Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail explained

Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail
Established:	1993
Length:	87 mi. (101 mi. when completed)
Location:	Northeast Ohio, United States comprising Cuyahoga, Summit, Stark, and Tuscarawas counties.
Trailheads:	Cleveland to Zoar (numerous)
Use:	Biking, Hiking, Horseback Riding, Jogging, Running
Season:	Year-round
Sights:	Ohio & Erie Canal
Surface:	Asphalt, Cement, Concrete, Crushed Limestone, Hard–Packed Earth

The Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail is a multi-use trail that follows part of the former route of the Ohio & Erie Canal in Northeast Ohio.

The trail runs from north to south through Cuyahoga, Summit, Stark, and Tuscarawas counties. The trail is planned to be long and currently of the trail are complete.^[1] When completed, it will run from Cleveland in the north to New Philadelphia in the south.The Ohio to Erie Trail follows a portion of the towpath trail in Northeast Ohio.^[2] The Great American Rail-Trail will follow another portion of the trail, from Clinton southward.^[3]

The towpath trail has been developed by a number of organizations. It is currently managed by Cleveland Metroparks,^[4] Cuyahoga Valley National Park,^[5] Summit Metro Parks,^[6] Stark Parks,^[7] and the Tuscarawas County Park Department.^[8]

In 2003, The Stark County Park District voted to rename the of the trail within Stark County the "Congressman Ralph Regula Towpath Trail". Regula was honored for his support in Congress for the Ohio & Erie National Heritage Canalway.^[9]

The trail has multiple surface types including asphalt, cement, concrete, crushed limestone and hard-packed earth.

Location

The trail currently consists of four segments of trails connected by short portions of roadway. The segments are, from north to south:

• Steelyards Common segment
  • North terminus at W 14th St. and Quigley Rd. in Cleveland: 41.4664°N -81.6908°W
  • South terminus on Jennings Rd. in Cleveland: 41.4531°N -81.6877°W
• Cleveland to Massillon segment
  • North terminus on Harvard Road in Cleveland: 41.447°N -81.6825°W
  • South terminus on in Massillon: 40.7954°N -81.5267°W
• Massillon to Bolivar segment
  • North terminus at Walnut Rd. and in Massillon: 40.7879°N -81.5223°W
  • South terminus on west of Bolivar: 40.6543°N -81.4689°W
• Bolivar to Zoar segment
  • North terminus at Fort Laurens State Memorial south of Bolivar: 40.6371°N -81.4562°W
  • Intersection with Zoar Valley Trail southeast of Zoar: 40.6085°N -81.4284°W
  • South terminus at Canal Lands Park on Dover-Zoar Rd. in Zoar: 40.6106°N -81.4249°W
• Zoar to Zoarville segment
  • North terminus at Canal Lands Park in Dover-Zoar Rd. in Zoar: 40.6106°N -81.4249°W
  • South terminus at Zoarville Station Bridge: 40.5774°N -81.3914°W

Events

• Annual Towpath Marathon, Half-Marathon, and Ten-Ten Races.^[10]
• Annual Towpath Trail Century Ride^[11]
• Canal Corridor 100 Mile Endurance Run

See also

• Cleveland Metroparks
• Cuyahoga Valley National Park
• Ohio & Erie Canalway National Heritage Area
• Summit Metro Parks

External links

• Ohio and Erie Canalway National Heritage Area
• Canalway Partners
• Welcome to the Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition

Notes and References

1. Web site: Ohio & Erie Canalway The Towpath Trail . www.ohioanderiecanalway.com . April 18, 2021.
2. Web site: Ohio to Erie Trail - Home. www.ohiotoerietrail.org. July 25, 2015.
3. Web site: The Preferred Route of the Great American Rail Trail - GIS Viewer. Rails to Trails Conservancy. June 29, 2019.
4. Web site: Towpath Trail Cleveland Metroparks . clevelandmetroparks.com . July 13, 2015.
5. Web site: Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail - Cuyahoga Valley National Park (U.S. National Park Service) . nps.gov . July 13, 2015.
6. Web site: Towpath Trail . summitmetroparks.org . July 13, 2015.
7. Web site: StarkParks: Congressman Ralph Regula Towpath Trail Park . March 4, 2016 . March 6, 2018.
8. Web site: Welcome to Tuscarawas County, Ohio . www.co.tuscarawas.oh.us . July 13, 2015.
9. Web site: Trail section named for congressman . cleveland19.com.
10. Web site: Towpath Trilogy . towpathtrilogy.net . July 16, 2015.
11. Web site: Towpath Trail Century Ride. Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition . October 16, 2022.