Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail Updates & Comments

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Weekday Towpath Closure In Valley View

7/22/10 by Ohio Bikeways

From Cleveland.com: "The Towpath Trail near Fitzwater Road Bridge in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park will be closed weekdays from Lock 37 to north of the Pleasant Valley Road Bridge underpass. The closure is expected to last through September.

"The trail will be open weekends beginning at 5 p.m. on Fridays, and will re-close at 6 a.m. on Mondays. Fitzwater Road is located near Canal Road, between Canal Visitor Center and Frazee House, in Valley View.

"The National Park Service is in the process of replacing the Fitzwater Road bridges over the Cuyahoga River and the Ohio & Erie Canal spillway. The weekday closure is required to protect the public from construction activities near and over the trail."

Peninsula Restaurant

4/29/10 by dougcbus

There is a winking lizard restaurant in Peninsula, that where my wife and I always stop.

Towpath Section Closed Until 12/24/09

12/4/09 by Ohio Bikeways

The National Park Service is closing the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail in the northern part of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park due to bridge work.

The trail will be closed from today through Dec. 24 near the Fitzwater Road Bridge over the Cuyahoga River and the canal spillway. The park service is replacing the Fitzwater Road bridges and the closure is needed to protect the public from construction activities.

No detour is possible and violators may be be cited by park rangers.

Source: Ohio.com

Review And Related Updates

11/5/09 by Ohio Bikeways

The Bolivar to Dover portion of the review has been updated after a recent trip there. More photos will be added soon.

Also, the Zoar Valley Trail has been added to the Ohio Trails List and the Google map.

Dangerous Limb

9/17/09 by Douglas

Between Zoar and Rt. 800 there is a dangerous limb hanging down to the trail. It has been trimmed off to a height of roughly 5 feet. I am concerend someone will get hurt if they don't see it... It is about 1/4-mile from Rt. 800.

Cleveland To Barberton Report

7/28/09 by George Kirschling

Very much enjoyed this site and your hard work. Two rides last week took me from Harvard Ave in Cleveland to Snyder Ave in Barberton. With the exception of about 1000 ft, just north of Bartage in Akron (the old BF Goodrich plant), the entire trail in navigable! Even that short uncompleted section is easy to travel via parking lots. The total distance must be close to 45mi. There is still some final asphalt paving to be done, but there are no construction barriers that prevent travel along this portion of the trail. It is fabulous!!!

Stark County Closure

7/28/09 by Ohio Bikeways

As reported on the News page today, the towpath will see a temporary closure under Rt. 21 in Massillon until Friday, July 31st due to road construction.

Summit County Progress

11/3/08 by Ohio Bikeways

Towpath construction is on-going in Summit County on several fronts. In early summer '08 a new 1.1-mile section was completed from Vanderhoof to Eastern Road, just south of the Snyder Trailhead. Work is currently underway to reach Snyder Road soon.

A 275'-long bridge was constructed over the Akron Innerbelt (Rt. 59). It is part of a new trail section from Beech Street, where the trail had ended at the southern end of Akron's Cascade Locks Park, to Ash and Quaker streets behind Cascade Plaza.

Also in Akron, towpath construction at various points from Manchester Road to Waterloo to Wilbeth and Kenmore Boulevard are on-going, with some finished trail already in place. These sections lead to the southern end of Summit Lake where the ground work is being laid for a floating trail (boardwalk) which should be completed in 2009. Visit the Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition pages for more updates.

Lake Avenue Trailhead Facilities & Activities

2/19/08 by John Snively

It might be worth noting in your review that the Lake Ave Trailhead in Massillon has a full service bike shop (including rental bikes), a restaurant, and a running supply store. There are also heated restrooms and a large parking area. The Stark County Bike Club does both trail and road rides from that location every Mon. and Wed. at 9:30. Our ride schedule is available at bikescbc.com.

Recent Akron Developments

9/26/07 by Greg Leimeister

The trail is completed from the Mustill Store on W. North Street South to the Interbelt Expressway (Rte 59). There is a new Trailhead across the street from the Mustill Store on W North Street. There will be a future Trailhead on Beech Street off of Howard Street.

Work is continuing on extending the trail along the Interbelt Expressway (Rte 59) where it will go under W Market Street; and then will follow along Rand Avenue (which it will tunnel under); and then a new bridge will be built so the trail can crossover Rte 59 towards Quaker Street.

New Bridges In Independence

9/26/07 by Lynda Warner

As of last fall (2006), two very unique bridges were opened, which remove the stress of having to cross two major intersections. The paved 5.7 mile section of the trail from Rockside Road north to Harvard Road is actually in the Ohio & Erie Canal Reservation of The Cleveland Metroparks, which funded the bridges. This is one of my favorite locations to ride, as it is a very smooth, quiet, mostly shady place to glide along, seemingly detached from the rest of the world. Surprisingly--given that it is in the midst of an industrial city--I have sighted more wildlife here than most of the other, more remote metroparks! Herons (3 types) and many other birds, several turtle species, beaver, muskrats, ducks, and geese are among my sightings; and both the canal and the Cuyahoga River, which flank the trail, are fairly loaded with fish.

Mustill Store Trail Progress

10/20/06 by Joe Chase

The southern extension of the Towpath Trail [in Akron] is open from Mustill’s store up the Staircase Lock area, ending at a gravel parking lot near Martin Luther King Drive (also called the Akron Innerbelt). There is no trail at all from this point south, but on a quiet Sunday I was able to ride on Main Street in reasonable safety, rejoining a short segment of trail which runs from the Akron Aeros Stadium south to Canal Place (the former BF Goodrich tire plant).

At my last visit (August 2006), the Staircase Lock trail was still a mix of good asphalt and gravel, and some construction was still in process. The finished parts of the trail are 8’ asphalt, and the grade is quite reasonable. There is a temporary parking lot at the top of the grade off of Howard Street and ample parking lots near Mustill’s store on both sides of North Street.

The trail segment from the stadium to Canal Place is partly pavement, and partly a resilient paving surface (similar to an athletic track). This section is not specifically designated for bicycles and a lot of pedestrian traffic should be expected.

New Trail Between Clinton & Barberton

9/29/06 by Tom Bower

The towpath trail is now open from the Center Road Trailhead to Vanderhoof Road [between Clinton and Barberton]. A new trailhead facility is almost completed at Vanderhoof. The parking lot is not yet paved. Also, please note that the comfort station is completed but as of yesterday (Sept. 23) it was not open for use. Also, the fine gravel on this newly opened stretch is NOT compacted and is very loose and thick in spots. You can go down if you're not careful!

Towpath Extension at Mustill Store

5/11/06 by Craig Morgan

There is a lot of information on the next phase of the towpath trail under construction in Akron. The new segment will start at the Mustill store, where the trail ends now, and rise 80+/- feet to the edge of downtown Akron. Their newsletter states the trail will be open by the fourth of July ['06].

Trail Specs:

Class: A, B & C

Length: Approx. 100 miles / asphalt, crushed stone & natural surfaces

Condition: Varies from Good to Excellent

Facilities: See the review 'Trail Specs' for facilities in each county along the route.

Food: See review specs.

Parking: See review specs.

Dover Bolivar Massillon Canal-Ful. Akron Indepen. Lake-Erie

98.2mi 82.8mi 68.1mi 58.9mi 40.5mi 11.7mi 0mi

Trail Basics Trail Safety Bikeway Facilities Trip Planning Rules & Tips Trail Overseers Trail Surfaces & Uses Terms & Definitions Review Notes Trail Classes Share Trail News	Resize A A A Weekday Towpath Closure In Valley View 7/22/10 by Ohio Bikeways From Cleveland.com: "The Towpath Trail near Fitzwater Road Bridge in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park will be closed weekdays from Lock 37 to north of the Pleasant Valley Road Bridge underpass. The closure is expected to last through September. "The trail will be open weekends beginning at 5 p.m. on Fridays, and will re-close at 6 a.m. on Mondays. Fitzwater Road is located near Canal Road, between Canal Visitor Center and Frazee House, in Valley View. "The National Park Service is in the process of replacing the Fitzwater Road bridges over the Cuyahoga River and the Ohio & Erie Canal spillway. The weekday closure is required to protect the public from construction activities near and over the trail." Peninsula Restaurant 4/29/10 by dougcbus There is a winking lizard restaurant in Peninsula, that where my wife and I always stop. Towpath Section Closed Until 12/24/09 12/4/09 by Ohio Bikeways The National Park Service is closing the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail in the northern part of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park due to bridge work. The trail will be closed from today through Dec. 24 near the Fitzwater Road Bridge over the Cuyahoga River and the canal spillway. The park service is replacing the Fitzwater Road bridges and the closure is needed to protect the public from construction activities. No detour is possible and violators may be be cited by park rangers. Source: Ohio.com Review And Related Updates 11/5/09 by Ohio Bikeways The Bolivar to Dover portion of the review has been updated after a recent trip there. More photos will be added soon. Also, the Zoar Valley Trail has been added to the Ohio Trails List and the Google map. Dangerous Limb 9/17/09 by Douglas Between Zoar and Rt. 800 there is a dangerous limb hanging down to the trail. It has been trimmed off to a height of roughly 5 feet. I am concerend someone will get hurt if they don't see it... It is about 1/4-mile from Rt. 800. Cleveland To Barberton Report 7/28/09 by George Kirschling Very much enjoyed this site and your hard work. Two rides last week took me from Harvard Ave in Cleveland to Snyder Ave in Barberton. With the exception of about 1000 ft, just north of Bartage in Akron (the old BF Goodrich plant), the entire trail in navigable! Even that short uncompleted section is easy to travel via parking lots. The total distance must be close to 45mi. There is still some final asphalt paving to be done, but there are no construction barriers that prevent travel along this portion of the trail. It is fabulous!!! Stark County Closure 7/28/09 by Ohio Bikeways As reported on the News page today, the towpath will see a temporary closure under Rt. 21 in Massillon until Friday, July 31st due to road construction. Summit County Progress 11/3/08 by Ohio Bikeways Towpath construction is on-going in Summit County on several fronts. In early summer '08 a new 1.1-mile section was completed from Vanderhoof to Eastern Road, just south of the Snyder Trailhead. Work is currently underway to reach Snyder Road soon. A 275'-long bridge was constructed over the Akron Innerbelt (Rt. 59). It is part of a new trail section from Beech Street, where the trail had ended at the southern end of Akron's Cascade Locks Park, to Ash and Quaker streets behind Cascade Plaza. Also in Akron, towpath construction at various points from Manchester Road to Waterloo to Wilbeth and Kenmore Boulevard are on-going, with some finished trail already in place. These sections lead to the southern end of Summit Lake where the ground work is being laid for a floating trail (boardwalk) which should be completed in 2009. Visit the Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition pages for more updates. Lake Avenue Trailhead Facilities & Activities 2/19/08 by John Snively It might be worth noting in your review that the Lake Ave Trailhead in Massillon has a full service bike shop (including rental bikes), a restaurant, and a running supply store. There are also heated restrooms and a large parking area. The Stark County Bike Club does both trail and road rides from that location every Mon. and Wed. at 9:30. Our ride schedule is available at bikescbc.com. Recent Akron Developments 9/26/07 by Greg Leimeister The trail is completed from the Mustill Store on W. North Street South to the Interbelt Expressway (Rte 59). There is a new Trailhead across the street from the Mustill Store on W North Street. There will be a future Trailhead on Beech Street off of Howard Street. Work is continuing on extending the trail along the Interbelt Expressway (Rte 59) where it will go under W Market Street; and then will follow along Rand Avenue (which it will tunnel under); and then a new bridge will be built so the trail can crossover Rte 59 towards Quaker Street. New Bridges In Independence 9/26/07 by Lynda Warner As of last fall (2006), two very unique bridges were opened, which remove the stress of having to cross two major intersections. The paved 5.7 mile section of the trail from Rockside Road north to Harvard Road is actually in the Ohio & Erie Canal Reservation of The Cleveland Metroparks, which funded the bridges. This is one of my favorite locations to ride, as it is a very smooth, quiet, mostly shady place to glide along, seemingly detached from the rest of the world. Surprisingly--given that it is in the midst of an industrial city--I have sighted more wildlife here than most of the other, more remote metroparks! Herons (3 types) and many other birds, several turtle species, beaver, muskrats, ducks, and geese are among my sightings; and both the canal and the Cuyahoga River, which flank the trail, are fairly loaded with fish. Mustill Store Trail Progress 10/20/06 by Joe Chase The southern extension of the Towpath Trail [in Akron] is open from Mustill’s store up the Staircase Lock area, ending at a gravel parking lot near Martin Luther King Drive (also called the Akron Innerbelt). There is no trail at all from this point south, but on a quiet Sunday I was able to ride on Main Street in reasonable safety, rejoining a short segment of trail which runs from the Akron Aeros Stadium south to Canal Place (the former BF Goodrich tire plant). At my last visit (August 2006), the Staircase Lock trail was still a mix of good asphalt and gravel, and some construction was still in process. The finished parts of the trail are 8’ asphalt, and the grade is quite reasonable. There is a temporary parking lot at the top of the grade off of Howard Street and ample parking lots near Mustill’s store on both sides of North Street. The trail segment from the stadium to Canal Place is partly pavement, and partly a resilient paving surface (similar to an athletic track). This section is not specifically designated for bicycles and a lot of pedestrian traffic should be expected. New Trail Between Clinton & Barberton 9/29/06 by Tom Bower The towpath trail is now open from the Center Road Trailhead to Vanderhoof Road [between Clinton and Barberton]. A new trailhead facility is almost completed at Vanderhoof. The parking lot is not yet paved. Also, please note that the comfort station is completed but as of yesterday (Sept. 23) it was not open for use. Also, the fine gravel on this newly opened stretch is NOT compacted and is very loose and thick in spots. You can go down if you're not careful! Towpath Extension at Mustill Store 5/11/06 by Craig Morgan There is a lot of information on the next phase of the towpath trail under construction in Akron. The new segment will start at the Mustill store, where the trail ends now, and rise 80+/- feet to the edge of downtown Akron. Their newsletter states the trail will be open by the fourth of July ['06]. Trail Specs: Class: A, B & C Length: Approx. 100 miles / asphalt, crushed stone & natural surfaces Condition: Varies from Good to Excellent Facilities: See the review 'Trail Specs' for facilities in each county along the route. Food: See review specs. Parking: See review specs. Dover Bolivar Massillon Canal-Ful. Akron Indepen. Lake-Erie 98.2mi 82.8mi 68.1mi 58.9mi 40.5mi 11.7mi 0mi	Updates & Comments Featured Review Trail Specs Maps & More