The Ohio River Trail Council (ORTC) proposes a broad vision of a multi-use land trail, land & water trail system the Ohio River Trail (ORT), along the “La Belle Riviere” or the Ohio River and its tributaries in Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. An alliance is proposed with trail interest organizations from these three states to develop and implement this vision. Our network will allow for the construction of a “Century Trail” (100 mile loop) in this tri-state region. The ORT will be an important link in this proposed "Tri-State Century Greenway" (TSCG).
This "Century Trail" will begin at the "Point of Beginning" at the OH-PA-WV state line. A trail user then would travel clockwise through Glasgow, Ohioville, Midland, Industry, Vanport, Beaver, Bridgewater, Rochester, Monaca, Center Township, Aliquippa, Hopewell Township, South Heights, Crescent Township, Moon Township and Coraopolis near Groveton, and then continue traveling on the existing Montour Trail towards McDonald, Pa. The Montour Trail intersects with the existing Panhandle Trail at McDonald, Pa. From McDonald the Panhandle Trail continues to Weirton, WV, where the proposed Great Ohio Lake-to-River Greenway extension would return the trail user to East Liverpool, OH or the Ohio River Trail in West Virginia could be extended from Weirton, WV to Chester WV via Tomlinson State Park, and then East Liverpool, OH and returning to the "Point of Beginning". The circuitous route is approximately 100 miles long, which would be very popular tour with century riders.
A second opportunity is a longer circuit which begins at the "Point of Beginning" at the OH-PA-WV state line. A trail user then would travel clockwise on the ORNST through Glasgow, Ohioville, Midland, Industry, Vanport, Beaver, Bridgewater, Rochester, Monaca, Center Township, Aliquippa, Hopewell Township, South Heights, Crescent Township, Moon Township and Coraopolis near Groveton, and then continue traveling Robinson Township, Kennedy Township, Stowe Township to Mckees Rocks and the proposed Chartiers Creek Greenway (CCG). The CCG crosses the Panhandle Trail and Montour Trail and then connects to the National Pike Trail in Washington County which travels to Wheeling, WV. To complete the circuit the trail user would return to the Point of Beginning via the proposed Great Ohio Lake-to-River Greenway along the Ohio River. The route is approximately 165 miles.
The third opportunity and second "Century Trail" again begins at the "Point of Beginning" at the OH-PA-WV state line. A trail user then would travel clockwise on the ORNST through Glasgow, Ohioville, Midland, Industry, Vanport, Beaver, Bridgewater, Rochester and merge with the Beaver River Trail which is planned to connect to New Castle and then utilize the Stavich Trail to Youngstown, OH where the planned Youngstown & Southern Trail returns to the Point of Beginning.
A fourth opportunity is shorter circuit which again begins at the "Point of Beginning" and travels along the ORT North Shore Trail to Midland, Pa and crosses the Ohio River on the Shippingport Bridge and merges with a proposed trail to be constructed on the abandoned Cumberland & Chester Railroad Right of Way from Shippingport, Pa to Georgetown, Pa in Greene Township (Beaver County, Pa) and Chester, WV. The trail would continue through Chester WV and cross the Chester - East Liverpool Bridge and continue to the "Point of Beginning" along the Ohio River. In addition, in Georgetown, the trail would also link to the proposed Raccoon Creek Greenway (RCG). The RCG travels to Raccoon Creek Park (PA), Tomlinson Run State Park (WV), Hillman State Park (PA) and the Montour Trail near the Pittsburgh International Airport.
In summary, the Ohio River Trail Council (ORTC) proposes the broad vision of a tri-state greenway system between Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The ORT will serve to complete a key segment in a nationally-significant trail - The proposed Ohio River Trail will unite the “Great Ohio Lake-to-River Greenway” in Columbiana County, Ohio to the “Great Allegheny Passage” in Allegheny, County Pennsylvania forming a mega-trail from the great lakes region to our nation's capitol.
In the first year of assistance, RTCA helped coordinate the March 29, 2011 tri-state meeting of about 80 trail advocates, and the October 13 regional trails meeting hosted by the Power of 32, to support the vision of a linking system of trails.
In 2012, the NPS Rivers & Trails staff will focus on identifying an on-the-ground section of the Ohio River Land/Water Trail to develop, and continue the oversight for the Tri-State Trail Initiative, a multi-state effort which includes eighteen counties in three states. Each year, on average, the National Park Service and their partners across the country create over 1,400 miles of trails, conserve more than 63,000 acres of open space, and protect more than 700 miles of rivers.
Maps:
Tri-State Century Greenway Veloroutes Map
