by Larry Lagarde

The Little Miami Trail Network
One of the most extensive networks of non-motorized, multi-use trail bike trails in the USA can be found in and around Dayton, Ohio. Known collectively as the Miami Valley Trail Network, this series of bike trails extends from eastern Cincinnati to Buck Creek State Park near Springfield.

The center of the trail network is the former railroad hub of Xenia, Ohio. From Xenia Station, the Creekside Trail, Jamestown Connector, and the Ohio to Erie Trail radiate out like spokes on a bicycle hub. Including additional connected bike trails, cyclists have access to over 200 miles of non-motorized trails from Xenia.

Where:
Southwestern Ohio

Where to stay:
Xenia, Ohio. The trail head there makes it an ideal base for exploring the entire Little Miami network.

Following are some recommendations courtesy of Ernie Conner (another bike trail enthusiast) of Gulf Breeze, Florida...

Lodging Recommendations:
"I recommend the Holiday Inn given its proximity to the trails, but we took the cheap way out and stayed at a Knights Inn. I would stay at the Holiday Inn next time."

Trail Rides:
- Our first ride was north to Springfield via Yellow Springs and a stop at Young's Jersey Dairy for ice cream (38 miles RT).
- Our second day was west from Xenia to downtown Dayton via the Creekside and Mad River Trails (39 miles RT).
- Our third day was south from Xenia to Corwin, Ohio (39 miles RT).

Misc:
"Downtown Dayton has a beautiful minor league baseball park only a block or two off the trail. Its a must see. We drove back to Dayton one night and watched a ball game."

More information can be found at these websites:
Miami Valley Ohio Rails to Trails
Excellent site offering mile by mile descriptions of all 260+ miles of trails in the network including locations of trail heads, parking, water fountains, restrooms, restaurants, ice cream shops, hotels, motels, B&B's & campgrounds near bike trails in the Little Miami Valley.
Map & List of Ohio Bikeays Courtesy of ODOT
Detailed and up to date information pertaining to all of Ohio's bike lanes, paths and trails including maps, trail mileage and much more. One of the more useful state bike sites I've seen.
Bike Miami Valley
A 501 (c)(3) nonprofit advocacy organization dedicated to promoting, enabling and creating safe bicycling for recreation and transportation in a 10-county region known as the Miami Valley in southwestern Ohio.
Little Miami State Park
50 mile trail corridor owned by the State of Ohio that focuses on bicycling, hiking, cross-country skiing, rollerblading, backpacking and horseback riding. The corridor also provides access to canoeing the Little Miami River.
Little Miami Scenic Trail
Multi-purpose scenic trail running from Xenia, Ohio to Yellow Springs.
Little Miami Scenic Trail Users Study
This study estimates that there are 150,000 to 175,000 trail visits annually on the 27 mile section between Loveland and Corwin in Warren County, Ohio. Sixty-six percent of trail users are bicycling; 25% are walking or jogging; and 8.5% are in-line skating. These trail users spend approximately $3.1 to $3.7 million annually on trip-related expenditures and trail-related durable goods.

Labels: bike trails, Dayton Ohio, great places to go bicycling, Little Miami Trail Network, Ohio