Where's the Towpath?
One of the most popular attractions in the state is 101 miles long
This post was inspired by a question at a recent event, hosted by the venerable Mac’s Backs - Books on Coventry and the Coventry Village Branch of the Heights Libraries. (Hi, Suzanne and Ben!)
The question was, I hear a lot of people like the towpath. How do I get to it?
If you’re one of the manymanymany folks who bike it, hike it and like it, that might sound like an odd question. But to be fair, whether you’ve just moved to Cleveland1 or you’ve had your head stuck in work for the past 20 years, there’s a whole lot to learn - and a lot to love - about the Forest City, the North Coast, The LAND.2
No one is born knowing about the Towpath Trail!
OK BUT WHERE IS THE TOWPATH?
The Towpath Trail follows the Cuyahoga River3 and former canal route from the tip-top of Cleveland down into Dover. At least 55 trailheads dot its path, with amenities like restrooms, map kiosks and water. Each can serve as a point to jump off the hamster wheel and jump (or walk, bike, kayak, handspring...) into Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
CanalWay Center is a great place to start in Cuyahoga County. The interactive nature center sits in a Cleveland Metropark that manages to merge the city’s industrial history, its natural resources, and a ton of recreational opportunities into an oasis set amid…some still very active industries. More on that in another post!
A bit south of CanalWay Center, you’ll find a spot formerly known as Hell’s Half-Acre, which today earns 4.5 stars on Yelp as Canal Exploration Center. Hey, a little branding can work wonders.
How to Enjoy the Towpath
To start exploring the towpath, you can use the maps and info available online from Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition, or talk to one of the helpful folks at CVNP’s Boston Store (1550 Boston Mills Road, Peninsula) or stop in at the aforementioned beautiful and interactive Cleveland Metroparks nature center, CanalWay Center.
Beaver Marsh Boardwalk is one of the towpath’s most famous sections, and there are ample parking areas on both the north and south ends of that awesome landmark.
The towpath’s surface varies - mostly, it’s crushed limestone and pavement. You’ll find something interesting on every mile. Since trailheads are spaced roughly every 2 miles, you can easily break up your explorations over many visits. Ohio Magazine ran a piece by Jim Vickers on walking the whole Towpath, from the southern terminus to Cleveland, in 2022. It was a little shorter4 then 😉 but still, a worthy excursion!
➡️ I should also mention that all four editions of 60 Hikes/Cleveland 📗 include a few treks on the towpath, or routes that include portions of it to complete a loop 🥾
Nearly 3 Million Visitors Can’t Be Wrong
Even if you haven't been on the towpath, you've probably heard that it's one of the most popular attractions in NE Ohio. But there *are* people who haven't been! And naturally, they have questions. The Towpath Trail is 100 miles long! How could you possibly know all about it?
In 2022, 🥾 the Towpath saw more than 2.9 MILLION visitors, almost single-handedly making CVNP the ninth most-visited US National Park. 🚲 The Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition has a super-helpful map of all the towpath markers and mileage in-between. The O&E also explains a bit about the history of and future plans for the Towpath Trail.
Look, daylight is dwindling and we all need to get out and grab some fresh air. If you have any questions about the towpath, fun spots to hike or bike in the valley or anywhere in Ohio, please contact me here, on Instagram, or through the 60 Hikes/Cleveland Facebook Page.
Now get out and enjoy some of our beautiful Ohio! ~ Diane
Looking for more Accessible Trails? You’ll find some here!
Do you like finding Weird Stuff on the Trail? Here ya’ go.
…or Akron, or elsewhere in NE Ohio
Other than those, and Cleaveland, what nicknames for this city come to mind?
…and former canal bed, ergo, the tow path - where animals (horses, mules) walked while they towed boats on the canal.
Just by 10 miles or so, Jim definitely deserves a major award for the trek! 🥾