Exploring Ohio on the Great Ohio Lake to River Greenway

 

For years my brother and I have dreamed about biking from Pittsburgh to Washington on the Great Allegheny Passage and C & O Canal Towpath trails. 2020 was finally the year! I recently returned from a three-year stint in Finland and we were planning for a week in July or August. And then COVID-19 hit, which prompted us to look a little closer to home. Fortunately, Ohio has solid bike tour options, such as the Towpath Trail and the 326-mile Ohio to Erie Trail. We opted for an even closer adventure on the Great Ohio Lake to River Greenway.

Brothers on the Great Ohio Lake to River Greenway

The Great Ohio Lake to River Greenway (GOLTRG) is an absolute gem. Running from the Ohio River to Lake Erie through the hills of Eastern Ohio and the Western Reserve, the GOLTRG has a bit of everything: abolitionist history, the world’s 11th biggest lake, one of our country’s most storied rivers, post-industrial landscapes, a designated Wild and Scenic River, beautiful farms, wine country, one of the country’s largest county fairs, and miles and miles of gorgeous forest.

Still in development, the GOLTRG also lacks the fanfare or visitation of the nearby Towpath and Great Allegheny Passage trails. The trail demands preparation. Don’t count on chartered shuttle services, restaurants, or even bathrooms and water along much of the trail. 

The trail will ultimately stretch approximately 110 miles. As of right now, 73.8 miles are complete, providing a fairly easy-to-navigate stretch of trail between Lake Erie (Ashtabula County) and Lisbon (Columbiana County), with just a couple of short gaps. Here’s the breakdown (certified trail in bold):

·         GAP- Lake Erie to Western Reserve Greenway Northern Terminus, 2ish miles

·         Western Reserve Greenway, (Ashtabula and Trumbull County), 43 miles

·         Garrett Wonders (Trumbull County), 3.2 miles

·         GAP, Niles Greenway to Garrett Wonders, approximately 5 miles

·         Niles Greenway (Trumbull County), 4.5 miles

·         Metroparks Bikeway (Mahoning County), 10.6 miles

·         GAP- Metro Parks Bikeway to Little Beaver Creek Greenway Trail, 4ish miles

·         Little Beaver Creek Greenway Trail (Columbiana County), 12.5 miles

·         GAP Little Beaver Creek Greenway Trail to Ohio River, 15ish miles

Plans are underway to complete the short gaps between the current northern terminus and Lake Erie, the Niles Greenway and the Garrett Wonders Trail, and the MetroParks and Little Beaver Creek Greenways. The last major gap between Lisbon and the Ohio River is a different story. Columbiana County recently extended the Little Beaver Creek Greenway and is planning to extend it again to Route 11. However, there doesn’t seem to be much information in the public domain on the last 10+ miles to the river. 

 The Ride- Day 1 (12.5 miles)

On the first day, we rode the 12.5 mile Little Beaver Greenway Trail in Columbiana County, which stretches from Washingtonville to Lisbon. The trail, which was recently highlighted as Rails to Trails trail of the month https://www.railstotrails.org/trailblog/2020/july/13/ohio-s-little-beaver-creek-greenway/,  belies the belief that all Ohio is flat, running through beautiful rolling terrain alongside one of Ohio’s (and the nation’s) Wild and Scenic Rivers. Much of the trail features views from high above the creek, with rocky sandstone bluffs and forests. The trail also passes through Lisbon and Leetonia, which would be great trail towns if the GOLTRG is ever completed and becomes a regional and/or national tourist draw. Lisbon is also on the North Country Trail, one of the nation’s 11 National Scenic Trails (like the Appalachian Trail) managed by the National Park Service. With both trails running through town, it is easy to envision restaurants, cafes, breweries, and lodging options driving new investment and fostering an atmosphere like Ohiopyle or Peninsula. Some services are available in both, including Donna’s Bike Shop which offers rentals, repairs, snacks, and components right on the trail near the current southern terminus.

Teegarden Centennial Covered Bridge over Little Beaver Creek (1876)

Little Beaver Creek Greenway

Leetonia

U.S. Post Office, Leetonia

Erik on the Little Beaver Creek Greenway

Day 2 (70 miles)

On the second day, we rode from my brother’s place in North Lima to the beginning of the Mill Creek Metroparks Greenway for the journey to Ashtabula and the world’ 11^th largest lake. The Mill Creek Metroparks Greenway is the Mahoning County segment of the GOLTRG, which is complete except for a proposed 4 mile portion from Western Reserve Road to Washingtonville that is currently enmeshed in a court battle over Metroparks' proposed use of eminent domain. The Metroparks Greenway currently runs from Western Reserve Road in Canfield to the Trumbull County Line in Niles, passing through farms, light industrial properties, suburban subdivisions, and forests. The trail runs close to the Canfield Fairgrounds, site of one of the country’s largest county fairs, as well as the massive Walnut Grove playground. Next to the beautiful Kirk Rd. Trailhead, Trailside Bike Rental rents bikes, does emergency repairs, and has snacks. 

The Trumbull County segment of the trail is the most diverse of the entire GOLTRG, ranging from classic post-industrial, Rust Belt landscapes in Niles and Warren to miles of serene forest with few road crossings north of  Warren. The trail crosses the Mahoning River, not long before the gap between the Niles Greenway and the Garrett Wonders Bike Trail in Warren. Several locals advised us to avoid riding bikes in the area because of perceptions of crime. As end-to-enders without car support, we didn’t have a choice. The route is completely unsigned so we chose the busy Rte. 169 past an old steel mill before hitting the Garrett Wonders Bike Trail, which traverses an old industrial area and adjacent housing.

Post-industrial landscapes, Warren, Ohio

Erik in Warren

Mahoning River

Honestly, we did the ride on a Sunday morning and I never felt unsafe. I would ride it again tomorrow. At the same time, the lack of signage and the trail’s avoidance of downtown Warren are unfortunate. Warren is a fascinating place, a population center in the Connecticut Western Reserve in the late 1700s and home to beautiful architecture, including Underground Railroad and women’s suffrage sites, a historic Millionaire's Row, the Packard Museum, and some new businesses. Greater trail buy-in in Warren could help with the area’s economic transition after the collapse of the steel industry.

North of Warren the GOLTRG picks up the 43-mile Western Reserve Greenway through Trumbull and Ashtabula County. Along with the Little Beaver Creek Greenway, this is a real highlight of the trail. This stretch runs through beautiful farms and forests, with rich abolitionist history, regular horse and buggy sightings, and plenty of wildlife. The stretch is also almost completely devoid of services, particularly on a Sunday. We crossed several spectacular creeks and rivers, particularly as we inched closer to Lake Erie. In Ashtabula, we did the short road ride from the current northern terminus to Lake Erie at Walnut Beach Park. Walnut Beach has a large sand beach and swim area, providing a Lake Erie experience without the crowds of Headlands Beach (at least when we were there). I can't wait to return with my family and check out Ashtabula's downtown.

Walnut Beach on Lake Erie, Ashtabula

The traditional tire dip, Lake Erie

Ashtabula County

Vision

The Great Ohio Lake to River Greenway is a tremendous asset for Northeast Ohio. Unfortunately, the trail lacks vision, branding, and an active advocate. Unlike other major trails, you won’t find any active websites on the GOLTRG, a logo, merchandise, or travel guides. That’s a shame, because this region of Ohio has a fascinating history that deserves greater visitation, which would have positive economic benefits.

Because of the lack of a central website, planning is more complicated than it should be. I used my Rails to Trails Midwest Guide and the websites for Ashtabula, Trumbull, Mahoning, and Columbiana County. Yet even though I researched extensively ahead of time, I could not find recommendations to connect the gaps. Google works, but it doesn’t give you a sense of safe roads and scenic areas. On the day of the trip, there were several places where the trail lacked any marking (particularly between Niles and Warren and in Ashtabula from the terminus to the lake). And there was no sense that each constituent trail was part of a greater 110-mile trail that is one of the longest in the state of Ohio and in the region.

The trail is beautiful and well maintained, but it would clearly benefit from a fierce non-governmental advocate, such as the NGOs that promote the Ohio-to-Erie https://www.ohiotoerietrail.org/ and Great Allegheny Passage Trails. https://www.gaptrail.org/ . These groups work tirelessly to complete and promote their trails, foster a vision for the trail, build awareness of the economic and health benefits of trails to the community, and raise money to enhance the experience.

Trails are a major economic asset. According to a study of the Economic Impact of Regional Trails by the Trail Towns Program, the 150-mile Great Allegheny Passage Trail from Pittsburgh to Cumberland, Maryland has a direct economic impact of $50 million per year (2012), with the average user (approximately 1 million per year) spending $18 per day and $124 per night along the trail. During the period from 2007-2015, 137 new trail businesses opened, with 270+ net jobs created.

After its completion, the Great Ohio Lake to River Greenway could spur the creation of a more diversified and vibrant economy in one of Ohio’s most beautiful and historic regions, bringing tourists, increasing the area’s attractiveness to new residents, fostering community, and combating obesity. To get there, we have to finish the trail, but why stop there. 

Imagine jumping on the Stavich Trail in Stuthers and riding to Newcastle or connecting to the GOLTRG on a new trail along the Mahoning River through Youngstown and Warren, with highlights including Yellow Creek Park (Hopewell Furnace and Springsteen), the Youngstown Sheet and Tube Homes of Campbell, Lincoln Park in Youngstown, the Butler, DeYor, Stambaugh, downtown Youngstown’s numerous cafes, breweries, and restaurants, and Mill Creek Park. Thinking even bigger, why not connect with signed road routes or trails to Cuyahoga Valley National Park, the McKinley Memorial Library and birthplace, Underground Railroad and suffrage sites, and the myriad covered bridges, wineries, and other locavore stops in the region, particularly in Ashtabula County?

The GOLTRG has taken decades to develop. Where will we take it from here?

——