The short North Olmsted Walking & Bike Trail parallels Interstate 480 and provides an alternate, non-motorized route linking neighborhoods with green spaces and business districts.
Parking for the trail can be found along neighborhood streets in North Olmsted between Stearns Road and Great Northern Boulevard.
The North Olmsted Walking and Bike Trail runs roughly 2.5 miles along Interstate 480 from Great Northern Boulevard to Stearns Road. The trail is quite flat. It is surrounded by chain link fence on both sides for almost its entire length. The surface is asphalt which shows signs of significant root uplifting in several areas. One of the recurring complaints in the reviews for this trail is a lack of maintenance, particularly regarding weeds growing along the inside of the fencing. I will confirm that it is pretty overgrown in some places.
The trail provides walking and riding access for neighborhood residents to North Olmsted High School, an elementary school, and the district administration building as well as Great Northern Mall. This leads me to believe that perhaps the building of this trail was part of the deal to develop the land that became the mall. Definitely not a destination trail for people outside of the community, but probably useful to local residents.
The trail is cluttered with debris, tree roots have lifted big areas of the asphalt. There was a big tree limb across a fence and trail that I had to get off my bike and walk underneath. The highway was very noisy. I probably would not return to this trail.
It's beautiful in the spring beautiful in the autumn beautiful in summer you will always find deer the colors of the leaves amazing in Autumn I always pick different kinds of flowers I have seen different kinds of birds 3 miles down 3 miles up great exercise on a bike or walking. I love it I love it.💕
Like it says it runs alongside I 480. You don't see highway but constantly hear it. Trail needs bit maintenance. Some potholes and uneven pavement use caution. it's peaceful ride and seen some deer and rabbits. Keep eyes open on North side of West end of trail there's a neat lama farm to see. Trail ends very close to Great Northern Mall. Mall maybe 2 more minutes at trail end and great place grab lunch after long ride.
The issue with this trail is the lack of maintenance it gets. They never seem to clear it of brush or leaves. Love walking it though.
I use this trail along I-480 to bike in summer and walk in winter. There are portions that have need of some healthy maintenance. Weeds at the chain link fence line are overgrown and some tree branches stick out in the pathway. Some sections have leaf piles that appear to be from last fall. And there are three or four areas where the chain link fence has been cut with gaping holes. For a suburban trail it should be in much better condition.
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