Wright Brothers Bikeway

formerly known as the
Huffman Prairie Overlook Trail and also
as the Kauffman Avenue Bikeway

Fairborn to Wright Brothers Memorial, Huffman MetroPark &
Wright Brothers Flying Field 5.0 miles

Trail Description: The trail runs from South Street at the Fairborn YMCA in downtown Fairborn along the North side of Kauffman Avenue to National Road. At that point the trail crosses Kauffman to the South side and follows the fence line of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base to the Wright Brothers Memorial. It then crosses State Route 444 to Huffman MetroPark via a bridge over the Norfolk-Southern tracks and a tunnel under SR-444. This is called the T-Connector. From there the trail continues into the Wright Brothers Flying Field on Wright Patterson Air Force Base.

Plans: The plan was to build the T-Connector and connect it to Eastwood MetroPark. where it is planed to join the Mad River Recreation Trail which takes you to downtown Dayton where it joins the Great Miami River Recreation Trail In Eastwood MetroPark the trail also joins the Creekside Recreation Trail AKA the "H-Connector" which runs East from Montgomery County to Xenia in Greene County to terminate at the Xenia Station the confluence of five RailTrails.

Surface: Some concrete and some asphalt. The trail is paved along Kauffman Avenue in Fairborn along the Norfolk & Southern tracks to Wright Brothers Memorial and the T-Connector.

Hotels, Motels, B&Bs & Campgrounds near the Trail - Each trail has it's own accommodations near the trail. Click on the link to be taken to the Accommodations in the Miami Valley RailTrails Area

Route: The trail starts in downtown Fairborn Ohio at Maple Street and follows the Norfolk & Southern right of way for 5.0 miles parallel to Kauffman Avenue. The trail extends along Kauffman past Wright State University to the Wright Brothers Memorial and via the T-Connector to Huffman MetroPark and the Wright Brothers Flying Field.

Park and Ride Locations: You can park across from the trail at the plaza at Kauffman Avenue and West Garland Drive. You can also park in the "K20" parking lot at Wright State University off of Kauffman. And there is parking available at the Wright Brothers Memorial on Kauffman Avenue.

Rest Rooms: There is one rest room at Wright State University. It is on the campus near the intersection of Kauffman Avenue and Zink Road. Look for the picnic shelter at the Eleanor Roosevelt Forest. The indoor rest room is near the picnic shelter and is in the pine trees. There are also rest rooms at the Wright Brothers Memorial and Museum. (National Parks Service)

Trail Construction - The trail is complete at 5.0 miles from the T-Connector at State Route 444 to the YMCA at South Street and Kauffman in downtown Fairborn. Plans have been made to connect the trail which now ends at Huffman MetroPark to Eastwood MetroPark and the two trails that meet there. In the Fairborn direction the trail will be extended along the North side of Norfolk & Southern right of way from where Kauffman Avenue crosses the railroad near the YMCA Northeast to the Black Lane area of Fairborn. Then the trail will cross the tracks to the South side of the right of way and continue Northeast to Enon Park in Clark County. The entire trail is nominally called the Three Counties Trail.

Trail Review: The ride starts at the T-Connector on State Route 444 and continues by the Wright Brothers Memorial on Kaufmann Avenue near its intersection with SR-444. The Memorial overlooks Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Here we see the Memorial itself. The National Parks Service Interpretive Center (Museum) is just behind me.	Click on photo for larger image

Click on photo for larger image	Here we have turned around and we are looking at the Huffman Prairie Flying Field Interpretive Center (Museum) run by the National Parks Service. They also manage the Wright Brothers Flying Field nearby on Wright Patterson Air Force Base..

At right is a blow up of the sign to the left of the door of the Museum.	Click on photo for larger image

Click on photo for larger image	To the right (East) of the Museum is the driveway to reach Kauffman Avenue. This is it at left. Ride carefully since it's a bit steep and you have to share only this part of the trail with cars.

We are now at the entrance to the Wright Brothers Memorial and the Interpretive Center. We are looking up the drive you see in the previous picture.	Click on photo for larger image

Click on photo for larger image	We have turned around from where we took the previous photo and now we are looking at the beginning of the Wright Brothers Bikeway. From here on into Fairborn the trail will parallel Kauffman Avenue.

In this photo we are almost to the corner of Kauffman Avenue and National Road. We are looking back towards the Wright Brothers Memorial. On our left in the photo we are following the fence line of "Area b" of Wright Patterson Air Force Base.	Click on photo for larger image

Click on photo for larger image	Here we have reached the corner of Kauffman Avenue and National Road. National Road is to the right of the picture. You will cross Kauffman Ave to reach the continuation of the trail on the North side of the road. Please Note. The traffic on both Kauffman and National can be both fast and continuous. Please use the button on the pole (below the National Road sign) to get the signals to change and use the cross walk signs to get on the other side of Kauffman Avenue.

In this photo we have just crossed Kauffman Avenue and are facing East. The crossing is to our right (out of the photo) and the trail is ahead of us.	Click on photo for larger image

Click on photo for larger image	Here we are .77 miles from the beginning of the ride and are about to go up the first hill on the trail. For a part of its length the trail is on a Miami Conservancy District flood control levee.

At Zink Road the trail changes from black top to concrete. Here we are looking back toward the Memorial. The sign is just across the street from Zink Road and you can see the difference in trail color.	Click on photo for larger image

Click on photo for larger image	Our next stop along the trail is the entrance to Wright State University. Here we are going down the hill to the corner. You can see the Wright State University sign across the street. There is a bottom and cross walk signs here so you can cross Kauffman Avenue to get to the University. We are almost 2 miles from the Memorial.

Here you see the trail going under the SR-844 bridges. This road connects SR-444 which is the main artery between various parts of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and I-675 which runs North to I-70 and South to connect with I-75 South of Dayton.	Click on photo for larger image

Click on photo for larger image	We have reached the corner of Col Glenn Highway and Kauffman Road. We are 2.5 miles from the Wright Brothers Memorial.

Here we see the trail crossing West Dayton - Yellow Springs Road. There are crossing signals at this corner and I'd recommend you use them. At left the road is about to cross the railroad tracks we have been following and dead end at SR-444. Gate 12A of the base is about 100 yards from that intersection. This point is 3.0 miles from the trail's start.	Click on photo for larger image

Click on photo for larger image	The trail continues along Kauffman Avenue for another mile or so before Kauffman crosses the Norfolk & Southern railroad tracks. We are 4.4 miles from the Wright Brother's Memorial and almost to downtown Fairborn; the current trail's end. In the photo is a trail maintenance truck that can also ride the rails as it is here. Before we get to this point the trail goes by some fast food restaurants on the ride side of the road. You can cross over to them at Garland Avenue (which is not pictured).

We are looking at the railroad crossing pictured above. Five Rivers MetroParks is acting as lead to purchase the property next to the Norfolk & Western railbed (left in picture). The new trail nominally called the Three Counties Trail , will start at Eastwood MetroPark and run to Huffman MetroPark just across SR-444 from the Wright Brothers Memorial. Then the T-Connector (a tunnel under SR-444 and a bridge over the railroad tracks) will carry the trail to the Memorial. Here the trail will go straight ahead (Northeast) along the right of way to the Black Lane area of Fairborn where it will cross to the South side of the tracks and continue to Enon Park in Clark County.	Click on photo for larger image

Click on photo for larger image	We have crossing the tracks and are heading into Fairborn in this photo. The Fairborn YMCA is on the other side of the street about 200 yards ahead.

We are at the trail's end in Fairborn at Central Avenue (that's what Kauffman Avenue changes to) and South Street. The bicycle trail sign across the street shows that the trail continues down South Street.	Click on photo for larger image

Click on photo for larger image	Returning to the Wright Brothers Memorial here is a picture taken from the Memorial of SR-444 and the Huffman MetroPark. The T-Connector will go under SR-444 with a tunnel and a bridge to cross the RR tracks below us that you cannot see.

Here is aerial photo from Goggle Earth of the Wright Brothers Memorial, SR-444 and what is labeled "Huffman Reserve" (Huffman MetroPark). You can also see the dam and the Mad River below. The Memorial is at the bottom of the picture and you can see the road leading up to it.	Click on photo for larger image

Trail Description	Surface
Route	Map
Park & Ride Locations	Restrooms
Plans	Trail Review
Hotels, Motels, B&Bs and Campgrounds	Trail Construction