Butler Restaurant

11/14/07 by Dave Mobley

The Whiffletree Restaurant is at the Butler end of the bike trail. They serve homecooked meals. Plus a whole line of Homemade desserts.

Surface Improvements

9/21/07 by Ohio Bikeways

Work to repave a portion of the bikeway that had suffered from large cracks is complete for now. 2 1/2 miles were top-coated in 2004. That effort targeted the section from North Lake Park to just south of Millsboro Road. This month work continued south from that point to the water treatment facility in Lexington, Ohio, another 5 miles or so.

Virtually all the heavily cracked areas have been addressed, with the exception of a short section that circumvents a factory parking lot, just beyond where the repaving stopped. The resurfacing has also remedied the large gaps and height differential between many bridges and the trail surface. (A common problem with paved bikeways.) The transitions in these areas are now very smooth.

More on New Mansfield Facilities

8/10/07 by Michelle Stone

The restrooms are back at North Lake Park in a newly constructed pavilion across a small parking lot from the end of the trail. There's no soap, so you'll want to bring hand sanitizer. The restrooms are nice though.

New Mansfield Facilities

7/30/07 by Workman

Brand new large restrooms and drinking water inside new building at North Lake Park in Mansfield. Also new playground area. Area seems to have enough daytime visitors and traffic to be safe parking.

Trail Specs:

Class: A3++

Length: 18.6 miles - approx. 10' wide

Condition: Good to Excellent (Beware of erosion along the edge of the trail & a raised surface edge along repaved sections.)

Facilities: Restrooms in Butler, Bellville & Lexington just north of the bike shop and new facilities at North Lake Park in Mansfield. Also a water fountain at Deer Park near Home Rd. The Bellville & Lexington break stations have drink machines and parking. Workman writes: "Brand new large restrooms and drinking water inside new building at North Lake Park in Mansfield. Also new playground area. Area seems to have enough daytime visitors and traffic to be safe parking."

Food: Near the southern end of the trail is the Whiffle Tree Resaurant in Butler. A dairy stand is just around the corner on Main Street (Rt 97). A few spots on Main St. in Bellville. An ice cream shop & deli next to the break station in Bellville. A famous name fast food roast beef franchise & sub shop within walking distance of the trail in Mansfield: Walk up to street level at the Park Ave. West Bridge & cross back over the bridge. Several places to eat at the I-71/route 97 exchange, just north of the trail parking lot on Rt. 97. No places to eat within easy cycling distance of trail's end at North Lake Park.

Parking: Parking is available at both ends of the trail in Butler & Mansfield. However, one of the most popular spots along the trail is in Lexington off of Rt. 42. (See Lexington Trailhead map.) Turn north on Plymouth St. and continue straight until you see a small trail sign just before Lexington Community Park. Turn right at the sign and follow the road back behind the building. (Should all the spaces be taken, Community Park provides additional parking.) Another popular small lot is within one mile of I-71. Take Rt. 97 south (exit 165) toward Bellville. The lot is on your right just before the trail crosses Rt. 97.

Emergency Call Boxes: 3 along the trail near the Mansfield (North Lake Park) end of the trail.

Bike Shop: Located close to the trail in Lexington, Ohio along Rt. 42 (Main Street). They provide rentals and are usually open early spring through late fall.

Mansfield Lexington Bellville Butler

18.6mi 11.5mi 5.8mi 0mi

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