On the Ohio Bike Trails trip we ride a series of bike trails that begin outside of Cleveland in Northeast Ohio and end outside of Cincinnati in the southwest corner of Ohio. It’s a ride through parks, farmland, and more urban areas, often beside rivers and streams. The first two days of riding are on hard packed crushed limestone. The remaining days are on paved trails. The trails are relatively flat but we have found a couple of sections where there is a noticeable downhill.
We'll be following the approximate route of the Ohio to Erie Trail, plus a few other outstanding trails to boot!
We now meet for this tour in Columbus, Ohio.
Tour Leaders: Mark Troy and Jack Pettry
Included
- approximately 230 miles of cycling
- 7 overnight stays
- 7 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 2 dinners
- sag support
- admission to Frank Lloyd Wright’s Westcott House
Itinerary
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Day 1
Introductory meeting and dinner in Columbus. We will get acquainted with each other and outline our week of touring.
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Day 2
31 miles – After a van trip from Columbus up to Cleveland, we will ride the Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath from Cleveland to Akron passing through the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
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Day 3
39 miles – We ride the Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath from Akron to Navarre with a stop for a picnic lunch in Canal Fulton. We spend the night in Berlin and walk next door for an Amish dinner (included).
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Day 4
35 miles – We visit an Amish Heritage Center then van to ride the Mohican Valley Trail, the Kokosing Gap Trail and the Heart of Ohio Trail from the Bridge of Dreams through Danville and Mount Vernon to finish in Centerburg.
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Day 5
28 miles – We van to Georgesville to ride the Roberts Pass and the Prairie Grass trails. Our trail today is more level and passes through farmlands, pastures and woods. We'll end the ride in Cedarville, then a short van ride to Springfield, where we will spend 2 nights.
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Day 6
28 miles. We ride the Little Miami Scenic Trail from Cedarville to Springfield with time for a lunch break in Yellow Springs. In the afternoon we visit the Westcott House in Springfield, a Frank Lloyd Wright home.
You can add on 10 more miles with a trip to Buck Creek State Park and back. -
Day 7
41 miles – We van to Xenia to ride the Little Miami Scenic Trail south along the river to Loveland. We will have a lunch stop in Morrow then finish the ride in Loveland, with its many shops to explore and ice cream shops to sample. We will have a very short van ride to Mason where we will spend our last night of the tour. A celebratory dinner is on us tonight!
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Day 8
15 miles – To finish our tour, today we'll bike from Loveland to Newtown. We'll be in good spirits on our shuttle back to our opening hotel in Columbus!
Difficulty Level: Intermediate
This tour’s trails are all paved, with the exception of the first 2 days of riding, where we are on the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath, which has a crushed rock surface. It is quite smooth and suitable for all bicycles.
Suggested bicycle: Touring bikes, road bikes, hybrids
Suggested tire size for this tour: 28mm – 37mm
Pricing
$1920 per person (based on double occupancy)
$500 – Single Supplement (extra price to have your own room)
$100 – Bike Rental (helmet and bike bag included)
Your Travel Plans
For this tour we meet people at 5:00 pm on Wednesday, September 29 at our hotel near the Columbus Airport. The trip ends on Wednesday, October 6. We plan to be back in Columbus around 4:00 pm. We have a 2.5 hour drive back from Cincinnati so traffic conditions can impact our time.
If you are traveling by air you fly in and out of John Glenn Columbus International Airport. Take Uber or taxi to our opening hotel. We return you to the hotel at trip’s end. If you are driving you drive to the hotel. You can leave your car there during our tour.
Your Lodging Plans
Your lodging from Wednesday, September 29 through Tuesday, October 5 is included. Your night’s lodging on the day the trip ends (Wednesday, October 6) is not included. That night is at your expense and reservations for that night are your responsibility.
