Ohio River - Road Bike Trail

What better way to spend your leisure time or vacation than enjoying the Ohio River and its streams, rivers, and creeks views? The Ohio River Trail is paved, making it perfect for beginners or anyone who wants an easy, fun ride. This trail takes you from the West Mehring Way past many interesting sights that will make your ride more enjoyable. 

Before you go:

Drinking water

Restrooms

Fee required

Lift service

Fat bike grooming

Family Friendly

Night riding

E-bikes allowed

Dogs Allowed

Obstacles

Shuttles

Detailed Trail Description

The Ohio River Trail opens you up to a nicely paved path along the famous river with attractive views of downtown Cincinnati. The trail starts from West Mehring Way, where you will start your adventure. Being an out-and-back trail, your ride will return you to the West Mehring Way only after taking in some lovely scenes. 

The Ohio River Trail connects downtown Cincinnati, the city’s municipal airport, riverfront parks, and many neighborhoods. From West Mehring Way, ride along the river’s northern shore, where you will find a short crossing with the Lunken Airport Bike Path. 

Continue riding towards the area that connects Cincinnati’s professional stadiums with the T.M. Berry International Freedom Park.

Enter the park and follow a bike path to the downtown riverfront. On weekends or public holidays, the riverfront is usually crowded. But if you visit on an uneventful weekday, you will meet a quiet riverfront with a route that takes you to Yeatman’s Cove and Sawyer Point Park. 

From there, you will reach another highlight situated at the Ohio River Trail; the Newport Southbank Bridge – also known as the Purple People Bridge – it is a converted railroad that takes bikers and pedestrians across the Ohio River to Newport, Kentucky. You can choose to ride over to Kentucky and take in some impressive sights of the Cincinnati skyline. 

If you keep riding west, you will find the Paul Brown Stadium (home of the NFL’s Cincinnati Bengals) and Great American Ballpark (home of MLB’s Cincinnati Reds). You can stop to check out the restaurants and bars between the two stadiums. Take a 180° turn just under the Clay Wade Bailey Bridge and return to West Mehring Way. 

Sight of Interest

The Ohio River Trail carries you along the pioneer cemetery (also called Columbia Baptist Church Cemetery). Here Cincinnati’s first settlers in Columbia Tusculum, Cincinnati, are buried. It is situated on a small hill not far from Lunken Airport. 

The cemetery is the only existing remnant of the Columbia settlement. It also includes the grave of Major Benjamin Stites, the founding father of Columbia. 

Recommendation

The Ohio River Trail is ready to receive visitors year-round and is a nice place to visit anytime. However, we recommend visiting only on uneventful weekdays if you want some solitude during your ride.