Walk in New Places
Take a Hike! Meet historical characters on these free, award-winning 1.5 hour hikes held at four locations in the Cleveland section of the Canalway.
Click here to learn more.
Questing - Turn your walk/run into an adventure by taking a Quest - many along the Towpath Trail.
Birdwatching & Wildlife - Canalway park partners offer ranger-led walks, or conduct your own with visits to the Key Viewing sites highlighted in Birdwatching.
Did You Know? Seven Cleveland Metroparks Reservations fall within the Ohio & Erie Canalway National Heritage Area borders as does the State Park along the shores of Lake Erie in Cleveland.
Industrial Views: On Cleveland’s near west side, get a sampler of the Towpath Trail along a 1.2 mile stand-alone stretch running behind Steelyard Commons - a busy retail center. There’s plenty of parking as well as views of the industrial valley. Future plans call for Towpath connections - both north & south.
Start your Towpath adventures
It can feel like you’ve traveled a world away - by simply taking your walk, hike or run to the Towpath Trail.
Getting There
Trailheads - 48 in all - offer parking and entrances to the Towpath.
In the Cleveland Metroparks:
At Harvard Road, just east of Jennings, is the northernmost Towpath Trailhead. It’s here where your Towpath travels can truly begin.
Set off on an 81+ mile journey south from the Cleveland Metroparks’ Ohio & Erie Canal Reservation. Enter the Reservation at any of six Trailheads. You’ll find two iconic cable-style bridges punctuate this 10-foot wide asphalt portion of the trail, which makes crossing busy Warner and Granger roads a safer — and leg-stretching! — experience.
Cleveland Metroparks — Towpath Fast Facts
Number of Towpath miles: 7.2
Number of Trailheads: 6
Surface: Paved
Key Visitor Center: Leonard Krieger CanalWay Center
(.3 mile off the Towpath between the Harvard & Bacci
Park Aqueduct Trailheads)
Continue south and travel into the heart of the Cuyahoga
Valley National Park.
(The transition between parks takes place at Rockside Road.)
In the Cuyahoga Valley National Park:
Only in the National Park, the Towpath Trail is accessible 24-hours-a-day, providing unique opportunities to see nocturnal wildlife and get a workout in no matter what your schedule. (Note: Wear bright color clothing at night, as the trail is not lit.)
Be sure to stop at the Canal Visitor Center at Lock 38 to learn about 12,000 years of local history and check out a lock that’s been restored to its 1905 condition. Take in the sights and sounds of nature as you head further south into Pinery Narrows — a gorgeous, 2.7-mile stretch of trail south of historic Frazee House — as the Trail swings deeper into parklands. Continue on to Boston along the trail and you’ll cross into Summit County Section of the Canalway...
Cuyahoga Valley National Park — Towpath Fast Facts
Number of Towpath miles: 20
(In Cuyahoga & Summit Counties)
Number of Trailheads: 13 (Six in Cuyahoga)
Surface: Level, Hard-Packed, Crushed Limestone
Key Visitor Centers: Canal Visitor Center (Cuyahoga)
Towpath Traveling Tips
- Bring water, snacks, and sunscreen
- Map It!
- Check which Trailheads have water & note distances between Trailheads
- Plan according to your fitness level - especially if little ones are in tow
- Be aware of weather conditions
- Canalway Alerts - check for park trail closures - especially after heavy rains
- Caution - Boardwalks/Wooden Sections - get slippery when wet or covered with frost
- Navigating a Shared Use Trail - simple rules for pets & sharing the trail...
- Note: Eight ft. leashes in the County Parks; Six ft. in the National Park
- Visiting a Preserve - from leaves to berries - take only photo souvenirs - and more....
Runners
Train for the Towpath Marathon in October - and help celebrate its 20th year! Described as “one of the most beautiful race courses in America” by Runner’s World magazine.
Join a Running Club - Here’s a starter list of clubs that frequently use the Canalway.