The Mad River Bikeway begins in Dayton, Ohio, while the Creekside Trail starts at Xenia Station in Xenia. The 2 trail segments connect to form the H-Connector, which is one continuous 18-mile bikeway that connects the 2 cities, as well as 3 major trail systems!
And if that isn't enough, at the east end you arrive at Xenia Station where you can pedal off in 3 different directions by trail. Well, 4 really... if you count retracing your steps. Sometime in the future, that number will increase to 5! Did you say, "Wha?"
Here's a breakdown of the major trails: The first, the Great Miami River Trail, lies along the river corridor in Dayton, Ohio. To get to Xenia Station, simply jump on the Mad River Trail and head east. You'll end up riding into Xenia on the Creekside Trail. Once at the station you'll have your choice of a trail buffet. (See the Xenia Station page for details.) The two major trails here are the Little Miami and the Prairie Grass Trail. Both trails are also part of the larger Ohio-to-Erie Trail, a cross-state bikeway.
Where the Creekside Trail officially begins and the Mad River ends is not important. However, it's helpful to know that they make up the same bikeway, called the H-Connector. Why? Well, if you're looking for trail signs, maps or directions from locals, it may prove helpful as not everyone will know all three names associated with this bikeway.
The Mad River Bikeway connects to the Great Miami River Trail (formerly known as the River Corridor Bikeway) near the Webster Street Bridge over the Mad River in Dayton. This point is just east of where the Great Miami and Mad Rivers converge.
The connector works its way along the Mad River heading east toward Xenia. The trail turns and rolls over small hills as it makes its way toward Eastwood Metro Park. The scenery varies from industrial to wooded, rural sections. Here the trail varies from 12-14' wide and passes underneath a few bridges along the way.
Previously there were signs in Eastwood Park to lead you over to the Creekside Trail. Construction has since connected the two trails and smoothed the transition here. Once out of the park you are aboard the Creekside Trail.
In Xenia the Creekside links with three other trail sections at the trail hub at Xenia Station. These trails consist of two sections of The Little Miami Scenic Trail and the Prairie Grass Trail. For more specifics on this trail intersection, see the Xenia Station page.
The trail passes over I-675 and Dayton-Xenia Road on two bridges. There are at least 2 connecting paths/spurs to residential areas along this trail. I also encountered a traffic signal for trail users at North Fairfield Road. This is one of only two signals for trail users that I've seen in Ohio. It includes the standard "push to cross the street" button which activates a separate signal for trail users.
Before reaching the Little Miami Scenic River I could hear the humming of power lines overhead. The weather was overcast with intermittent drizzle. These conditions allowed the electric lines to sing. On trail rides you sometimes pass areas you may not encounter when cycling roads, such as this electric transfer station. This trail also runs alongside a golf driving range and past a raceway.
Crossing the river bridge I noticed a few fishermen trying their luck on an overcast afternoon. Abandoned trestles on either side of the bridge are remnants of older bridges that have since been removed.
About 1.6 miles from Xenia Station I passed the James Ranch spur on my left. This connecting path takes you over to the northern section of the Little Miami Trail (north of Xenia). It's a short cut between the two trails if you're heading north and want to bypass going into Xenia Station.
In Xenia The trail crosses Rt. 35. Here a crosswalk island is positioned in the middle of the 4 lane road to help cyclists negotiate the busy crossing 2 lanes at a time.
All road crossings along the Creekside are marked with street signs. Also, there are painted mile markers on the trail surface every 1/2 mile. This trail is just over 12' wide. Considering the ever-growing popularity of these bikeways and the likelihood of increased trail traffic in the future, wider is definitely better.
The brush and tree cover along the trail is fairly close and tends to lean in along some sections giving users a more sheltered or covered feel. Strong winds prevented me from experiencing the gentle slope on the trail, but I have a hunch that a good portion of the ride from Beavercreek to Xenia may be a slight descent.
GMRT Dayton Beavercreek Xenia-Station
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