NT Part 3: Ludington MI to Buffalo NY

Three States to the Erie Canal

The Red lines are state roads, the Pink lines are Rail to Trails, with the numbers from the RT books, or State Trails from TrailLink.

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Richard JagersAfternoon, I'm from northeast portage county ohio and wanted to let you know the route on the above map thru ohio has some issues. After the portage hike and bike east of ravenna ohio the route has you riding thru a 35,000 military area that is closed to the public. You will either have to ride south or north around it. South is the direction I would go if you are headed to the Western Reserve greenway. Feel free to contact me about route options if you would like. I have ridden a lot of the rail trails in the area.
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3 years ago

Rachel and Patrick HugensThanks Richard, for sure will pick your brain on local information as we get closer. We have sectional maps with more detail (Rachel was just learning how to use Ride GPS for these overview and getting an idea of mileage) Not able to locate where the military area is on the map, is it at the very end of the BH line? We have a few alternative routes from Elyria with the goal of staying inland across PA until Ridgeway and North to Salamanca. We sure will appreciate any advice and suggestions. Thanks again. Racpat
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3 years ago

Rachel and Patrick HugensTo Richard JagersHi Richard,
The goal of our route is to get from Elyria/Berea area to New Castle continue across PA east toward Dubois then heading North to Bradford Junction into NY. Would love suggestions on two areas. Once off the Wabash Cannonball RT connecting to the North coast Inland Trail. And then the area you are referring to, have looked at going more through Cuyahoga Falls and east to Youngstown.
Or any suggestion that we might be missing looking at...Thanks
Racpat
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3 years ago

Richard JagersTo Rachel and Patrick HugensHere is the major problem east of the Cleveland burbs. 95% of the multi use and rail trails run north and south. But here are my thoughts. Cleveland metro parks rings the city . locally called the Emerald necklace. It contains three major bike friendly pathways that will get you from west side. ( Rocky river just east of Berea) to the east side ( solon) . from solon there are bike lanes thru glenwillow east down pettibone road to state route 43. From here there are many options. The goal being to get to the Western Reserve greenway which will get you to the stavich trail south Youngstown in New castle. The West end of the headwaters trail is being worked on currently. I don t know when it will be officially opened but could be ridden now if need be. The headwaters will get you to garrettsville ohio and then back roads or low travel roads the 15 miles to the greenway. The option. Is to pick up the summit hike and bike take it South to Kent then the portage hike and bike west to ravenna. From here work the back roads south of the 35, 000 acre camp ravenna to Newton falls ohio . where you can pick up Carson salt springs road that will take you over the the Western Reserve greenway. We really need a couple of East west connector trails in this part of the country.
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3 years ago

Rachel and Patrick HugensTo Richard JagersHi Richard,
We are in Colon MI, and will be on the Wabash Cannonball Trail in 2 days. Still working out the route and trying to decide whether to just go through Cleveland and along the Lake or stay South.
Thanks you for your information
Racpat
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3 years ago

MICHIGAN: Lake Michigan Circle Tour Route: Ludington to South Haven

#28 Hart to Montague 22.7mi

#10 Kal-Haven Trail South Haven to Kalamazoo 34mi

#9 Kalamazoo River Valley Trail Kalamazoo to Galesburg 20.9mi

#1 Battle Creek Linear Park Augusta to Bailey Park 25.9mi

State Roads Albion-Homer-Jonesville

Baw Beese Trail Hillsdale to Jonesville

State Road to Montpelier OH

OHIO:

#69 Wabash Cannonball Montpelier to (Whitehouse) Maumee 62.9mi

Towpath Trail 9.1mi Whitehouse to N. River Rd to Waterville

State Roads Waterville 5 point road to Trapp Rd to Elmore

#56 North Coast Inland Trail: Dandusky/Ottawa 28mi Elmore to Bellevue

#54 North Coast Inland Trail: Huron 15.6mi Norwalk to Collins

#55 North Coast Inland Trail: Lorain 19.3mi Wakeman to Elyria/Berea

ALT Berea Mill Stream Run All Purpose Trail

ALT State Road Elyria-83/303-Brunswick-Richfield to OECT

Edited, this is the route: State Road Elyria to Olmstead Falls to Kent to Headwaters Trail to Southington/Warren #70 Western Reserve Greenway to Ashtabula.

ALT Berea to Brecksville #57 Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail (Cleveland to Bolivar 81 mi) to Pennisula to Hike & Bike Trail to Young Rd spur to Kent to Ravenna to Austintown MetroParks Bikeway to Canfield State Rd to Struthers

State Road to Youngstown/Boardman

PENNSYLVANIA:

Edited: Changed route from Warren on the Western Reserve Trail to Ashtablua, then along Lake Erie to Buffalo only in Northeast PA

Youngstown to #61 Stavich Bicycle Trail Struthers OH to New Castle10mi

State Roads New Castle ALT #1 Armstrong Trail Upper Hinville-East Brady-Phillipston to #55 Redbank Valley Trail

#55 Red Bank Valley 51mi KIttanning to New Bethlehem to Brookville

#7 Clarion-Little Toby Trail18 mi Brockway to Ridgeway

Five Bridges Trail Allen Mills to Brockway

State Road Ridgeway to Bradford PA

Bradford PA to #49 Pat McGee Trail Salamanca NY 12.1 mi to Cattaraugus

State Roads to Buffalo

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Pete MohanHi Rachel, I tried to post this on the Bicycle Touring Northern Tier FB page, but I'm new to those pages and the admin must be away right now, so I'm not yet allowed to post. If you don't have eastern Ohio route set in stone, you might be interested in some trail connections I've mapped between the Cuyahoga River valley and Lake Erie. My website devoted to connecting our regional trails is bikeportage.com I noted that you planned to come through the Kent to Ravenna area on our local trail known as "The Portage." From there it is fairly simple to connect north to the Headwaters Trail, then the Western Reserve Greenway (by quiet roads). It's then a pretty straightforward road route to Buffalo from Ashtabula, OH. The trail connections are detailed on the site, but also feel free to contact me at petemohan55@gmail.com. We live close to the trail in Kent. Safe travels!
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3 years ago

Rachel and Patrick HugensThanks for all that information Pete, we'll send you an email
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3 years ago

Rachel and Patrick HugensTo Pete MohanHi Pete,
Thanks again! We are changing our route to do your suggestions!
We are finishing the North Coast Inland trail tomorrow and staying with a warmshowers host in Olmstead Falls, then to Kent, then to Warren.
How would be connect the Headwaters Trail to the Western Reserve Trail?
Racpat
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3 years ago

Rachel and Patrick HugensTo Pete MohanLove your website!
Perhaps we can meet when we are in Kent?
Racpat
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3 years ago

Pete MohanHappy to meet up when you arrive in the Kent area! What is your destination for that day? Will you arrive on Saturday? We're probably 40 miles from Olmstead Falls via trails. I'm assuming you are coming across on the Valley Parkway Trail, which should be shown on RidewithGPS (but is not posted on Google Maps yet). To arrive in Kent via the Summit Bike Trail, you can use a reverse of the route I posted on https://www.bikeportage.com/connecting-to-parma-and-the-northern-tier-route-at-lakewood.html There are several ways to get out of the Cuyahoga Valley though. I could potentially lead you in and out of Kent if that is helpful. When leaving Kent, from the end of the trail in Ravenna, you go straight up Peck Rd until you hit the Headwaters Trail, then east to it's terminus. My road route from there to the WRG is pleasant. There are a couple of RV camps along the greenway that have tent sites.
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3 years ago

Rachel and Patrick HugensHi Pete, we will stay with a Warmshowers host just south of Kent on Howe road tomorrow night and Sunday. Please text us on 208-3446801 and maybe we can connect tomorrow.
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3 years ago