Trail History
In the Miami Valley

• This page is a historical record of the construction of trails in the Miami Valley, year by year. On this page I am taking all of 
  the information that I have provided month by month to you via my MVRT Monthly Newsletters and my Bike Miami Valley Newsletters as well as information provided by Greene and Clark county parks departments, the Miami Conservancy District and the Ohio, Kentucky & Indiana Regional Council of Governments (OKI). This page will serve as the historical record of the development and progress of what I have begun to call the: 

"Miami Valley Trails System"

[Please Note: This page is not yet competed]  

Trail Name Changes: Please note that some trails have changed names several times. 

Trails Built in 2008

• Tipp City Trails - One half mile of trail from Canal Locks Park in downtown Tipp City, South to Kyle Park, planned to be complete early Summer of 2008. 
  
• Great Miami River Recreation Trail (Northern Segment) - Additional 7.5 miles from Triangle MetroPark in downtown Dayton to the current trail's end on Wagoner Ford Road near Birch Drive. Trail to be dedicated in Spring 2008. 
  
• Spur To Golden Gate Park in Brookville - The City of Brookville will build a 3,000 foot spur from the Wolf Creek Recreation Trail to Golden Gate Park in the city.. 
  

Trails Built in 2007

• Xenia Jamestown Connector - 4.3 miles of trail from Jamestown East to the Fayette County line. Trail is now 12 miles long. To be completely finished and dedicated in 2008.
  
• Prairie Grass Trail - The trail had been paved in crushed stone from Maple Road East to Wilson Road in 2005. In Fall 2007 the 6.5 miles of trail was finally paved in Asphalt and dedicated 1 December 2007. 
  
• Troy City Trail (Nominal Name) - The City of Troy replaced the trail that ran along the levee from North Market Street to Adams Street, with a one mile trail that runs along the Great Miami River level. 
  

Trails Built in 2006

• Ellis Park Spur  - .32 miles, Little Miami Scenic Trail to Ellis Park.  
  

• Little Miami Scenic Trail - Construction South from Milford to Avoca  Dedicated 10 June 2006 - 4.4  miles. 
  

• Great Miami River Recreation Trail - Crains Run Nature Park to Franklin - 3.7 miles, Miami Conservancy District built this section of trail. 
  

• Great Miami River Recreation Trail - (Butler County) - 3.5 miles of trail were built from Bicentennial  Park South to State Route 73. City of Middletown built this section. 
  

Trails Built in 2005

• Xenia - Jamestown Connector - In June 2005 an additional 6.65 miles of trail was added from Frank Seaman Park in Jamestown Northwest to Jasper Road (Southeast of Xenia). The trail from Xenia Station to Jasper Road will be built in 2011. 
  
• Great Miami River Recreation Trail - The trail was extended from Crains Run MetroPark (later re-named Crains Run Nature Park) 3.2 miles to just Baxter Drive just South of Franklin. 
  
• Prairie Grass Trail  (AKA Ohio To Erie Trail) - The trail from Maple Street in London East 6.5 miles to Wilson Road (two miles from Franklin County line) was paved in crushed limestone. [Note: The trail was paved with asphalt in Fall 2007]. 
  
• Great Miami River Recreation Trail (Northern Section) - This trail that ran through Taylorsville MetroPark was extended 1.4 miles from the old town of Tadmore to the park's Northern terminus at Old Springfield Street. 
  
• Middletown Trail South Extended – The new 3.5 mile trail section from State Route 122 to Old State Route 73 was completed. [Note: This is a part of the Great Miami River Recreation Trail (Warren & Butler Counties). 
  
• Great Miami River Recreation Trail (Miami County) Section 2 - This 2.5 mile extension in Miami County was dedicated on 21 July 2005. at the Miami Shores Golf Course.
  
• Simon Kenton Trail Phase IV Extended South to Springfield. The trail which began at the Buck Creek Trail and ran North to Urbana was extended 2 miles South to downtown Springfield and was dedicated 24 September 2006. 
  
• Lebanon Countryside Trail - The 8.2 miles of trail from downtown Lebanon South to meet with the Little Miami Scenic Trail was dedicated on 1 October, 2005. 
  
• Tipp City Trail Construction - A one mile trail extension from Canal Lock Park North to City Park on North 3rd Street. 
  
• Iron Horse Trail Extended - a 2.0 mile extension was built and the trail crosses Woodman Drive and extends South to Spaulding Road. [Note: This trail was previously called the "Kettering Trail."
  
• Mad River Recreation Trail (North Bank) - A .5 mile extension of the trail was built on the North Bank from Point Park to Webster Street. 
  
• Beavercreek Trail Connector Construction - This spur North from the  Creekside Trail is .75 miles long starts at Community Park (AKA Angels Pass) and ends at Rotary Park. 
  
  
  

Trails Built in 2004

• Prairie Grass Trail -  The 10.4 miles section of trail from South Charleston to London was completed in June 2004. 
  
• Simon Kenton Trail - SR55 to Urbana YMCA. The trail was dedicated at the Urbana Station (purchased by the Simon Kenton Pathfinders) on October 14, 2005 adding another 5.2 miles to the Simon Kenton Trail and finishing it to Urbana. 
  
• Paul Laurence Dunbar Connector  - A new bridge at Wesleyan MetroPark connected the two parts of the park together and made it possible to extend the Wolf Creek Recreation Trail ( The Paul Laurence Dunbar Connector is a part of the Wolf Creek Trail)   Northwest to connect with the existing trail that ends at Trotwood. 
  
• Buck Creek Trail Extension - The trail was extended 2.66 miles from the old railroad bridge in Old Reid Park to Buck Creek State Park. 
  
• Great Miami River Recreation Trail (Butler & Hamilton Counties) - This trail was extended 1 mile South from Joyce Park to Water Works Park in Fairfield. (see Trails Built in 1991) 
  

Trails Built in 2003

• New Bridge from RiverScape to Deeds Point - The new bridge connected the Mad River Recreation Trail & Great Miami River Recreation Trail to the trail on the East bank of the Great Miami and runs North to Island MetroPark.
  
• Tri-County Triangle Trail - Construction of 8.5 miles of trail from Adena School Complex to Frankfort continuing towards Chillicothe where it ends at Sulfur Lick Road. 
  
• Simon Kenton Trail - Construction started from Villa Road the end of what had been called "The Northern Extension"  5 miles crossing the Champaign County Line to connect to what was the end of the Simon Kenton Trail at Cedar Bog. 
  
• Piqua Linear Park Extension - The trail was extended from downtown Piqua along the Great Miami River North 3.6 miles to the Water Plant. [Note: This Northern section of trail was later re-named "The River's Edge Trail" and then "The River's Edge]. 
  
• Prairie Grass Trail - Construction started from South Charleston Northeast to London adding an additional 10.4 miles to the trail. 
  
• Great Miami River Recreation Trail (Miami County) Construction - Ground was broken in May 2002 for the trail that will eventually run 21 miles from Taylorsville MetroPark in Montgomery County through Miami County's Tipp City, Troy and Piqua to end at Sidney in Shelby County. Construction was on Section 1 which will be 1.6 miles long. This trail was dedicated 12 June 2003. 
  
• Great Miami River Recreation Trail (Butler County) - A 2.3 mile section was built from Bicentennial Commons to State Route 4. The City of Middletown built this section. 
  
• Purple People Bridge Dedicated - On 26 April 2003, the old Louisville and Nashville (L&N) railroad bridge was dedicated as the "Purple People Bridge from Sawyer's Point in Cincinnati to Newport Kentucky near the Acquarium. This bridge will carry the Ohio River Trail from Lunken Airport where it meets with the end of the Little Miami Scenic Trail into Kentucky. 
  
• Wolf Creek Recreation Trail - One mile from where the Wolf Creek empties into the Great Miami River and connecting to the trail on the West Bank to the Wright Dunbar neighborhood. Eventually this trail was named the "Paul Laurence Dunbar Connector." 
  

Trails Built in 2002

• Stillwater River Recreation Trail Dedicated -  The trail was dedicated in May 2002. Englewood MetroPark South under I-70 to Jake Grossnickle Park. It adds 2 miles to the trail system. 
  
• Great Miami River Recreation Trail (Northern Section) To be Extended - The trail that ran through Taylorsville MetroPark was extended South about 1 mile from the Soccer Fields to Rip Rap Road near Birch Drive. 
  
• Piqua Linear Park Expansion - 2.2 miles was added starting at French Park North to SR-66 near the Water Plant. 
  [Note: This trail was re-named the "Hydraulic Canal Park" and lately "Canal Run."] 
  
• Greenville Creek Trail - One mile of trail along Greenville Creek from Alice Bish Park to Greenville City Park. 
  
• Simon Kenton Trail - The trail was dedicated April 2002. It runs from downtown Springfield at the Heritage Center North to Urbana. 

Trails Built in 2001

• Groundbreaking for Simon Kenton Trail - The groundbreaking was held at Cedar Bog 14 April 2001. The Phase I trail was built from Cedar Bog to State Route 55 North about 2.5 miles. The trail opened 3 June 2001. 
  

• Stewart Street Trail Opens -  This 0.5 mile trail section from the Great Miami River Recreation Trail (at Stewart Street) to the University of Dayton opened June 2001. 
  

• Piqua Linear Park Opens - The City of Piqua dedicated 5.5 miles of an eventual 13 miles of East to West trail in the city in June 2001. 
  

• New Bridge over Spinning Road on Creekside Trail - The bridge across Spinning Road in Beavercreek on the Creekside Recreation Trail is completed in November 2001.  The bridge is about 1/2 mile West of the Creekside Recreation Trail bridge over Interstate 675. There is also a new Spur west of Woodman Drive on the trail at Woodman Park apartments.
  

• Prairie Grass Trail To Be Extended - The existing trail from Xenia Station Northeast to Cedarville was to be extended to Selma and South Charleston.  Ground was broken in late August and the trail was finished and dedicated 17 November 2001. 
  
• Stillwater River Trail Starts Construction - Construction was to begin from the Samaritan North Health Center 9000 N. Main Street. The trail will then head east to Jack Grossnickle Park. Then the trail will follow the Stillwater River north and will veer west to go under the spillway at the Englewood MetroPark dam. The trail will then join with other trails in the MetroPark that run north towards Union, Ohio.
  
• Prairie Grass Trail [AKA Ohio To Erie Trail] - The trail was extended from Barber Road to Chillicothe Road a total addition of 4.24. miles. (See Trails Built in 1998) 
  
• Rubicon Trail Built By Five Rivers MetroParks - [Note: Now Stewart Street Bikeway] The park district is building the Rubicon Trail  a connection from the River Corridor Bikeway [Note: Now Great Miami River Recreation Trail] to the University of Dayton on the South side of Stewart Street. This trail is one half mile long. 
  
  

Trails Built in 2000

• Piqua Bike Construction  The city of Piqua (Miami County) announced recently that they would be building a trail along the Conrail corridor East and West from Lock Nine Park to the city's new French Park another 3.9 miles to Patrizio Place. This section is planned for completion by the end of 2001. A third phase, not yet for bid will extend the East-West trail to a total of 6.5 miles for $1.6 million. The plan includes a renovation of the 550' railroad bridge over the Great Miami River. The city also is making plans to build a North-South trail 6.6 miles trail along the canal and river levee. This trail will be designed next year and will complete the 13.5 miles of the trail.
  
• City of Lebanon to build Spur to Little Miami Scenic Trail  [Author's Note: This trail was eventually built and called the Lebanon Countryside Trail]. The city of Lebanon is planning to connect to the existing trail via Deerfield Road and Kingsview Drive as a way to get downtown or to the YMCA. The YMCA started the $250,000 trail and paid for the engineering and design work.  No estimate was given for completion.
  
• City of Waynesville to build Spur to Little Miami Scenic Trail  The city of Waynesville in Warren County is planning to build a spur from the City to the trail at the Town of Corwin. No date was given for completion.
  
• Buck Creek Trail.  Is finished and dedicated 13 May 2000 in Clark County from Pumphouse Road near Buck Creek State Park along the Creek to Veteran's Park in downtown Springfield. Now 5.76 miles long
  
• Creekside Trail  finished The 6 mile trail is complete and you can use it. The Creekside Trail was dedicated Saturday 3 June at 5th./3rd Park and Ride. This is the Creekside Trail from the Greene County Line to Eastwood MetroPark built by Five Rivers MetroParks. 
  
• Fairgrounds Recreation Center Spur (From Creekside Trail) - This .45 mile spur from the Creekside Trail in Xenia North to the Greene County Fairgrounds (including a bridge over the Shawnee Creek at James Ranch). 
  
• Middletown Smith Park to Bicentennial Commons (Middletown) - This .8 mile spur from Smith Park to Middletown's Bicentennial Commons was finished.  
  

Trails Built in 1999

• T-Connector is Partially Funded! - On Monday 15 November 1999, Congressman David Hobson dedicated what will become the bridge to connect Fairborn to the entire Trail System. The T-Connector is the bridge that will connect the Kauffman Avenue Bikeway that ends at the Wright Brothers Memorial with Huffman MetroPark. A trail will be built from Huffman MetroPark  through the Dayton Well fields along the Mad River to Eastwood MetroPark there to connect with the Mad River Bikeway to Dayton and the Creekside Trail to Xenia.
  
• Great Connection Announced  [Note: This trail is now called the Great Miami River Recreation Trail (Warren & Butler Counties]   This new trail, in development, when finished, will connect the River Corridor Bikeway 28 miles south along the Great Miami River, passing through Warren and Butler counties to end at an existing 3.6 mile trail in Hamilton. This trail is being developed under the management of the Miami Conservancy District.
  
• Central State University Spur   - On 8 October this trail spur which connects the Prairie Grass Trail to Central State University was opened. The "Connection" which is .92 miles long parallels Wilberforce-Switch Road and crosses SR-42 to enter the Central State campus.
  
• Creekside Trail Being Extended - The Creekside Trail will be finished early 2000. This trail connects Greene County and the Little Miami Scenic Trail to Montgomery and the River Corridor Bikeway, [Note: Now named the Great Miami River Recreation Trail]  runs parallel to US-35. In 1998  Greene County finished paving to the Greene/Montgomery County line, at US-35 and I-675 in Beavercreek. Now the final 6 or so miles is being finished by Montgomery County to end at Eastwood MetroPark. From there the Mad River Trail takes the trail downtown to connect with the River Corridor Bikeway north and south along the Great Miami in downtown Dayton.
  
• Little Miami Scenic Trail  -  The trail was extended from Yellow Springs to John's Road near Springfield an additional 7 miles and was dedicated on 17 April 1999. At this time the length of Little Miami Scenic Trail became 72 miles.
  
• Simon Kenton Trail  - was extended to Cedar Bog. Construction added another 6 miles of trail to the trail from the north side of Springfield to the scenic Cedar Bog. This trail is now named, Simon Kenton Trail and will run to Urbana (See 2005). 
  
• Yellow Springs Station  The replica station which acts as a way station, with restrooms open 12 months of the year, was dedicated in downtown Yellow Springs 8 May 1999.
  

Trails Built in 1998

• Xenia Station  - was opened in Xenia. It is the hub of five trails leading North to Yellow Springs and then to Springfield, South to Milford, West to near Dayton, Northeast to Cedarville and Southwest (planned) to Washington Court House
  
• The Little Miami Scenic Trail  was extended North from Yellow Springs about 7 miles to Springfield. The Yellow Springs Station was built as a part of this development.  It provided rest rooms and parking on the Little Miami Scenic Trail. The building was dedicated May 1999.

• Kaufmann Avenue Bikeway   The bikeway  was finished by adding a link from Colonel Glenn to Skyline Drive (Entrance to Area "B" WPAFB). 2.3 miles of trail was added along Kaufmann Avenue to the Wright Brothers Memorial.

• Prairie Grass Trail  - (AKA Ohio To Erie Trail) - Trail built from Xenia Station (Hill Street to Sims Street with a spur at Sims Street in 1997 .5 mile) and 8.16 miles from Sims Street to Barber Road in 1998. A total of 8.66 miles of trail were built. 

Trails Built in 1997

• Creekside Trail  - The 10.4 mile trail was built in 1997 including the development of the Xenia Station and dedicated in November 1997. This event started me in building this website. See "How This All Started?" 
  
• Jamestown Connector - [Now named Xenia-Jamestown Connector]  - a 1.1 mile trail in the City of Jamestown. 
  
• Little Miami Scenic Trail -  Hedges Road to US-35  - About one mile. Built by Greene County Parks & Recreation. 
  
• Wolf Creek Rail Trail - [Now named Wolf Creek Recreation Trail] - 13 miles from Trotwood to Verona. 
  
• Huffman Prairie Overlook Trail - [Now named Wright Brothers Bikeway] - 4.2 miles from Fairborn YMCA to Wright Brothers Memorial. 
  
• Creekside Trail - .1 miles of trail was built including the Geneva and Trainview Spurs in Greene County 
  
• Wright Cycle Estates Spur - This .34 mile trail spur is from the Little Miami Scenic Trail just South of where the trails goes under US-35 and connects the trail to the Wright Cycle Estates, a housing development in Xenia. 

Trails Built in 1996

• Creekside Trail -  This is the 10.61 miles of trail from Xenia Station to the Greene County Line. The construction included the Xenia Station. 
  
• Mad River Bikeway  - [Now named Mad River Recreation Trail] - 2.8 miles from RiverScape to Eastwood MetroPark. 
  
  
• Great Miami River Recreation Trail (Dayton) - A 2.3 mile section of this trail was built from Siebenthaler Avenue North to Sinclair Park (Harrison Township). [Note: This trail was formerly called the River Corridor Bikeway - See Trails Built in 1976 ] Sinclair Park is the most Northern Section of the current trail along the Stillwater River. 

Trails Built in 1995

• Little Miami Scenic Trail - From Morrow to Hedges Road (Greene & Warren Counties) - A total of 24.3 miles as follows: 

  • Hedges Road to Spring Valley - About 2.5 miles (A part of Xenia to Spring Valley Section) 

  • Spring Valley to Corwin - 7.1 miles

  • Corwin to Morrow - 14.7 miles 

   

  Trails Built in 1992
  

• "K Station" Built - (Great Miami River Recreation Trail) - This restroom and water stop was built just North of West Carrollton. It was named in honor of the woman who came up with the idea Mrs. Kay Huffman, mother of Dayton Daily News reporter; Dale Huffman. 

Trails Built in 1991

• Little Miami Scenic Trail -  

  • From Loveland to Milford -  9.5 miles -  Built by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (Part of Little Miami Scenic Park).l

  • Yellow Springs to Xenia - 10.6 miles - Built by Greene County Parks & Recreation 
    

• Great Miami River Recreation Trail (Butler & Hamilton Counties) - This 3.5 mile section of trail was built by the City of Hamilton from Joyce Park North to the Fitton Center and the Main-High Bridge. 

Trails Built in 1984-86

• Wright Brothers Huffman Prairie Bikeway - The first 1.8 miles of trail was built between 1984 and 1986 by Greene County Parks as follows:
  • 1984 - Railroad to Garland Avenue .60 mile
  • 1985 - Garland to Yellow Springs Rd. .75 mile
  • 1986- Yellow Springs Road to Col. Glenn .45
    
• Little Miami Scenic Trail - Loveland to Morrow 1984 - 13.5 miles built by Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR).
  

Trails Built in 1982

• River Corridor Bikeway (Dayton) - A 1.5 mile section from Island MetroPark to Siebenthaler Avenue was built. [Note: Trail is now named Great Miami River Recreation Trail] 

Trails Built in 1981

Trails Built in 1980

• River Corridor Bikeway (Dayton) - A 12.6 mile section of trail was built from Stewart Street South to Rice Field in Miamisburg. [Note: Trail is now named Great Miami River Recreation Trail] 

Trails Built in 1976

• River Corridor Bikeway (Dayton) - The initial 8.2 miles of Horace B.  "Huffy" Huffman's dream of a bike trail in Dayton was dedicated at the 1976 River Festival. [Note: Trail is now named Great Miami River Recreation Trail]. The trail was a loop on both sides of the Great Miami River from Helena Street in the North (Island MetroPark) to Stewart Street in the South. 
  

Trails Built in 1975

Trails Built in 1974

Trails Built in 1973

• Troy Trail Phase 2 -   One Half mile trail from Adams Street Bridge and proceeding North along the top of the river levee and along the top of the Morgan Ditch.  

Trails Built in 1972

• Troy Trail Phase 1 -  (More information on this as I get it)

Note: Trail Name Changes  Many trails in this list have had several names over the years. I have attempted to show in the year the trail was built the original trail name with the new trail name in [brackets] following the name. To see how the trail names have changed over the years please see About Bicycle Trail Names and Route Numbers. 

Return to Bike Miami Valley Home Page

For more information on each Web Page or Trail click on its name.

Clark County Trails  |  Buck Creek Trail | Simon Kenton Trail | Prairie Grass Trail | 
 | The Tecumseh Trail |

Greene County Trails   Creekside Trail  | Prairie Grass Trail |  Little Miami Scenic Trail | T-Connector  |   
| Wright Brothers' Bikeway  | Xenia-Jamestown Connector |  Xenia Station | I-675 Crossing | 

Montgomery County Trails  Creekside Recreation Trail  | Great Miami River Recreation Trail |
  Great Miami River Recreation Trail (Northern Segment) | Mad River Recreation Trail | 
| Stillwater River Recreation Trail | Stewart St. Bikeway  | Iron Horse Trail | 
|  The Great Miami River Recreation Trail [GMRRT] in Warren & Butler Counties  | 
| Wolf Creek Recreation Trail  |  

 Miami County Trails  Trails in Miami County |Section 1 | Section 2 | Piqua Activities Trail For Health  |
|  Canal Run | The River's Edge | Troy Bike Trail | Section 5 | Tipp City Trail

 Warren County Trails| Lebanon Countryside Trail |
|  The Great Miami River Recreation Trail (GMRRT in Warren & Butler Counties  |  Little Miami Scenic Trail |

Resources | Complete Ohio Trails List (Alphabetical) | Ohio Trails List (By County with Maps) | 
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