The north end of the official route for the Ohio to Erie Trail ends in Cleveland. Interested in adding another day of mostly rural travel? Consider this alternate route from downtown Akron to Ashtabula. It will add 40-45 miles to your adventure.
Route Description:
Leaving the Towpath Trail at Lock 3 in Akron, you climb/walk a short hill and continue on University Ave to Akron U. and the paved Freedom Trail. Pick up the Portage Hike and Bike Trail just across a bridge from the terminous of the Freedom Trail at Middlebury Rd in Kent. The paved trail continues through downtown Kent, eventually arriving at Peck Rd on the eastern outskirts of Ravenna. Ride north on Peck for 7 miles and intersect the Headwaters Trail in Mantua. Continue east for 7 miles on this limestone trail to Garrettsville. At the trail's end at Rt 82, cross the road and continue behind the supermarket to start an 18-mile ride through quiet roads to the Western Reserve Greenway. (If you hated Holmes County hills, you'll like this a lot more!) Continue north for 38 miles, with options at Ashtabula to follow a bike route to a lakeside park at the west side of town, or take a road route to another park on the east side.
Ammenities (a quick overview):
There is a hotel and lots of restaurant options in downtown Kent.
Campgrounds can be found close to the trail just south of Bristolville and just north of Orwell along the Western Reserve Greenway. There are a few food options in Orwell.
A few B&Bs exist along the route and there are a number of hotels just west of the trail in Austinburg, as you approach Ashtabula.
Route Map:
See below. This route is approximately 71% trail, most of which is asphalt. There is a 0.7 mile ride through Akron on streets. A couple of alternate routes are possible through a short section (a couple of blocks) of Kent where the bike trail is still in planning stages. The road sections northeast of Kent are all rural and mostly very quiet. The Western Reserve Greenway is paved and shady.
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