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Print Friendly MapThe Washington Reservation All Purpose Trail connects the Arborview Picnic Area in the Washington Reservation and the Settlers Bluff Picnic Area in the Ohio & Erie Canal Reservation. There is an additional 0.5-mile trail loop around the Arborview Picnic Area (3875 Washington Park Blvd, Newburgh Heights).
From the Arborview Picnic Area, the paved pathway runs south as it parallels Washington Park Boulevard and then East 49th Street to the Settlers Bluff Picnic Area (4447 E 49th St, Cleveland). The Washington Reservation has the USS Maine & American Legion Memorial, a golf course, and a horticulture center. The Ohio & Erie Canal Reservation has boating, fishing, volleyball courts, a ball field, a playground, and drinking fountains. Both reservations have large picnic areas and restrooms.
The trail overlaps with the Ohio & Erie Canal Reservation All Purpose Trail and the Ohio to Erie Trail.
Cleveland's regional transit system provides access to the trail via several bus stops along Washington Park Boulevard. Visit the RTA website for more information. Parking is available at both ends of the trail in the Washington Reservation (4408 Pallister Dr, Cleveland) and the Ohio & Erie Canal Reservation (4524 E 49th St, Cleveland). Visit the TrailLink map for detailed directions.
I rode almost 3.75 miles on an out-and-back ride on the Cleveland Metroparks’ Washington Reservation All Purpose Trail. The Washington Reservation is located in the city of Newburgh Heights, Ohio; a suburb of Cleveland. This all purpose trail connects to the All Purpose Trail in the nearby Ohio & Erie Canal Reservation located in Cuyahoga Heights, Ohio. These two Metroparks are easily accessible to Cleveland’s Slavic Village neighborhood.
On this particular ride I started at the Settlers Bluff Picnic Area located on E. 49th Street in Cuyahoga Heights and rode north on the trail. The trail along E. 49th Street runs through an industrial area. There are a lot of large trucks on traveling on E. 49th Street and the trail crosses over active rail lines that service the Charter Steel plant. It's a blessing that this trail is separated from the street in this area. I believe that you don’t actually enter the Washington Reservation until you cross over Harvard Avenue. Once you cross over Harvard Ave., E. 49th Street becomes Washington Park Boulevard. This is a residential area so there is less traffic and few, if any, heavy trucks here. The trail for the most part parallels the both sides of Washington Park Boulevard and gives you access to the Washington Learning Center (9 hole) Golf Course, the USS Maine Memorial, and two Cleveland Metropolitan School District Schools: the Washington Park Horticulture Education Center and Washington Park Environmental Studies High School. As you can see, there are quite a few points of interest within this small area.
Finally, this trail offers a number of connections to other trails in the area. By traveling south from Washington Reservation on the All Purpose Trail you can connect to the Ohio & Erie Canal Reservation Metropark. Once in the O & E Canal Reservation, you can travel through this park on its own all-purpose trail; the Ohio & Erie Canal Reservation All Purpose Trail. The O & E Canal Reservation All Purpose Trail connects to the Ohio & Erie Towpath Trail. This 80 mile route follows the old Ohio & Erie Canal route from Canal Basin Park in downtown Cleveland to New Philadelphia, Ohio. The “Towpath” Trail is part of the larger cross-state Ohio to Erie Trail route. If you head north on the O & E Towpath Trail you can end up on the shore of Lake Erie. If you head south on the "Towpath"/Ohio to Erie Trail you could ride all the way to the Ohio River in Cincinnati, Ohio.
This short trail connects to other trails to make a loop from the Ohio and Erie trail. I started at Bacci park, north east to Garfield park, west on Morgana run. Then to this trail to Ohio and Erie connector. About a 18 mile loop.
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