Bicycling bounty

For fall excursions, we offer 7 trails worth trying out

October is a great time for bicycling, with the cooler temperatures and less humidity. Anyone in Greater Columbus seeking to enjoy the great outdoors will find plenty of options.h “If you live in central Ohio, there isn’t a single trail experience that you could want that isn’t accessible,” said Eric Oberg, Midwest Regional Director of the Rails-to-trails Conservancy, the country’s largest trail organization. h One of the online resources Rails-to-trails offers is Trail Link, which allows users to search for trails in their areas using a variety of criteria. h “The one thing I always recommend when people are looking at

Trail Link is to check out the reviews,” Oberg said. “We have multiple full-time staff who work at making sure Trail Link is up to date, but nothing beats somebody who just went out and rode the trail and left a review. Everybody is different. A rough gravel trail might be an adventure for one person, and other people might say, ‘What the heck is that?’ I think it’s really important to do your homework and understand what the trail you’re looking at is.”

Also crucial is self-knowledge. “Be honest with yourself about what kind of experience you’re going for. Are you looking to do as long a bike ride as you possibly can, or are you looking to ride a little bit and find something to do along the way? Be honest about both your capabilities and what experience you’re looking for, and choose your destination based on those,” he said.

For advice on trails to try, we turned to Oberg. Here are his suggestions:

Best urban trail that feels rural: Alum Creek

h Oberg says: “This is one of my favorite urban trails. There are sections of it where you’ll literally forget you’re in a city. It’s gorgeous.” h Length: 25 miles h Location: Westerville to Groveport h Highlights: Access to Three Creeks Metro Park and other parks and to Blacklick Creek Greenway

Best trail for families: Scioto Greenway

h Oberg says: “It’s a perfect example of an urban trail done right. It’s big enough, it’s got separated walking and biking in the busiest sections, so everybody has space.” h Length: 12 miles h Location: Along the Scioto River in Columbus

h Highlights: Splash pad in summer, swinging benches, views of the city, ample amenities

Most scenic trails: the Heart of Ohio and Kokosing Gap

h Oberg says: “They are meticulously maintained and very accessible no matter what your level of fitness.” h Length: 29 miles h Location: From Mount Vernon to Danville or Centerburg

h Highlights: Old bridges, long

stretches along Kokosing River, ice cream or lunch in Mount Vernon

Quietest trail: Hockhocking Adena Bikeway

h Oberg says: “It gets busy when you get to Athens, but for the most part, it’s pretty dang quiet, and you’re riding right next to the Hocking River.” h Length: 20 miles h Location: Nelsonville to Athens h Highlights: Shady trail with views of the water and trees

Most exciting trail: Camp Chase

h Oberg says: “It’s what we call a ‘rail-with-trail.’ It goes right along an active railroad. You’re on a bike or walking, and all of a sudden a train goes right by you. It’s a pretty cool experience.” h Length: 16 miles h Location: The Hilltop to rural

Madison County

h Highlights: Long stretch through Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park

Best trail for a full day of bicycling: Little Miami Scenic

h Oberg says: “It’s an absolute gem of a trail, beautifully maintained, pretty flat, beautiful scenery. But on a busy weekend, be prepared to take it nice and easy, because there are a lot of people out there.” h Length: 78 miles h Location: Springfield to Cincinnati h Highlights: Plenty of parks, small towns and places to stop for lunch or a beverage and get on or off the trail

Best trail for a multi-day expedition: Ohio to Erie

h Oberg says: “There aren’t that many places in the world where you can get on a trail and just go for that great a distance. From Columbus to Cincinnati, it’s about 98% trail, with a 16-mile gap where it’s road rather than bike trail in Wayne County.” h Length: 271 miles h Location: Cleveland to Cincinnati, passing through Columbus h Highlights: All of Ohio Details on these trails and many, many others can be found on www.traillink.com

margaretquamme@hotmail.com

RAILS-TO-TRAILS CONSERVANCY Ohio’s Little Miami Scenic Trail: The Yellow Springs Bridge is one of many charming sights along the way.

Ohio’s Camp Chase: On the western half of the trail you may see a train on the adjacent tracks being loaded with the bounty of the fields.

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY THE RAILS-TO-TRAILS CONSERVANCY Ohio’s Alum Creek Greenway Trail: South of Wolfe Park, cyclists will pass over a bridge built in 1922.

Ohio’s Scioto Greenway Trail: The trail hugs the banks of the Scioto River for its entire length.

Ohio’s Kokosing Gap Trail: Train cars greet visitors at the Gambier trailhead.

The Hockhocking Trail: Riders will cross a bridge north of Athens.