The Ohio & Erie Canal
Towpath Trail

To show your support for the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail, consider becoming involved with our Towpath Tag donation program. For a donation of $5.00 or more you will receive a Towpath Tag that you can proudly wear to show your support. The donations will be used to provide maintenance and services along the trail.

History
The Towpath Trail follows the historic route of the Ohio & Erie Canal. Before the canal was built, Ohio was a sparsely settled wilderness where travel was difficult and getting crops to market was nearly impossible. The canal, built between 1825 and 1832, provided a successful transportation route from Cleveland, on Lake Erie, to Portsmouth, on the Ohio River. The canal opened up Ohio to the rest of the settled eastern United States.

There are numerous wayside exhibits that provide information about canal features and sites of historic interest. You can preview the exhibit texts and see related photos by selecting them from our list of  Towpath Trail sites to visit.  If you prefer you may visit them in order from north to south by taking the Towpath Trail virtual tour.

Today you can walk or ride along the same path that the mules used to tow the canal boats loaded with goods and passengers. The scene would have been different then: the canal was full of water carrying a steady flow of boats amongst the constant conversations of "canawlers." You can still see remnants of that former scene as you pass many of the canal locks and related structures. From the vantage point of the Towpath Trail you can also enjoy the beauty of forests, fields, and wetlands flanking the path as it winds its way through the Cuyahoga River Valley. Evidence of beavers can be seen in many places along the trail. Watch for bark chewed off the base of tree trunks and conical-topped stumps that mark the location of  beaver-felled trees.

A visit to Canal Visitor Center, Boston Store, Peninsula Depot Visitor Center, or Hunt Farm Visitor Information Center can make your outing on the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail even more enjoyable. At these stops you can talk to a park ranger, see exhibits, and get information.

Towpath Trail Courtesy
The Towpath Trail is a shared recreational trail. This means it is open to walkers, joggers, and bicyclists, and in some sections, horse riders. To ensure an enjoyable trail experience for all users, please observe some basic trail courtesy.

• Travel at a safe speed and keep to the right except to pass others.
• Bicyclists yield to ALL users.
• EVERYONE yields to horses. Horses can be startled by sudden movements, so use caution. Make sure the rider knows in advance that you are passing.
• Give a clear warning before passing on the left.
• Travel single file when passing and being passed.
• Pets must be kept on a leash; please use a short leash and keep pets on the right side of the trail.
• Please avoid walking in cross country ski tracks.
• Move off the trail when stopped.

Trailheads
The Towpath Trail can be accessed from the following ten trailheads. Click on a link for a detailed map.

• Lock 39 Trailhead (53K)
• Canal Visitor Center Trailhead (53K)
• Frazee House Trailhead (39K)
• Station Road Bridge Trailhead (60K)
• Red Lock Trailhead (60K)
• Boston Store Trailhead (50K)
• Lock 29 Trailhead (51K)
• Hunt Farm Visitor Information Center Trailhead (48K)
• Ira Trailhead (57K)
• Indian Mound Trailhead (57K)

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For More Information
The Towpath Trail extends north and south of Cuyahoga Valley National Park. In some areas, it is a work in progress. More information on the Towpath Trail is available on the following websites:

CanalWay Ohio offers on-line maps of the trail.

The Cuyahoga County Planning Commission details the status of the trail extension into downtown Cleveland.

The Ohio & Erie Canal Corridor Coalition lists facts about the trail.

Status of the Towpath Trail, including which sections of the trail are open, under construction, or under study, is available at this link on the CVNP website.