The Forest City is home to a wide variety of hiking trails, outdoor footpaths, and other amazing natural walkways. From the waterfall-laden trails at Cuyahoga Valley National Park to the countless tiny trails dotting the Emerald Necklace of Cleveland Metroparks, there is no shortage of great places for a walk in the woods in Cleveland. But above all the other trails in the city, one path leads you through history to somewhere truly magical.
Covering an expansive 85 miles of northeast Ohio, the Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail begins its winding path through the region right in Cleveland, making it the perfect place to start the adventure of a lifetime.
The trail runs parallel to the historic Ohio and Erie Canal, now abandoned and overrun with natural growth after decades, making for a fascinating landscape where nature and manmade structures collide.
The trail changes drastically over its long distance, with the terrain shifting from asphalt to packed earth to crushed limestone, but the trail stays relatively level and straightforward the whole way through.
The trail's relative ease, from its lack of any significant elevation to the comfortable terrain of asphalt or stone, make it one of the easiest hikes in Cleveland.
The deeper you venture into the towpath trail, the more richly rewarded you are with long stretches of breathtaking natural scenery unfolding all around you.
It can be somewhat unsettling to see all the decaying concrete of the old canal after years of abandonment, giving some parts of the trail an equal blend of reflective beauty and striking unease.
Whether you're willing to spend a couple of days going through all 85 miles or you're looking for a great way to spend an afternoon perusing a mile or two, this is a fantastic trail for hikers of all kinds.
The Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail is a stunning pathway that runs right through the Forest City on its way across northeast Ohio, making it an excellent place for lovers of the great outdoors to explore and discover.
