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Newsletter 76, Spring 2025 

Welcome new Board Members!


Danielle Fricke, Matt Kretchmar, Jerry Rampelt, Maureen Tobin and Gary Yelenosky began serving on the Board of Directors in the Spring of 2025.


We welcome their leadership and creativity!


The new board profiles are on our website at Board Introductions


To see all 17 Board Members including the Officers, visit the Main Board Page.  Board of Directors


Danielle snip

Matt K snip

Jerry snip

Maureen Snip

Gary snip

Trip Planning Resources

Route Change Notice

Ohio to Erie Trail Office - 4/8/2025


ROUTE CHANGE ANNOUNCEMENT:
The official Ohio to Erie Trail route has now changed to the eastern route around the Lunken Municipal airport on the Little Miami Scenic Trail. With this change, the OTET route northbound follows the Ohio River Trail and joins the Little Miami Scenic Trail at mile 0.

GPS Location: 39.087115, -84.421966
This change is already reflected on our interactive map and still shows the previous route as a light green alternative route.
We have updated the pertinent Ride with GPS files, the online distance grids and our local board member is checking on the signage placement modifications which may be needed.

Interactive Map



Distance Grid Cards



Our mileage distance Grid is available as a Rack Card on glossy card stock in bulk quantities for businesses near the Ohio to Erie Trail.


Website page explaining how to request a bundle:

https://ohiotoerietrail.org/bulkrackcards


Currently bundles are available in quantities of 100 or 200. Please Fill out the short FORM linked to the page and include your description of how these will be distributed and event date if applicable.


ORDER: https://ohiotoerietrail.org/bulkrackcards

Distance Grid Video Link

326 Club - 2025

Ohio to Erie Trail Office - 4/16/2025

Join the 326 Club, Class of 2025

Did you RIDE the whole trail on consecutive days or HIKE it within the same calendar year? 

First add yourself to the list by going to the Interest List for 2025:326 Club 2025  After a  few days, then your name will be listed at 326 Club Names 

You can go to the online store at 
ohiotoerietrail.org/Shop and order your 326 Club sticker.Order Sticker     


The sticker is FREE with another purchase in the store.  Add the item named "OTET 326 Sticker 4" x 6" - COMPLIMENTARY FOR 326 CLUB MEMBERS ONLY" to your cart and purchase any other item to compete the order. 

  
 

  326 Quick Start Steps:


Login to your ClubExpress account

Update your profile photo and achievements

View the 326 Club, Class of 2025 list under Interests

Join the Discussion Forum to share your story

View Interests      Write about it 

.


326 Club Page is at 326 Club 

2025 Interest Group link: 326 Club, Class of 2025

Professional Tours of the Ohio to Erie Trail, 2025

Ohio to Erie Trail Office | Published on 3/17/2025


Find a Tour Group



Visit the Tours Page on our website for registration details 2025 Tours



Watch our Facebook Posts for recent updates

 

visit www.facebook.com/OhiotoErie

Recent Articles
Newsletter 76, Spring 2025

Trail Projects Update

Trail Maintenance Local Projects

Ohio to Erie Trail Office - 5/28/2025


Your Donations at Work

We are pleased to share details about the trail maintenance projects we have contributed to during 2024 and 2025. 
As the original trail sections continue to age and require resurfacing, we are working with local trail groups to maintain the existing trail to ensure a positive trail experience in future years.   



Kokosing Gap Trail Maintenance

 

The 13.5-mile long Kokosing Gap Trail in Knox County opened in 1991 and has been a part of OTET since the birth of OTET. In 2024, the KGT received a $1.14 million ODOT Transportation Alternative Program grant to mill and repave the entire trail in 2026. In preparation for repaving, the Kokosing Gap Trail was awarded a $10,000 grant from OTET to assist with culvert replacements and ditch modifications that need to be performed prior to repaving. A major tree-trim of the length of the trail that will accommodate the machinery needed for repaving was completed this past winter and the drainage projects are scheduled for fall 2025/winter 2026.

PXL_20241015_205759074_2.jpg



Sippo Valley Trail (Stark County)

 

The Ohio to Erie Trail organization wrote a letter of support for the grant application by the Massillon Area Greenways, Inc (MAGI) for funding from the Ohio & Erie Canalway Association to refresh and improve the asphalt trail surface along the Lincoln Park section of the Sippo Valley Trail in Massillon. The Sippo Valley Trail connects to the Ohio & Erie Canalway Towpath trail in Massillon and is within the boundaries of the Ohio & Erie Canalway National Heritage area and is an important east-west link to the north-south Towpath Trail in Stark County.

 

This project will address challenging trail conditions of the Sippo Valley Trail at Lincoln Park to address the deteriorating trail surface which caused difficulty for trail users, especially bicyclists, causing some riders to crash and others to narrowly avoid a crash. This trail surface improvement would encourage increased trail visitation and increase satisfaction with the trail experience. The Board of the Ohio to Erie Trail Fund met on March 20, 2024, and adopted a resolution to commit $10,000 toward this project. The project was completed in the spring of 2025.




Friends of the Little Miami State Park Re-pavement Initiative

 

The Friends of the Little Miami State Park (FLMSP) have been actively raising funds from Fall 2024 to March 2025 to repave a three-mile stretch of trail that connects South Lebanon and Morrow. Trail users have identified the deteriorating condition of the asphalt surface as a major concern for maintenance and enhancement within the State Park. This section of the trail, which is 40 years old, is urgently in need of repairs.

 

The current disrepair affects various activities such as cycling, skating, running, and walking along the trail. With a combination of funding from the State, work to be completed by South Lebanon, and an additional $150,000 raised by Friends of the Little Miami State Park, the financial requirements are now fulfilled. Notably, the Ohio to Erie Trail organization has generously contributed $10,000 towards the final 10% needed to reach the funding goal. The anticipated work is set to take place in 2025 and 2026.





Holmes County Parks  

 

The Ohio to Erie Trail contributed $15,000 to continue the progress on the 7.5 miles of trail being constructed on the abandoned railroad bed, which will run from the village of Glenmont to the village of Killbuck. The project is being completed in two phases and this contribution is toward the Trail Design & Engineering of Phase 5C.2 which is a trail construction project covering Route 520 to Killbuck. The first phase 5C.1 is 4 miles and is nearing construction completion in mid 2025. When complete, phase 1 will have trail from Glenmont to Route 520. The donation toward Phase 5C.2 Design & Engineering was approved by the board in 2019 and reaffirmed the request at the 11/12/24 Board meeting and disbursed the $15,000 to Holmes County Park District. This photo is from the Phase 5C.1 which is expected to open summer or fall 2025.

 

Learn more about the Glenmont to Killbuck project at this information page from the Ohio Department of Transportation.

 

 

ODOT Details




PXL_20241024_183742271_2.jpg

Please donate.
 
We welcome your support of the Ohio to Erie Trail fund, we still have over 10% of the route on streets and roads and we continue to advocate to build trails in these locations.  As the original trail sections age, we are working with local trail groups to maintain the existing trail to ensure a positive trail experience in future years.   

Donate Now please donate to continue the work of the Ohio to Erie Trail Fund on this beloved Ohio recreational treasure.









Watch our Facebook Posts for recent updates

 

visit www.facebook.com/OhiotoErie

Question and Answer Section

Shuttle

equipment shuttle

Why do more people go Northbound versus Southbound?


  • The trail name is "Ohio to Erie"
  • For first time visitors, the northbound route is easier to follow. For southbound, novice riders often lose the trail route in Massillon where it goes west.
  • The Ohio to Erie Trail is part of the Adventure Cycling Underground railroad route which is historically a northbound route.
  • A tailwind is more likely northbound, but not always the case.
  • Rider feedback has indicated the preferred end of ride photo opportunity is the Cleveland Script at the west end of Edgewater Park OR standing in Lake Erie dipping your front tire. Southbound riders have said ending at the Ohio River can be a let down, sometimes the river is too high or too low to get close.


If you are a first timer going southbound, make sure you know the route in Massillon.

Accordion Widget
Trail Name and Local Names
Trail Name and Local Names

Q: I hear many names for the same trail, what is the overall name of the 326 mile trail?



ANSWER:

"Ohio to Erie Trail"


Is the name for the trail spanning the state from the Ohio River to Lake Erie which has a distance of 326 miles.


The non profit organization which has worked for 32 years toward the multi-decade effort is The Ohio to Erie Trail Fund and continues to find ways to convert the 10% on streets or roads into trail connections. 


For content creators:  If you post videos, photos or articles about your experience, please DO use our trail name or tags.      

While you WILL see signage in places that has the trail name with hyphens between the words, the preferred notation is the name without hyphens.  (Spell check sometimes incorrectly puts the hyphens back in.)


When you travel the Ohio to Erie Trail, it will help your navigation if you know the name of the local trail segment you are on.   This is what makes the Ohio to Erie Trail different from the other cross state trail systems.  This larger trail system has been knitted together by joining with jurisdictions and friends groups to fill in the gaps.  Without the local trails, the Ohio to Erie Trail would not be 90% done, so please honor and appreciate these local trail names and their distinct identities.  Some of the larger trails are regional trails as well, like the Little Miami Scenic Trail south of Xenia and the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath trail north of Massillon.  It is good to keep in mind, the Towpath ends in Canal Basin Park, but the Ohio to Erie Trail route continues north to Lake Erie.


Hashtags: 

#ohiotoerie

#planOTET

#hikeOTET

#rideOTET

#oh2erie

#ohiotrails 

#alertsOTET

#shareOTET

#326club


Name: 

Ohio to Erie Trail

Accordion Widget
Riding half the trail
Riding half the trail

Q: If you were only riding half the trail which would you choose?


A:

It depends on your preference, both have advantages. The trail mid point is Centerburg and it has a photo op frame

(Location GPS 40.3061122909784, -82.6987444839939)

there, it also a short distance to the Ariel-Foundation Park. 


The northern half will have more elevations and varied surfaces, plus rural roads, Amish Country scenery, Cuyahoga Valley National Park and Cleveland. 


The southern half has more smooth paved surface, large stretches of flat, open trail in rural areas.  Includes 2 large cities, State Park, Metro Parks, mostly linear rail trail or closely follows Rivers. Loveland is a highlight.  Minimal road route.


The middle half is a blend of the options, Xenia to Clinton is the route of the Great American Rail-Trail and includes Ariel-Foundation Park, Battelle Darby Creek MP and Columbus. 

Zoom in on the Interactive Map


ohiotoerietrail.org/interactive-map


Centerburg Selfie Station on Google Maps:  

LINK


Distance in Miles:

Cincinnati to Centerburg 161

Centerburg to Cleveland 162

Xenia to Dalton: 171

Accordion Widget
Changes due to Trail Construction
Changes due to Trail Construction

QUESTION:

Why isn't there a signed detour for every trail construction closure?


ANSWER:

We do share your frustration when closures occur during the busy Trail season.  Unfortunately if the area surrounding the trail does not have an equivalent trail experience nearby, there will not be an official marked detour.


The Ohio to Erie Trail board puts a lot of thought into the designated trail route.  We use it to create the paper maps, the interactive map and the GPS files. We gather information about lodging, restaurants and camping along the way.  During trail construction and maintenance events, we want minimal deviation from the Ohio to Erie Trail route. 


In an ideal scenario, the entity doing the work will designate a project detour route for bicycles and pedestrians. If there is not a detour, our organization will make an effort to provide a workaround, bypass or major reroute option. These won't be signed detours, but we will give an update on the interactive map and alerts pages.


The Enthusiasts facebook group is the best place to ask for advice on the current situations for the various construction zones along the trail.


Ask Trail Questions

Accordion Widget
Construction Alerts
Construction Alerts

Q: How do we know if there is a trail closure because of construction? 



A: The trail does have closures at times, some are brief, but some last longer periods. When a signed Detour is provided by the project lead, we will communicate it on our alerts.   


If no official detour is defined by the work crew, then we will do our best to post a bypass or workaround, but it won't be signed. 

ohiotoerietrail.org/alerts



Accordion Widget
RWGPS File Updates
RWGPS File Updates

Question

Do the downloadable GPS files show the closures and alerts?  When are the RWGPS routes updated? 



A:

The RWGPS routes are updated as needed. It is best practice to download new files when you are ready to begin your ride. 

When there are construction or maintenance projects that close the trail and a designated detour or reasonable bypass is available the RWGPS route is modified to use the detour or bypass.


OTET Trail/Route Alerts on the website and Interactive Map should always be checked before you start your journey. 

Any detour or bypass that appears as a RED line on the Interactive Map will be part of the current RWGPS files, now on their own page:


https://ohiotoerietrail.org/OTET_RWGPS

or GPS LINKS


MORE


Looking for the Interactive Map? ohiotoerietrail.org/interactive-map


Accordion Widget
Camping
Camping

Q:

Where are camping areas and do you have to make a reservation?   


A:

There is a layer showing some of the camping areas on the interactive map. Click on the slider in the upper left corner to see all the layers and click the OTET camping layer name to get it to display.  

On the camping page, we provide a chart with the camping places that we know of, some are along the trail and some are farther away. Some are first come first serve and some take reservations.  To view the full detailed chart, go to the area marked "View complete chart" then click "View in Google Sheets". Look at the notes section for each listing for details.   

Hikers may want to supplement overnight options with hipcamp because there are not always camping areas in a hikeable distance. 

There are no camping areas in the big cities (Cin, Col, Akr and Cle), so you may want to use the lodging list there.

ohiotoerietrail.org/camp



ohiotoerietrail.org/interactive-map


Lodging and more at

ohiotoerietrail.org/planOTET


Accordion Widget
Printed Trail Guide
Printed Trail Guide

Q:

Can I navigate the trail without the printed trail guide map?



A: People have certainly traversed the Ohio to Erie Trail without the detailed map guides, but they have to do a lot of decision making along the way.  While we do admire the folks that choose to experience the trail without devices and navigation technology, these are also the people that say the trail is hard to navigate in the cities.  Even with all the resources, there will be times of ambiguity and uncertainty. 

The trail route is not a continuous straight line and having multiple tools will help you in navigating through the tricky spots.  Do research ahead of time, especially in Cincinnati, Columbus, Akron and Cleveland, you will be more confident in the turns if you have extra tools in the cities.  


For those that want to have more confidence about making the proper turns along the way, you will probably want to have the printed guide, the RidewithGPS files and and the link to the interactive map for quick checks while on trail.

Order a trail guide (map).  

ohiotoerietrail.org/shop


Available in Northbound or Southbound version. 


Maps are in a clear pouch and come as a set (all 4 sections). We do not sell the section maps individually.


Bright Green Cycling Jersey



Our Primal Prisma jersey has a full zip front with back pockets.

It is sold in men's and women's versions.

If the online store is out of your size, check back soon, we replenish supply regularly.


For SIZING read this detailed post: JERSEY DETAIL


OR Buy Online at District Image


SCAN THE CODE FOR JERSEY DETAILS


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