor surface roads with deteriorating concrete. There was much thought given to the trail with the exception of this section. Would recommend the trail and we're thankful for the opportunity to enjoy one of the jewels of living in Ohio.
I love this trail and I have been using it for 19 years. Not only do I bike, I also walk and inline skate. Most people are very polite of other people/other activities on the trail, but I have noticed lately that some bikers feel the trail is just for them. Unfortunately many people often refer to this trail as the Loveland bike trail, which is incorrect. Just yesterday I was told by two men biking that it is a bike trail, ie, I, as a walker that day, should not be on it. It is my understanding that this trail is a multi use trail. When I am biking on this trail, I try to be polite to all people on it by warning them that I am about to pass and getting over when doing so. Oh well, this experience will not stop me from using the trail, just like driving a car, there are rude people all over.
Due to recent widening of this trail it is an excellent choice at any distance. I recommend this trail
Sorry for the late post, just became a member here and wanted to share my trip wit other riders. I had planned on riding my 2nd "freedome tour" in Vandalia ohio this morning, but the weather was not promicing to be great. I stayed around the house to wait on the rain to show up.It never started raining, and it was much later than the start of the tour so I was dropped off in Urbana to run my first lap down the entire length of the Litttle Miami Scenic Trail. Cooler temps and a overcast sky, but no rain, made my start very nice.
The ride through Springfield was not too bad, but be very alert for the signs on the lower side of the city,as you go through the neighborhood.Once out of Springfield its smooth with nice flat trails. At this point it started misting on me. Actually it felt pretty good.Got through Xenia ok, and headed toward waynesville. Still nice and flat, smooth path. It was now raining harder.Rode past Ft. Ancient and the rain was really coming down. Took my glasses off just to see from all the water i was collecting on my helmet.Stopped at Morrow to fill water and relax for a little bit and headed back toward Cincy..At this point it was raining so hard, or had been raining down here so much there was standing water on the bike path. The trail was consideribly rougher SOUTH of Morrow. They had marking on the rough sections as to repair them, but some were severe enough to bend the rear wheel and break a spoke on my bike.This forced me to do a trailside repair and step on the wheel to bend it back enough to continue the ride.The tire never went flat, but I had to back the rear brake off just to maintain a decent speed.
I finally did make it to Milford where i was picked up in a warm dry car. I will ride this entire trip in better weather and can wait to take in the sights along the way. I do hope they fix the trail south of Morrow, if they havent already.
Who knows, I may try another run this year on the 4th of July....Kevin
Rode this trail 5/21/14. Perfect weather, great canopy of mature trees most of the trail so sun and wind were not an issue. If you married the Cardinal Greenway close by in Indiana with the Little Miami, you would have God's Gift to trails. This trail has plenty of shade but is short on portapotties. Mark and I did not need a lot of water given the mid 70 temps and shade but it would be nice if more portapotties and water stops were available. Rode this trail mid week so dodging skaters, kids on trikes etc. was a non-issue but based on the number of folks I saw during the week, I can emphasize with the remarks regarding congestion and making time on this trail would be an issue on a holiday or weekend. Still this is a top ten trail out to the 80 trails I have or will ride from the Canadian border to the Mexican border on trails only.
Rode on Saturday 4/12. Great ride. Lots of sticks on the path. may wear gloves next time I ride so we can pick up a few on the pathway.
Great ride.
Hello. My name is TBox and I am a Rails to Trails-aholic.
This trail is what your Rails to Trails dreams are made of.
It's Scenic: It runs along the Little Miami River and is beautiful. It's well shaded. Our ride was in 90 degree plus weather and we stayed quite comfortable the entire way. Some really cool places to stop for food and/or beverage along the way.
It's friendly: Lots of riders, all but one we found to be friendly and courteous. On that note, and I know 99% of you know this, but please...PLEASE...humble yourself and give a little "On your left" notice when passing slower riders. One of our riders was knocked off the trail by one of the 1% that feels notifying slower riders that you are passing is just too inconvenient. Don't let that scare you away from this trail. I've been riding many years and never had an incident like this happen.
It's worth the trip: We liked this trail so much, that we are going to make the 4 hour drive to it once a year for an annual ride. I have a hunch that we will be making the trek to this trail more than once a year, but that annual trip with friends is set in stone!
Stop reading this and get your Rails to Trails fix on. Get to this trail TOOT SWEET!
Happy Riding!
My wife and I rode from the Avon Trailhead north to Loveland on 08/26/2013. It was our first exposure to this particular trail and we loved it. The partial tree cover was welcome since it was a hot afternoon. When we reached Loveland, we decided to comeback another day to pick up there and ride some more. On 08/29, we did just that. We continued to ride northward to Morrow before turning around to ride back (southbound = downstream = easier). We're not from the area, so we wouldn't be able to ride it again for at least a year or two. If we're in the area in the future, we will definitely plan to "continue" the ride.
On Saturday, June 22, 2013. I rode the Little Miami Trail with a friend. Since we come from the South, we began with plans to travel north to Xenia, have lunch and return.
The weather was fantastic, partly cloudy, cool morning, not real hot as the day wore on. The parking/gathering area in Loveland was as good as I remembered it from several years before.
The first few miles were slow, as the path was quite crowded as we worked north out of Loveland. You simply cannot go fast on the trail - there are too many unpredictable factors. Joggers, rollerbladers, skateboarders, pedestrians will all be encountered there, but once you get north of the Peter cartridge plant near King's Island, traffic dropped significantly.
I am a Cat 3 racer and my friend is quite strong so we had no problem cruising at the speed limit of 20 mph, something we respected the netire length of trail. One of the coolest characteristics of the trail is that you can barely perceive the very gentle climb - about 10 feet per mile - as you head north. This usually makes for an easier trip on the return.
We took a break at Corwin and the Ice cream shop there is still in excellent condition and well stocked. Very good facilities there.
As we neared Xenia, we were feeling great and decided to head up to the very cool village of Yellow Springs. We jumped onto the roads in downtown Xenia, and worked through the streets until picking the trail up again just past Shawnee Park.
After snooping around Yellow Springs a bit, we decided to have lunch at the Bistro (Peach something) where we had a ery satisfying and refreshing meal.
I really like Yellow Springs - maybe it's because I know that Rod Serling once walked those very same streets. The train station there is a great take to stop and refresh = it's in excellent condition.
I did notice that the bike shop that used to be located in a train car beside the trail was no longer there. I think there is a new building there now.
The trip back was relatively fast and the very subtle drop allowed a very comfortable and steady pace of 20-21 mph on the return leg. There is no coasting downhill or anything that resembles a hill so it is a very different kind of bike riding.
Once the heat of the afternoon kicked in, the trail had very little traffic until we neared Loveland again. Again you need to keep it slow and safe - and alertness at all times is demanded. Anything can be confronted out there and you must stop and check ever road crossing for safety.
The pavement was in good to very good condition. No potholes, but occasional rough spots and tree root bumps can surprise. Most fo the trail is smooth, clean pavement.
Final mileage was 104 ( Loveland to yellow Srings is 52 miles) completed in just under 7 hours with stops.
We stopped for brew and food at the outdoor bar in Loveland and had a jolly old time after our ride. The Little Miami Trail is great fun!
I have not yet ridden the new section from Springfield to Urbana, so I am planning another trip soon. This time, it will be a two day ride, travelling light, with a stopover in Springfield.
Thank you for sharing your trail with us!
=Tim=
We have ridden this whole Trail and it is great, all asphalt well maintained. Connects with other destinations, Especially Xenia Station you'll find 5 Trail converging at this point, so you'll find many choices. The trip from Xenia to Springfield goes through Yellow Springs a college town with many novelty shop and restaurants. Any of these Trails won't be disappointing. Enjoy your ride, have a great summer.
We are recreational riders - probably considered novices by most. Our regular rides consist of 13 - 20 mile excursions on country highways near where we live. NEVER before have we been exposed to an area where the biking community was so respected and welcomed by the locals. We were not used to being waved across by motorists at EVERY intersection where the trail and a street crossed. This area literally caters to bikers. Wow! We drove over 2 1/2 hours from KY just to ride this trail. We were not disappointed. We began our ride at the Milford trailhead and headed north. We were encouraged by the number of other bikers - of all skill levels and of all ages on the trail. Everyone was so friendly. Our one "bad experience" occured barely 14 miles into our ride. While riding single file - my wife and I were about to meet a foursome of single file riders - coming from the opposite direction - when they were overtaken from behind by a group of..."over zealous" (the nicest term I can think of) speed bikers who basically passed the foursome just as we were meeting them. They literaly ran my wife off onto the wet grass where whe promptly lost control and wrecked. THEY NEVER STOPPED. The foursome we were in the process of meeting did stop and one of the ladies was a first aid instructor and was prepared with supplies...and they got my wife fixed up and she was riding again in a few minutes. (She hurt her knee, shoulder and there is a scrape on her helmet where it hit the pavement.) Thank you - to this group of Good Samaritans who stopped to help two complete strangers! Other than that lone incident - we had a ball and plan to come back. A word to the wise...always be prepared. (We weren't.) Carry first aid supplies and be prepared for a flat - although we didn't have one - we saw some folks who did. Some areas of the trail are quite a distance away from access streets, etc. Loveland is a neat place - a "must see" for everyone to visit and experience. Milford is a neat place as well. This trail exceeded all of our expectations.
The ride began in Waynesville. I had a bike that was not my own, no gear and was not prepared for the ride. But the people I met along the way made it enjoyable despite flat tires, a pump that did not work and all the stores being closed on a Monday! I headed south in the heat of the day and rode to Fort Ancient. I was pleasantly surprised by the amounf of tree cover and stayed comfortably cool despite the 96 degree heat. Although the cycle shops and restaraunts werre closed, the canoists were out in full force and there was opportunity to take a swim break along the way. I look forward to doing the rest of this trail in the future!
By Pat Codispoti
This past August my husband and I added another off-road biking experience to our list of adventures. For 4 days we rode a trail in Southwest Ohio, part of a growing system of trails stretching across ten counties surrounding the Dayton area. We biked a linear section appropriately named the “Little Miami Scenic Trail” from Springfield to Newtown (just outside of Cincinnati) and back. The trail is 78 miles long, completely paved and extremely biker friendly! Our 156 mile journey took us through farmlands, past state parks and other historical sites, and through many interesting communities.
We began our ride at the Northern terminus. The trail abruptly begins under Route 70 just south of Springfield. We fortunately found a motel located only about a mile from the trail allowing us to leave our car at the Comfort Suites and ride to the trail head.
We could not have asked for better weather as we began our ride. The trail passed mostly through farm fields and is less shaded but ideal for a morning ride. The elevation from Springfield to the Newtown Golf Center drops over 450 feet making the trip south easier than the return trip. Our first stop was at Yellow Springs station, an old rail station that has been converted into an information and comfort station for trail users. I do wish we had stayed longer in Yellow Springs. It is a small yet interesting village, home to Antioch College (which itself has a very curious history). If we ever return to ride other trails in the Little Miami system, I would plan to stay overnight in Yellow Springs. But since we were only about 10 miles into our ride, we hurried on in anticipation of what we might find in Xenia.
The trail from Springfield to Xenia is well maintained but is not particularly interesting or scenic especially compared to other rides we have taken in the past. We passed field after field of corn or soybean. However, as we entered the City of Xenia, we saw signs of commercial America….. We stopped for coffee at Mc Donald’s (right on the trail)!
Xenia is the Hub of the Little Miami River Valley trail system. At Xenia Station the Ohio to Erie Trail extends East to London and the Creekside Trail runs West toward Dayton and beyond. Xenia is a city and does not share the quaintness of the village of Yellow Springs. However, the trail through Xenia is unusual. Trail users ride city sidewalks that are especially marked for bikers! And at one point the trail is in the middle of the rode with one-way traffic on either side!
Since we had made arrangements to stay at a bed and breakfast in Xenia on our return trip, we did take time to find Victoria’s Bed and Breakfast. The B & B in Xenia is an old Victorian home that we thought would make a perfect setting for a ghost story…. For the next couple of days we joked about what apparitions we might discover while staying at Victoria’s.
We left Xenia at about 11:30 AM. The trail is again not very interesting but we still enjoyed the ride as it passed through Ohio farmlands. After another hour or so on our bikes we arrived in Spring Valley. We immediately spotted “Two Scoops” and stopped for a short rest. We naturally had to experience the ice cream at “Two Scoops”, talk to the few inhabitants of Spring Valley that we met and explore what little the small settlement had to offer. There is a restaurant just down the block from “Two Scoops” and above the ice cream parlor, a very inexpensive yet acceptable lodging catering especially to bikers.
From Spring Valley south, the Little Miami Scenic trail becomes (as its name suggests) much more scenic. The trail hugs the Little Miami River although the trees and brush along the trail allow only brief glimpses of the meandering Little Miami. Even on a Thursday, we passed more bikers than ever before on previous trips.
As we left Spring Valley we had tallied almost 27 miles and still had about 16 miles to go before we would end the first day of our ride. The trail became very rural as we followed the Little Miami. This portion reminded me more of last summer’s ride on the Pine Valley Trail in Pennsylvania.
Corwin was the next stop and by then we really needed a rest. It was hot and we had been on our bikes for 3 ½ hours. The Corwin Peddler is about the only thing in Corwin but it was a great little restaurant conveniently located along the trail serving fantastic sandwiches and much welcomed cold drinks! We ate outside on the porch and took our time (about an hour) before getting back on the bike for the last stretch of our journey.
We had made reservations at the Bed and Breakfast right along the side of the trail in Oregonia. Thinking that Oregonia was a small community with grocery stores and restaurants, we only split a sandwich in Corwin. About 2 miles before we reached Oregonia, we passed “The Little River Café” a highly publicized restaurant alongside the trail. However, since we had just eaten less than an hour ago, we passed up the opportunity for dinner. As it turned out this was the only opportunity for dinner! We mistakenly thought there would be more restaurants once we reached Oregonia. As we approached Oregonia, we saw a sign that pointed us to a little Mom and Pop store just off the trail, Hall’s Market. Well, as it turned out, this WAS Oregonia and dinner was a bag of potato chips!
The River Walker Bed and Breakfast was absolutely perfect. We sat out on a deck all evening overlooking the river and the trail …. Enjoying the scenery and our potato chips!
The next morning Paul, our host at the River Walker, served us breakfast. We benefited from our conversation with Paul learning more about the history of the Miami Valley and what we might expect to see along the trail. After a leisurely breakfast, we packed our bikes and set out for our second day on the Little Miami Scenic Trail.
Day 2 was undoubtedly my favorite except for the breakdown! We had only been on the trail for maybe 5-6 miles when Cody’s bike froze. The pedals would literally not turn. Since we were only a couple miles outside of Morrow, I rode ahead to find the Bike Shop. We had researched the locations of bike shops along the trail and had expected to find one in Morrow but, I really did not find a bike shop… I found a sign but, no shop!!! Morrow is a very small and not particularly thriving community. After explaining our plight to a couple of strangers who were very friendly but not really much help, I went back to deliver the bad to news to my husband. Just as I turned, I saw him riding into town. He had managed to get the pedals moving again but questioned for how long.
From Morrow to Loveland was a fantastic ride. However, we would have to enjoy it on the return trip since our thoughts were consumed with getting to the bike shop in Loveland before the pedals froze again.
It was almost 2 hours before we reached Loveland. We found Montgomery Cycles, a block off the trail, and had the bike checked. They found nothing wrong so after lunch at one of the many restaurants along the trail in Loveland, we got back on the bikes in search of the end of the Little Miami Scenic Trail.
The trail is heavily used from Loveland to Newtown. The rural scenery has been replaced by a much more suburban environment but the trail still hugged the river with more open views of the Little Miami. We passed Milford where we planned to stay over that night stopping only for a short break at the Milford access and comfort station.
The trail ended as abruptly as it began at the Little Miami Golf Center. We saw plans for continuing the trail into Cincinnati and beyond. The future of this trail seems to be limitless and we were both thinking that it may be worth a return trip to explore some of the other trails and those that are still in the planning stage.
After a few pictures, we began our short ride back to Milford. The trail is relatively flat. The elevation does increase, however, as you head north. Pedaling may have gotten a little more demanding but not significantly.
We arrived in Milford after 4:00 PM. The only place we could find to stay in Milford was across the river on the other side of town, a Holiday Inn. We passed through a charming downtown area with lots of shops and restaurants but by then we just wanted to get to the motel, shower, and find a place for dinner. We had to ride through fairly heavy traffic uphill for a few miles before reaching the Holiday Inn.
The next morning after a good night’s sleep, we rode easily downhill to the trail access. The 3rd day on the tail was going to be the longest …… we planned to ride for more than 50 miles BUT did not plan for another breakdown. Just as we got to Milford’s bike access area, Cody’s pedals froze. Once again, he finally got them to turn but once again, our trip to Loveland and Montgomery’s was consumed with speculation.
The bike held up! We reached Loveland a little after 10:00 AM and naturally headed straight for the bike shop. Amazingly just as we arrived, the pedals froze again! While Cody stayed to see to the repairs, I went in search of the little coffee house we passed by yesterday.
Xenia may be the hub of the Little Miami Valley Trail System, but Loveland is the heart! It was a Saturday morning and Loveland was bustling with bikers and others taking advantage of this amazing trail system. There are shops, restaurants and parking specifically designed for trail users. Loveland was our favorite stop. It is so refreshing to see people of all ages enjoying summertime on the trail!
As I was finishing my coffee, Cody returned. Unfortunately they did not have the necessary part but they were able to repair the bike for what they “thought” would last until we reached our destination.
Keeping our fingers crossed, we left Loveland and continued north. We passed the remains of Peter’s Cartridge Factory, famous for supplying ammunition for World War 1. The Peters Factory gained national attention due to an explosion on July 15, 1890. The blast, due to a train car colliding with two load cars packed with 800 kegs of gun powder, could be heard for 6 miles around the Kings Mills/Mason area.
We hit the 100 mile mark in S. Lebanon at approximately 1:00 PM and continued pedaling until about 2:00 when we stopped for lunch at the Little River Café just North of Oregonia. The restaurant was crowded with bikers, of all kinds, along with those who were canoeing, kayaking, or tubing on the river.
The third day was tough. We had already been on our bikes for two days. Our legs were tired and our seats were sore! Once again we passed hundreds of people on the trail and just as many on the river. At some points, the river was actually swarming with canoes. We still had over 20 miles until we would reach Xenia and Victoria’s Bed and Breakfast, our destination for the day.
We were looking forward to stopping at the “Corwin Peddler” but when we arrived, it was closed. We were not the only bikers who were disappointed. As were sat on the porch sipping warm water from our camelbacks, several others also stopped in anticipation of a cold drink.
Getting back on the bikes, we began the ride to Spring Valley, approximately 10 more miles. At this point in the trip, the scenery was insignificant. All we could think about was a cold drink or even another ice cream cone at “Two Scoops”. You cannot imagine how disillusioned we were to discover that “Two Scoops” was also closed!
We arrived at Victoria’s at 5:30, tired, sore, and thirsty yet in high spirits. Day 3 was over! We quickly unloaded our bikes, showered, and set off on foot (it felt so good to walk) looking for a restaurant in Xenia where we could get that cold drink!
The last day was really enjoyable – perhaps because it was the last day! We only had a short 20 miles to cover before we would reach our car (hopefully waiting for us at the Comfort Suites). We left Xenia fairly early at about 8:00 AM. As we rode out of Xenia, it began to rain. We stopped at McDonald’s to get out our rain gear, the same McDonald’s we had stopped at on the first day of our ride. Almost as soon as we pulled our rain gear out of the panniers, the rain stopped and the sun came out.
We got off the bikes for a few minutes in front of Antioch College. We met another couple, enjoying a day ride on the trail, who kindly offered to take our picture. They were from Dayton and often spent the day in the quaint village of Yellow Springs. They also gave us some information on the North Bend Rail Trail in West Virginia, which just might be next year’s adventure!
We made it to the Northern most terminus of the Little Miami Scenic Trail by 10:45 Sunday morning, took a picture by the trail marker with the Alfred Sun, and hurried back to the car. The odometer on Cody’s bike showed that we had ridden over 154 miles, averaged 10.4 miles an hour and were on our bikes just under 15 hours. Both of us were eager to get off the bikes, proud to have added another multi-day bike trip to our list, but also sad to be ending our 4-day journey on the Little Miami Scenic Trail.
I am not likely to ever get to ride this entire trail in segments even, but the part I've been on twice offers an awesome section as it snakes under I-71 bridge to the valley there. I guess you could even stop and ride a canoe along here if you wanted to. I started at Caesar Creek which makes a 17 or 18 mile round trip.
My wife and I , (combined age of 127 yrs. old) just finished five fantastic cycling days on our road tandem in the Xenia-Dayton area. We came to ride the Little Miami Scenic Trail from end to end using are usual practice of out and back riding. We were not disappointed. Great scenery, nice small towns, flat riding and friendly people. Averaging 55+ mile days on this and other surrounding trails we were able to cover over 275 total miles. Other local trails not to be missed are the Prairie Grass Trail, Creekside Trail, and the Great Miami River Trail. All trails are clean, glass free, and fast. Hard to imagine a better place to spend a week or more if you have the time. Where else can you stay at one motel and have all these mentioned trails, plus several more we didn't have time to explore. If you need a mid-week break from biking try the National Air-Force Museum in Dayton. Easy to spend the entire day there and its free. Roger and Marilyn
My wife and I were visiting family in Cincinnati over July 4th weekend and after a ride around the northern Kentucky hills were looking for an interesting, flat bike trail to ride our new DaVinci tandem. We started in Milford at 7:30am and headed toward Morrow for a 40+ mile round trip.
The trail is paved, flat, well shaded, and generally in good shape. There are root bumps, but not too many. The little towns (especially Loveland) provide good points of interest. Loveland has many shops along the trail that cater to the trail users.
Probably our biggest disappointment was that the trail was so overgrown. The trail itself was clear, but one can not see much scenery while riding along. We are used to many, very scenic trails in the Chicagoland area (particularly near the Fox River valley). Although the Little Miami Scenic Trail runs along the river, the overgrown brush prevents one from seeing the river most of the time. Fields could barely be enjoyed on the other side of the trail due to the overgrown brush.
So if you are looking for a well paved, flat and level trail that offers little more than a tunnel feel when not passing through the interesting towns, then this trail is it. But it should not be classified as one of the best trails anywhere. Within our limited trail riding, we have experienced trails that provide both flat, well paved riding AND good scenery.
Late in the day on Saturday, (approx 5:00 p.m.) just as the rain was coming and going, I made it to Loveland with my newly purchased bike off of Craigslist, nothing fancy, just a great deal on a Huffy. As I pulled into the parking lot the worst of the storm had passed and just a few sprinkles were lingering. I pulled out my bike, cell phone and water bottle in hand and ventured off to get the wheels wet. Shortly into my ride, I noticed the mile markers painted on the path (I am new to this path) and realized I had just passed the 40 mile marker and the numbers were going down. Ok, this is great, I will be able to follow my progress. Not long into my ride, I noticed the sound of running water, various places displayed a beautiful flow of water blanketing the rocks that led to the river below which ran the entire distance beside me. Since it had just stormed there were limbs down from the winds (nothing to drastic) but it also left the bike trail completely empty with little ole me to enjoy the whole thing to myself !!!! I had been riding maybe 30 minutes when it started raining a constant refreshing rain, I didn't care, it cooled things down and left me feeling more refreshed than ever. As the rain was coming down I noticed I was no longer alone on the trail. I had beautiful bright yellow finch traveling along side of me as if they were dancing with me. Multiple times, various places in the path, it was breathtaking. I was so happy with myself for not letting the rain scare me away. I wish I had brought a camera because there were multiple places that gave you a perfect set up for some beautiful shots, especially with the water coming down the streams off the hillside. Watching my time I realized I should start heading back, by the mile markers I had riden 10 plus miles and I had to return to my starting designation. I stopped and turned around just short of coming into Morrow. Again on the ride back, the birds had invited several Cardinal's to join in on the dancing. Ok, I am thinking, this is something out of a fairytale with Cinderella, death must be knocking on my door, cause nature just doesn't act this way. If I run across deer, that's it. I am destined to be pushing up daisy's. As I am returning to the vehicle, I remembered there was a path that cut off and took you to Lebanon, an additional 8.2 miles to be exact. I stopped there and took in some information, upon bringing myself back up to the LMST, there is a flippin baby deer !! Just beside it is it's mommy, I gently applied my brakes as I didn't want to spook them. They stood right there and let me glide right past them. My ride was refreshing, mesmerizing, uplifting, and exhausting. It was so worth it. I recommend everyone ride at least once in the rain. The stretch between Loveland and Morrow is mostly shaded with nature all around you. ON Sunday, I started at the beginning of the path off of Newtown Rd and rode to Loveland (round trip 30 mile), not as much Nature, many areas with no shade, enjoyed the Loveland to Morrow stretch much better. 52 +/- miles over 2 days, not bad for a rookie. Oh my aching $$%%.
Is there any campsites along the Little Miami for someone that wants to do a multi-day trip? Thanks.
May29-31, 2010
This was the third time that we have done the trail. We started in Milford and traveled to Xenia where we spent 2 nights. We did the Creekside trail to Dayton and went north to Young's Dairy before we headed back to Milford. We were extremely disappointed with the trail this time. It was so overgrown that in many places the shrubs were over the trail. As we got closer to Xenia the trail improved. The Creekside trail was in perfect condition. Riverside Cafe was under construction from the fire. We didn't know there was a fire, so were disappointed to not find it open. We rode on to Corwin and ate there. We will definitely do the trail again since we love all the trail options. Brenda and Ted Gatchel, Prospect, Ohio
On Monday April 19th, 2010 - I Rented a car from Enterprise at King's mall in Loveland, had them pick me up at Paxton Grill where my car was parked.. Signed papers at their King's mall shop, then took the rental car back to the trail parking at Paxton Grill and transfered the T8 to the rented car (thought about the t12, but the trail is fairly narrow, went with the T8)... I Drove up highway 48 to 42 to Xenia, and a bit down US35 toward Dayton, and returned the rented car at their Enterprise location on the north side of US HWY 35... Took the T8 out and got ready and got on the creekside trail (right behind the enterprise location) and climbed a bit into Xenia and then started down the little miami scenic trail (aka Loveland Bike Trail)... towards my car still parked in downtown loveland...
Kept a decent pace for a Trikke Carving Vehicle at first - 11 to 12 mph...
The trail is in good condition as other reviewers have said... They seem to keep it well maintained as there were not many sticks or other things on the path to have to avoid..
I started slowing down near the end of the ride, both because there were some more scenic spots to stop and take pictures, and because even though I had a hydration pack, I did not do the best job of staying properly hydrated, and started to crash some... Also, I should have stopped in one of the small towns on the way for a full lunch (like topshelf did), instead of just eating only energy bars and drinking water... Much of it was a slight downhill on average, or I may have slowed down more...
The GPS results for the ride are at: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/30627434
The scenery was nice, but I was hoping for some more scenic views of the little miami river than there seemed to be... My only reason for not rating this a 5 ...
If links actually work in this review, here are some pics of the ride in a few places where I did stop
http://picasaweb.google.com/MiTrikker/XeniaToLoveLand?authkey=Gv1sRgCNjajfmPyLW4Yg#
I would do this ride again. Perhaps next time I drive through the Cincinnati area and can afford to stay an extra day.. -
http://trikketalk.com/ohio-trikker-forum/8278-loveland-bike-trail-sunday-april-18th-monday-apr-19th.html#post126073
Last Summer (late Aug 2009) we brought our old folks bicycle club to Lebanon Ohio for a grand 3 day tour of the Little Miami Scenic Trail. We had a great time on the trail from our rest break playing on the big bikes on the way to Loveland, to great ice cream cones up in Yellow Springs. Lebanon has an excellent 10km connecter trail from their town to the Little Miami. We really enjoyed the museum in Xenia and the fact that this is a major hub for multiuse trails. We stayed at Hardy's B&B"s (he has 4 locations and we took them all) We will be back.
Jim & Mary, Ontario, Canada, Aug 09
Just before 8:00 a.m. on a cool, rainy Friday morning in October 2009, I climbed aboard my trusty steed (1995 Schwinn Searcher Express hybrid bike) and set off to tackle the Little Miami Trail. I was headed to Cincinnati to visit my son who is in college. I had sweats and rain gear, and packed my typical tools, inner tube, snacks and water. As I departed downtown Springfield, the rain was relentless. I had some difficulty following the trail and its road sections, but eventually worked my way to the south end of town and under I-70. From this point on there would be no more road sections. I crossed US 68 and headed toward Yellow Springs. At West Jackson Road, I was teased by the sign for Young’s Jersey Dairy, which I knew had not yet opened at that time in the morning. I rolled into Yellow Springs and went to the old train station. This place should not be missed - the art hanging on the restroom walls is worth a look. In a few minutes, I got back on my soaked bike and headed south, the rain now easing only slightly. On a nicer day, I would have spent some time looking around Yellow Springs – it’s a fun, funky place. I rolled past the glen and Antioch College, and started to pound out the miles to Xenia. In Xenia, the trail follows sidewalks for a while between Shawnee Park and the station. Pay attention for bike route signs. The Xenia Station is a welcome sight. I went inside to dry off for a moment, and contemplate the merits of biking on a cool, rainy day. From Xenia, trails branch off in four (soon five) directions – north toward Springfield, northeast to near Columbus, southeast to near Cincinnati, west to Dayton and beyond, and soon southeast toward Chillicothe. From Xenia I headed south toward Cincinnati. The next town I came too was Spring Grove. This small town has a decent restaurant, the Spartan Spirit, where I decided to dry off and get lunch. Well fed and dried, I left the restaurant and was greeted by a nice surprise – sunshine. I shed my rain gear, put on a dry sweatshirt and pants, and took off for points south. In no time I was in Corwin. (If you go through Corwin on a weekend be sure to stop at the Corwin Peddler – good food and ice cream at a place owned by an enthusiastic supporter of the trail.) I rolled on toward the tiny town of Oregonia, and soon passed the ruins of the Little River Café. The place burned down recently, but I was encouraged by the crews working hard to get the place rebuilt and back in business. South of Oregonia, I passed under the I-71 bridge which floats high above the trail. Shortly, I was in Morrow, where I stopped for a break. I had hoped to visit Miranda’s ice cream shop, but unfortunately it was closed on this Friday in October, so I kept pedaling south. I passed the imposing Peter’s Cartridge Factory, which made shells for the military in World Wars I and II, and came into the town of Loveland. I parked my bike and went into the Loveland Mill for a couple cookies. By this time my legs were a little sore, but I only had a few more miles to go. I got back aboard, and headed toward Milford. I crossed the Little Miami on an old railroad bridge and rolled through Milford. Shortly after Milford I crossed a railroad bridge over US 52, through Terrace Park, and came to another bridge over the Little Miami. Soon, I was at the southern trailhead at Little Miami Golf Course, where I waited for my ride to take me on into Cincinnati. Even with the rain in the morning, this was a very enjoyable ride.
September, 2009 - A great ride ! Rode the section from Morrow to Yellow Springs, heading mainly north. Overall the trail is in very good condition, paved asphalt, about 95 percent is in the shade. A generally slight uphill all the way, though nothing too strenuous. Nice restroom facilities in 4 spots along the way.
Morrow to Corbin - 14 miles, nice restaurant in Corbin
Corbin to Xenia - 14 miles, brings you to Xenia Station. You can choose several trails to branch off on here. A short distance in Xenia is on city streets. I continued north to Yellow Springs.
Xenia to Yellow Springs - 10 miles. A slightly steeper upgrade. Yellow Springs has many nice little shops and restaurants right along the trail.
I stayed in Xenia, at the Regency Motel, nothing fancy, but clean and fairly inexpensive. There a several nice B&B's in the area. There is a fully equipped bike shop in Xenia, just off the trail.
Definately would this this ride again.
My husband and I drove up from Knoxville TN to try this trail out. The trail was really well maintained, and any "bumps" that were under the pavement were marked. That would really help bikers with small tires that could potentially bend rims or break spokes. There was a center stripe just like on roadways - that was a nice touch, and the first green-way my husband and I have been on with that kind of marking.
It was in mid-August, so the shade from the trees lining the trail really helped. It was not a breezy day, and the only wind we felt is what we provided by pedaling! And it was A LOT of pedaling. The section of the trail that we rode was really straight and dead FLAT! There was no opportunity to struggle up a hill to get the reward of coasting down the other side...
If we lived closer I would probably use this trail often to build up my cardio and endurance - but to drive several hours to get here, I was a bit disappointed. There were no benches or other such rest stops anywhere along the trail to take breaks and stretch out, or to just cool off with a nice drink. We both had Camel-Bak's and water bottles, so the lack of drinking fountains was not an issue.
This is third Rail-Trail we have done, along with Abdingdon, VA and Lynchburg, VA. Would only recommend to beginning cyclists that don't want a lot of hills and to road bikers that like the flat-land to build up their speed.
Lorraine
My family and I visited Ohio on Spring Break and we loved the trails down in the Yellow Springs area. Clean, well kept and very friendly people. Yellow Springs welcomes both bike and foot traffic. Nice , clean public bathrooms, bike racks and many eateries close to the bike path. Even my seven year old son was able to ride quite some distance and enjoy the scenery. I recomend this trail and we intend on going back to ride further!
"Have been riding, experiencing and loving this rail trail for over 7 years. There's something for everyone and the section between Xenia and Loveland has to be one of the prettiest in the country. Get out there and enjoy it, do it today!"
"I lived in Loveland Ohio for a short time, in that time I got to go on the Loveland Bike Trail. What a beautiful wonderful, trail. I moved to South Carolina, and there are no other trails like this one. I MISS IT TERRIBLY. I looked at the pictures on the web site and it brought back many memories. BEST ON THE PLANET. If I get back up that direction I am bringing my BIKE JUST FOR THE TRAIL. Wish they had one down here. NOT EVEN CLOSE. OHIO BE GRATEFUL FOR SUCH A GREAT A STUDPENDOUS... stretch of land. It's FANTASTIC.."
" We rode the middle third of this trail, 57 miles round trip, from Xenia to Morrow and back. Very smooth ride. 100 degree weather was no problem as most of ride was in the shade.
Great sandwich shop in Morrow, Morrow's Sweet Tooth. We hope they spray for poison ivy which is right on edge of trail in many places, also on rail bridge in Morrow. But we thank Ohio for preserving this marvelous transportation corridor. Best rail trail we have ever ridden!"
"While this trail is primarily used by cyclists and roller-bladers I can tell you from 1st hand experience it is very runner/walker friendly, too...I have trained for 11 marathons on the stretch between Corwin and Greene County and have found it to be safe and scenic...and importantly, 99% of bikers approaching from the rear are courteous by shouting ""on your left"" as they come up on you.
This is a gorgeous trail, and especially in late summer-early autumn when the wild flowers are tall and the yellow finches seem to follow you along the path...
if you're out early you'll occasionally have a doe cross your path as well.
Happy Running/Biking!
Dan"
Rode from Milford to Xenia on the first Saturday in October of 2005. Had a great time and would the trail to all.
"I come up every year to Ohio to visit my family during the holiday season. Last year I rode this trail for the first time, and I must say it is the best trail outside of Mississippi that I have seen. Well maintained, with beutiful views, even though it was cold I had a wonderful time. I want to thank everyone that made this trail possible."
This trail is great for those that wish to do a century or even a double century. It's flat and smooth surface allows you to really rack up the miles. I tried a double century last month and made it to 191 miles in 18 hrs. Had to stop because of stormy weather. Lots of refueling places along the trail too. Im going to give the double century another shot in 3 weeks. ps...Im 50.
"I did a 150 mile self-supported tour of the Little Miami starting just east of Springfield on a spur. Fifty miles south takes you to an on-trail campground. Twenty-five miles south to the end and 25 miles back to the campground was my 2nd day. The third day was 50 miles back to my car near Springfield. It was a real pleasure cycling this trail (twice!). Surrounded by trees and silence, the cycling was sublime. Easy and flat, too, with ample off-trail opportunity for food/winery tours, etc. There are some B&Bs too."
"This is the best we have riden. The trail connects with other trails. We stayed at Caesar Creek State Park for a week and rode the Litte Miami, Creek Side, and Ohio to Erie Trails. And we still didn't get to the trails In Dayton. This is a great trail system. The park at Loveland and the town there are nice."
"My biking partner and I biked the Little Miami this past weekend; it was a wonderful experience. The trail is an easy ride (paved trails are hard to come by), and the scenery although not wilderness, was picturesque and invited frequent picture stops. We stayed in Waynesville-half way-and biked into Springfield the next day. We traveled five hours to get to this trail and plan to do it again next year!"
My wife and I rode the Little Miami at the peak of the fall colors and we think it's probably the most senic and best maintained rail trail we have ridden. The street fair in Yellow Springs was a delightful bonus.
This trail is so awesome! It follows the very scenic Little Miami River tucked in the large trees. Perfect ride on a hot summer afternoon and a fabulous trail to see the fall colors on the hillside on both sides. Stop at one of the quaint little towns along the way for some ice cream and snacks or bed down in one of the B&B. A definite must ride in Southwestern Ohio!!!!
"I remember riding the Cincinnati Limited of the Pennsylvania Railroad on what is now the Little Miami Scenic Trail. The views of the river are great, and in Morrow you can still see rail in the street from the old street running section."
I live near the trail and use it as often as possible. We drop our daughter's bike off at school in the morning then ride up to pick her up after school. It's a great way for our family to spend time together. We see lots of wildlife and the trail is shaded so it stays cool in the summer.
"I am lucky to live near this trail. My family and I bike ride on it, and we also did a group ride this past summer with 10 friends. I also jog on the trail -- the mileage markers are great.
The scenery is wonderful, and the trail is flat!"
"I had the opportunity to check out this trail while visiting family in the West Chester, Ohio, area. It was well maintained and shady with very few changes in elevation. The small towns along the way cater to the users of the path. Plenty of places to stop, park, eat and drink! My hat goes off to everyone involved!"
My wife and I went on this trail and really loved it. We liked the small towns and being in the country!! We are from Indiana and we really don't have many paved trails.
"The Little Miami bike trail is an excellent example of a rail-to-trail conversion. I have ridden on the trail for many years and have watched it grow from a trail about 13 miles long to what it is today.
The trail roughly follows the Little Miami river. It goes through a variety of scenic terrain: from farm land to woods to small towns. The entire trail is paved and basically flat which makes for easy riding. You're never more than about 10 miles from a town and most towns have bathroom facilities along with water and small shops. There are several bed-and-breakfasts along the way for those who want to make a multi-day trip out of it.
There are many places to park your car and start riding from. Among them are: Milford, Loveland, the powder factory (near Mason), Morrow, Morgan's Canoe Livery, Oregonia, Corwin, Spring Valley, Xenia, and Yellow Springs. I'm sure I've skipped a few, but you get the picture, nearly every town along the way has parking available for trail riders.
There's plenty more that could be said in favor of the Little Miami bike trail. Suffice it to say that of the several thousand miles that I've ridden, the Little Miami bike trail is easily my favorite place to bike."
"This is GREAT trail! Smooth and long. Several branches out of it - to Beavercreek, to Cedarville, etc.
Communities (Spring Valley, Corwin, Morrow, etc.) along the route like bicyclists."
This is a great trail! There are quite a few little towns or villages that make nice stops. We have ridden the lower part the most. Loveland is a great stop with a nice park and lots of shops that provide services for the trail. There are a few roads to cross with caution but not too bad. I would definately recommend this trail!
This is an excellent trail and very popular. There are other biking trails that connect with this trail -- west to Beavercreek and from there trails that go through Dayton along the Mad River and the Great Miami River. There's a lot to explore!
"The trail was fantastic. All paved and mostly shaded by trees. It runs from Milford in the south to way past Springfield. Lots of quaint towns along the way. Since it is along the Little Miami River there are also several canoe rental places.
We stayed in Waynesville at the Creekwood Motel. Trail is 1/2 mile from there and at about the halfway point on the trail.
In Xenia the trail goes by a park where there will be several trails branching out. Pay close attention in order to not take the wrong trail out of town toward Springfield. In Xenia the trail also goes through the center of town on city streets.
In Springfield you really have to be eagle-eyed to catch the trail signs because you will be led through town using them. Pay close attention and keep a log of the streets because you will need it on the way back. We lost the signs at the north end of town and had to do a bit of searching. There are a lot of one-way streets there making a complete backtrack difficult. HEADS UP! It probably would help to get a city map of Springfield and mark the trail on it.
Trail maps can be gotten at several stations along the trail, and there are also maps on signposts. Too bad the website does not have any. That would be really helpful.
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