The Ohio River Trail Council (ORTC) envisions an Ohio River Trail & Greenway that would extend approximately one-thousand (1000) miles from Pittsburgh, Pa to the Mississippi River at Cairo, Illinois where the Ohio River Trail & Greenway would merge with the Mississippi River Trail. This connection would offer approximately four-thousand (4000) miles of on-road bikeways and pedestrian and bicycle pathways for the recreational enjoyment, health, conservation and tourism development of river communities, river states, and the nation.
This six (6) state Ohio River Trail & Greenway would encompass PA, OH, WV, KY, IN and IL. In Illinois, the River to River Trail is 150 mile trail beginning in Elizabethtown (Battery Rock) and ending in Grand Tower on the Mississippi River. The trail is open to hikers, backpackers and equestrians. In Indiana, the Ohio River Greenway and the Aurora-Lawerenceburgh Trail are located in Southern Indiana along the Ohio River. The Ohio River Greenway links the Communities of Jeffersonville, Clarksville, and New Albany in Indiana.
In Kentucky, the Ohio River Trail exists as a wildlife trail. The trail is suited for hiking, nature study and bird watching. In addition to the Uniontown Trail and the Louisville Riverwalk/Ohio River Levee Trail in in Kentucky the Newport-Southbank bridge will connect proposed Ohio River Trail in Cincinnati and proposed River Path in KY. Presently the Ohio River Way is constructing the Ohio River Trail from Cincinnati, Ohio to Maysville, OH. In addition, the Ohio River Trail in Wheeling WV is part of the Wheeling Heritage Trails. The trail runs north-south starting at the city line in South Wheeling and reaches the Pike Island Dam where the trail continues into Brooke County. The Brooks Pioneer Trail connects the The Wheeling Heritage Trail to the Wellsburg Yankee Trail.
The Great Ohio Lake-to-River Greenway has proposed an extension along the Ohio River from the Point of Beginning to Wellsburg, WV. An intermediate goal is to construct the proposed Ohio River Trail & Greenway from Pittsburgh, Pa to the existing Ohio River Trail in Wheeling, WV followed by connections to Marietta, OH or Williamstown, WV which lies at the confluence of the Muskingum River and the Ohio River in southeastern Ohio. At this location, Washington County, Ohio a connection to the proposed Muskingum Rail Trail and the existing North Country Trail can be realized.
The establishment of a proposed "Ohio River Trails & Greenways Alliance" would facilitate the Ohio River Mega-Greenway in becoming a reality. Initially, a four county agreement between Allegheny, Beaver, Columbiana and Hancock would facilitate the initiation of the Alliance.
Please refer to attachments for additional information and join our council to assist in the administration of this proposal.
Authored by Dr. Vincent Troia, January 2009.
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