Great Miami River Trail

Trail Guide

Length77 miles, plus 16 miles total for Sidney and Hamilton-Fairfield segments.
Connecting TrailsWolf Creek Trail, Mad River Trail, Stillwater Trail, Ohio-to-Indiana Trail, Dayton-Kettering Connector.
End PointsMiddletown, Ohio (south) to Piqua, Ohio (north). There are also segments in Sidney and Hamilton-Fairfield.
CountiesWarren, Montgomery, Miami, Butler, Shelby.
Cities & TownsMiddletown, Franklin, Miamisburg, West Carrollton, Moraine, Dayton, Huber Heights, Vandalia, Tipp City, Troy, Piqua (contiguous). Also segments in Sidney, Fairfield and Hamilton.
SurfacesPaved, multi-use.
Interactive Map Visitors Guide

Trail Summary

Detour in West Carrollton

From urban skylines to beautiful river vistas, the Great Miami River Trail has something for everyone. The trail’s 93 miles hug the Great Miami River nearly the entire route. The route winds its way near museums, charming and historic downtowns, picnic facilities, acres of natural parkland and over gently rolling terrain—a perfect match for the runner, skater or cyclist.

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The central section begins at the south end of Middletown and heads north 77 miles to Piqua. Along the way you'll pass through Franklin - be sure to stop just a block off the trail and take in the the larger-than-life murals by Eric Henn. The trail travels north through Miamisburg, a block west of Miamisburg’s historic downtown. Other vibrant downtowns are ahead, starting in Dayton, with access to top-notch museums, numerous monuments, stadiums and RiverScape, home of the Bike Hub, a bike-commuter support facility.

Named by Ohio Magazine as Best Bike Trail in Ohio 2019. 



Tipp City, Troy, and Piqua in the north each overflow with beautiful architecture, charm, and a thriving downtown business district. Aviation history comes to life at WACO Airfield near Troy, with displays from the former airplane factory and a hangar full of historic planes.

Unique local eateries in these vibrant river towns will satisfy every taste – whether you want to cool down with a scoop of ice cream or refuel with a full meal. Ohio hometowns have their weekly farmer’s markets and annual festivals as well. But in downtown Dayton, there seems to be something to celebrate every weekend.

Natural Features
Among those destinations, the trail wanders its way along the Great Miami River’s beauty: through the heavily wooded Crains Run Park and Taylorsville MetroPark, past Taylorsville Dam and Tadmor Historic Site, and on to the Tipp Nature Center. Between Troy and Piqua the beautiful Robert Shook Bridge crosses the Great Miami River at the Farrington Reserve. Take a moment to pause on the bridge and take in the view of the river. You may see a paddler go by. Even as the trail runs through the cities, riders commonly view great blue heron, kingfisher, and other beautiful water-loving birds, along with signs of beaver, white-tailed deer, and a diverse set of fish and aquatic life.

As it is a river trail and because the trail is often inside flood control levees, the Great Miami River Trail does experience high water closures. In response to this, the Great Miami Riverway has created an online Trail Conditions Map to let you know, based on river depth gages, where the trail is underwater. The City of Troy has designated and signed a High Water Detour through downtown for those times when the river prevents use of the Great Miami River Trail itself.

Connectivity
Users of the 77 continuous miles between Middletown and Piqua will enjoy modern, off-street, paved multi-use trail. Trail designers make an effort to connect the trail to adjacent attractions and neighborhoods via ramps and bike stairs. Future plans include connecting the Sidney section in Shelby County and the Hamilton-Fairfield section in Butler County with the main section of the Great Miami River Trail.

During High Water events, you can make the trip through Troy on the High Water Bypass Route through Troy's historic downtown.

Area Attractions

PDF Map Less Detail

Trail Guide

Length77 miles, plus 16 miles total for Sidney and Hamilton-Fairfield segments.
Connecting TrailsWolf Creek Trail, Mad River Trail, Stillwater Trail, Ohio-to-Indiana Trail, Dayton-Kettering Connector.
End PointsMiddletown, Ohio (south) to Piqua, Ohio (north). There are also segments in Sidney and Hamilton-Fairfield.
CountiesWarren, Montgomery, Miami, Butler, Shelby.
Cities & TownsMiddletown, Franklin, Miamisburg, West Carrollton, Moraine, Dayton, Huber Heights, Vandalia, Tipp City, Troy, Piqua (contiguous). Also segments in Sidney, Fairfield and Hamilton.
SurfacesPaved, multi-use.
Interactive Map Visitor Guide

Sites along the way