Summit Metro Parks We're Your Back Yard

Towpath Trail


Photo: Runner on the Towpath Trail

Park Areas

Botzum Trailhead

Address 2928 Riverview Rd.
Akron, OH 44313

Hours Daily: 6 a.m. - 11 p.m.
*Parking lot managed by Cuyahoga Valley National Park; hours may vary.

Big Bend Trailhead

Address 1337 Merriman Rd.
Akron, OH 44313

Hours Daily: 6 a.m. - 11 p.m.

Memorial Parkway Trailhead

Address 499 Memorial Pkwy.
Akron, OH 44310

Hours Daily: 6 a.m. - 11 p.m.
*Bike repair station available

Mustill Store Trailhead

Address 57 W. North St.
Akron, OH 44304

Hours Daily: 6 a.m. - 11 p.m.
*Parking lot managed by the City of Akron; hours may vary.

Summit Lake Trailhead

Address 380 W. Crosier St.
Akron, OH 44311

Hours Daily: 6 a.m. - 11 p.m.
*Parking lot managed by the City of Akron; hours may vary.
*Bike repair station available

Summit Lake Nature Center

Address 411 Ira Ave.
Akron, OH 44301

Building Hours Wednesday-Saturday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sunday: 12 to 5 p.m.
Closed Mondays & Tuesdays

Wilbeth Road Trailhead

Address 392 W. Wilbeth Rd.,
Akron, OH 44301

Hours Daily: 6 a.m. - 11 p.m.
*Bike repair station available

Manchester Road Trailhead

Address 2740 Manchester Rd.
Akron, OH 44314

Hours Daily: 6 a.m. - 11 p.m.

Barberton Trailhead

Address 5 Fairview Ave.
Barberton, OH 44203

Hours Daily: 6 a.m. - 11 p.m.

Wolf Creek Trailhead

Address 33 Snyder Ave.
Barberton, OH 44203

Hours Daily: 6 a.m. - 11 p.m.

Vanderhoof Road Trailhead

Address 2445 Vanderhoof Rd.
New Franklin, OH 44203

Hours Daily: 6 a.m. - 11 p.m.
*Bike repair station available

Franklin Trailhead

Address 2328 Center Rd.
New Franklin, OH 44216

Hours Daily: 6 a.m. - 11 p.m.

Clinton Trailhead

Address 2749 North St.
Clinton, OH 44216

Hours Daily: 6 a.m. - 11 p.m.

Classes: A = Multipurpose  |  B = Accessible*  |  C = Basic  |  D = Primitive**  |  E = Bridle

Ratings: 1 = Easy  |  2 = Moderate  |  3 = Difficult

* Flat, easy trail or section with asphalt or crushed limestone surface.

See our  Spree For All page for more information about accessible trails.

** Rugged and challenging with uneven surfaces and steep, narrow routes

Park Map

Towpath Trail Map

History & Wildlife

The Ohio & Erie Canal was a technological marvel. The inland waterway incorporated a series of sandstone locks that enabled boats to climb differences in elevation along the Continental Divide. The steepest section of the canal was between Akron and the Little Cuyahoga River. In a single mile, 15 locks, or "steps," were necessary to move the boats along. The canal boats, which were pulled by mules on the towpath, made it possible to ship goods from the Great Lakes (Lake Erie) to the Gulf of Mexico (via the Ohio and Mississippi rivers). Locally, the canal, which opened between Cleveland and Akron in 1827, can be directly credited with the growth of Akron. The city's population swelled thanks to the bustling activity surrounding the tight bundle of canal locks.

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By 1880 the canal's significance was in decline due to the introduction of railroads. After the flood of 1913, less than 100 years after the canal opened, it was abandoned. For decades, the canal was largely forgotten about or ignored. The concept of restoring the towpath for use as a multipurpose trail began to emerge in the 1980s, and the first section of the Towpath Trail opened in 1993.

Photo Gallery

Activities
  • Biking
  • Cross-country Skiing
Amenities
  • Pet-friendly
  • Restroom
Activities
  • Biking
  • Camping
  • Cross-country Skiing
Amenities
  • Pet-friendly
Activities
  • Biking
  • Cross-country Skiing
Amenities
  • Pet-friendly
  • Restroom
Activities
  • Biking
  • Cross-country Skiing
Amenities
  • Pet-friendly
  • Restroom
Activities
  • Biking
  • Cross-country Skiing
Amenities
  • Pet-friendly
  • Restroom
Activities
  • Biking
  • Cross-country Skiing
Amenities
  • Pet-friendly
  • Restroom
Activities
  • Biking
  • Cross-country Skiing
Amenities
  • Pet-friendly
  • Restroom
Activities
  • Biking
  • Cross-country Skiing
Amenities
  • Pet-friendly
Activities
  • Biking
  • Cross-country Skiing
Amenities
  • Pet-friendly
  • Restroom
Activities
  • Biking
  • Cross-country Skiing
Amenities
  • Pet-friendly
  • Restroom
Activities
  • Biking
  • Camping
  • Cross-country Skiing
Amenities
  • Pet-friendly
  • Restroom
Activities
  • Biking
  • Cross-country Skiing
Amenities
  • Pet-friendly
  • Restroom
Activities
  • Fishing
  • Boating
Amenities
  • Nature Center
  • Picnic Tables