Biking 20 miles on the Towpath Trail through Cuyahoga Valley National Park

One of the best ways to experience Cuyahoga Valley National Park is by bike. The Towpath Trail weaves all the way through the national park following the Cuyahoga River. I began my ride at Rockside Station in Independence and rode south to the Botzum Trailhead in Akron. There’s beautiful scenery and wildlife to experience throughout the journey and plenty of places to stop.

The Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail is a 101-mile long bike and hike path stretching from Cleveland all the way to New Philadelphia. This section of the Towpath is one of the most scenic, passing through forest, fields, wetlands, marshes and small towns. Peninsula is a particularly nice stop with a Trail Mix park store for snacks or gifts. Winking Lizard's outdoor patio is another popular stop next to Century Cycles bike shop and rentals.

When the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad is operational, they offer a Bike-Aboard ticket where you can bring your bike onto the train and ride back to where your trip began. This is a great option if you don't want to have to bike all 20 miles back to Rockside Station.

I hope you enjoy this ride on the best bike trail in Northeast Ohio. - John

This video is part of the Northeast Ohio Bike Rides series which explores the best bike trails and routes near Cleveland: https://www.cleveland.com/entertainme...