Designed as an all-purpose trail, the Towpath Trail in Cuyahoga County connects Canal Basin Park in The Flats south to the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Great for biking and hiking, this 11-mile section of the Towpath Trail is completely paved and offers scenic views of the Cleveland skyline, the Cuyahoga River and the Scranton Flats.

Towpath Trail in Cuyahoga County

Location: Cleveland, Valley View, Cuyahoga Heights
Length: 11.3 miles
Type & uses: Paved all-purpose trail
Challenge level:  Off-street, adjacent to traffic in some areas; Mostly flat; Good for families and inexperienced cyclists.
Level of Traffic Stress rating: 1+
Hours of operation: Sunrise to sunset, overnight parking not available

Towpath Trail Stage 3 drone photo
Photo: Cuyahoga County

Accessibility, Parking & Operations

Transit: RTA Routes 2, 16, 18, 25 and the Redline at W. 25th/Tower City
Biking/Walking: Trailheads available at Thornburg Station, West Canal Road, Bacci Park Aqueduct, CanalWay Center, Harvard Avenue, Steelyard Commons, Clark Field, Sokolowski’s Overlook, Scranton Flats and Canal Basin Park.
Vehicle: Same
Parking: Parking available at Thornburg Station, West Canal Road, Bacci Park Aqueduct, CanalWay Center, Harvard Avenue, Steelyard Commons, Clark Field, Sokolowski’s Overlook, Scranton Flats and Canal Basin Park.
Managed & Maintained by: Cleveland Metroparks

two cyclists riding the Towpath near the Cuyahoga River and a freighter. The downtown skyline rises in the distance.
Photo: Canalway Partners

Description

The Towpath Trail in Cuyahoga County starts at Canal Basin Park in The Flats and continues south to Rockside Road. It connects to the historic canal route in the Cleveland Metroparks Ohio and Erie Canalway Reservation and continues into Cuyahoga Valley National Park and south to Summit, Stark and Tuscarawas Counties. In Cleveland, the trail intersects with many popular bike routes including the Red Line Greenway, the Whiskey Island Connector Trail and the Wendy Park Bridge on Whiskey Island. In conjunction with these trails, the Towpath connects city neighborhoods to Lake Erie, downtown, and the Cleveland Metroparks Emerald Necklace.

Points of Interest & Amenities

a cyclist rides past the Sokolowskis Overlook
Photo: Canalway Partners

History

Timeline: The planning for the Towpath Trail began in the early 1990s. In 2009, Canalway Partners, Cuyahoga County Department of Public Works, Cleveland Metroparks and the City of Cleveland committed to the project. Funding, design and construction continued on a rolling basis as sections of the Towpath were completed. The last section of the trail was completed and opened in 2021.

Partners: Canalway Partners, Cuyahoga County Department of Public Works, Cleveland Metroparks, City of Cleveland

Cost: Total cost $56 million

Building and maintaining the Towpath Trail in Cuyahoga County is a shared initiative involving Canalway Partners, the City of Cleveland, Cuyahoga County and the Cleveland Metroparks. This public asset connects users to nature and history while empowering them to explore their community.

Map

Contact: Meghan Paynter, me****@ca**************.com