Sunday, August 28, 2011

Ohio Is This Year's Trail State

View these great long-distance trails
 on the Ohio Bikeways website.
Ohio has incredible trails, and lots of them.

Thanks to an email from Ohio trail advocate, Pam, I recently became aware of the miles and miles of trails in Ohio. Pam directed me to the Ohio Bikeways website where I found not only a great trail resource, but also an area specifically devoted to long distance trails in Ohio. I believe this is the only website I know (besides trailsnet of course) that has a specific section just for long-distance trails.

Keeping in mind, only a couple states have trails that are over 100 miles long, Ohio has at least four trails that are slated to run over 100 miles; these trails are the Ohio to Erie Trail (325 miles),  the North Coast Inland Trail (NCIT) (270 miles), The Ohio & Erie Towpath trail (100 miles), and the Great Ohio Lake-To-River Greenway (100 miles). Most of these trails are not yet complete, but when they are, Ohio may well become the go-to destination for active travelers worldwide.

So thanks to Pam for alerting me to the wonderful network of trails in Ohio and thanks to the visionaries in Ohio for seeing the need for such trails and moving toward a true Trailtopia. Last year, trailsnet christened Wisconsin as the "Trail State of the Year." This year, we're casting our vote for Ohio. I can't wait to visit Ohio to ride its trails, meet its people, and enjoy the beautiful sights.

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2 comments:

Barry said...

Another very-informative post. Checked-out the links and feel "how lovely it would be to get on a long-long track and spend a few days cycling it at leisure,stopping where/when ever".
Barry.

trailsnet said...

I can tell you, from numerous experiences, that it's awesome, Barry.
Whereas some people who are into yoga and meditation, I must say that a long, uninterrupted trail ride without any cars or other distractions, is about as close to nirvana as you can get. It's both relaxing and exhilarating at the same time.
I don't believe many people have had the opportunity to experience this since long-distance trails are still relatively "undiscovered." That's good for me, but bad for those who have yet to discover these incredible treasures.