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In Canal Fulton park at SR 93/Cherry Str. across from the Canal Fulton Canoe Livery. Midway along the path, park at Butterbridge Road east of SR 21. In Massillon, park near 9124 Forty Corners Rd.
I like to ride the Olde Muskingum one way and then cross over to the towpath at Canal Fulton and Forty Corners and ride it back. Doing it this way you create a nice loop that is mostly shaded. If you want to shorten the loop, you also have the option of crossing over High Mill or Butterbridge. I live in the area and do this often. If you ride on weekdays it isn't very busy, the towpath gets more traffic. However, weekends and evenings you can get a lot of dog walkers near Canal Fulton on this trail. Because of recent flooding in the area both trails have some rough spots. Both surfaces are crushed limestone.
Loved this trail. Not crowded and nice and flat. I am a new rider and actually made the full ride. 12 miles and mostly shady.
Nice trail, crushed gravel. Usually not as busy as the other side of the river, the Canal Trail. You have more chance of seeing people riding their horses on this section. They have right of way.
In April of 2017 I rode the Olde Muskingum Trail. This trail can be found along the Tuscarawas River in Canal Fulton, Ohio. To me this is an unusual trail. On one side of the Tuscarawas River you have the Congressman Ralph Regula Towpath Trail which follows the old Ohio & Erie Canal. This trail has historical significance, it currently has a working section of canal, and an actual canal boat ride if you are so inclined. The Olde Muskingum Trail is on the opposite side of the river and was an old railroad siding or right of way that has been converted into a trail. It too is a crushed limestone surface and you would be hard pressed to tell the two trails apart except for the canal facilities visible and in use on the Towpath Trail. The Olde Muskingum Trail is approximately 6 miles long. If you combine the two trails with Cherry Street in the north and Forty Corners Road in the south you could make a 12.5 mile loop to ride. The Congressman Regula Towpath Trail is part of the Ohio to Erie cross state trail. Combine that with the working canal boat attraction and the Towpath can get pretty busy during the summer. My guess is that the locals probably prefer the Olde Muskingum Trail because it is less busy.
While the canal offers scenery it also offers a mosquito breading ground. You've been warned.
The crushed stone is well traveled and compacted nicely. Overall it's a pleasant ride. The creamery in CF is really popular. The adjacent trails are spectacular if you still feel like riding after a Rootbeer milkshake.
Very well maintained for a bridal trail. Grass was mowed and I didn't see any hourse waste at all.
Hubby and I were out for a "Sunday drive" on our bikes - just a nice enjoyable ride since we've not been here before. We took the Towpath south from the parking lot at the St Helena in Canal Fulton down to Butterbridge and came back north on the Muskingum Trail. Both were nice rides with just about the same scenery. On the Towpath, you get the canal on one side and the river on the other, both right smack next to you. Even saw a fawn! On the Muskingham Trail, you get the rail tracks and river on either side. It took us a little less than 1 hour to ride it leisurely. You may see a few canoe-ers on the river as they enter up at Cherry St at the livery. Both paths were crushed limestone and no problems.
I live in Massillon and ride the popular Towpath Trail often. This offshoot trail runs slightly left of Towpath and offers less traffic and views of old rail line and canal. Rode it into Canal Fulton from Forty Corners road, enjoyed a beer at Canal Boat Lounge and discovered a just opened bike shop in Canal Fulton called Tombstone Bicycles. Had a nice ride back to Massillon in dark skies, a little bug heavy but very enjoyable.
Rode the Olde Muskingum all the way from 40 corners to Canal Fulton and back, on September 10, 2014. My bicycle is not a trail bike and it was rough going. That said, on a beautiful if humid morning, I saw exactly 5 people and 2 dogs on the trail in about an hour. Most hikers use the Ohio and Erie Canal trail on the other side of the river.
You can access it anywhere that a public road crosses the trail. 40 corners; High Mill (park at the Tavern); Butterbridge Rd. and Canal Fulton's numerous trail parking areas. One always has to cross the river to get to this trail from the main one, the towpath trail.
Olde Muskingum seems like it was at one time a rail line, because there are RR type mileposts and some other relics all around. Massive concrete bridge over a stream, for example. The Corman RR tracks run parallel this trail all the way, but on higher ground.
There are a few bumpy patches on the trail. Some low areas stay wet for days. Mostly packed earth which is very smooth when dry, with areas of crushed limestone and some loose gravel at intervals. There is some soft sand pack near High Mill where I almost lost it.
I have been riding the Canal trails for years, from Valley View to Zoar Village. This Olde Musk trail is real find. Private, almost.
Crushed gravel and a flat grade makes for a good run. The gravel is also packed enough that even a narrow treaded racing bike would do alright.
Not a bad trail it follows the river and the towpath running north and south. There are some good views along the way and if you go north from Massillon you can stop in Canal Fulton for some eats. The trail does continue north to Clinton Ohio but you have to do some walking alone the railroad tracks.
Rode this trail on 7/11/10 and it's an enjoyable trail. It doesn't seem to get used as much as most of the other trails in the Stark County Area. The scenery for the most part is very nice. All kinds of wildlife to view and shade to relax and take a break from the heat. This trail also offers some decent views of the river which run parallel to it. Although the surface is not paved it's very ridable. Can't wait to do it again.
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