Great Parks Seeks Public Feedback for Proposed Alignment of 25-Mile Shared-Use Trail

A month-long Virtual Open House begins today.

CINCINNATI – Great Parks of Hamilton County has launched a Virtual Open House to gather input on the proposed alignment of a new 25-mile shared-use trail.

The proposed trail would span western Hamilton County from north to south along the Great Miami River.

The shared-use trail is a core element of the West Region Blueway and Trail System, a new initiative to bring people closer to nature by expanding opportunities for water and land-based adventures in western Hamilton County. Great Parks is leading the development of a master plan for the West Region Blueway and Trail System, which, in addition to the shared-use-trail, includes new watercraft launch sites for paddling adventures along the Great Miami River and Whitewater River.

Great Parks will use input from the community through the Virtual Open House to help confirm the design concept for the shared-use trail.

Beginning near the Hamilton and Butler County border near Fairfield, the 25-mile long shared-use trail will follow the Great Miami River corridor south to the Ohio River, connect to three Great Parks – Miami Whitewater Forest, Mitchell Memorial Forest, and Shawnee Lookout – and establish a new link between communities and points of interest along the way. The trail will extend the existing 99-mile Great Miami River Trail, traveling south through Dayton, to connect with the proposed Ohio River Trail and other regional trail networks. Multiple new trailheads will allow users of all ages and abilities to go on adventures that vary broadly in length and destination. The trail will be paved and will generally be set apart from roads. In cases where traveling alongside a road is necessary, Great Parks’ goal is to safely separate the trail from the road utilizing a type of structural or vegetative barrier.

The Virtual Open House website presents more detailed information about the trail and each of its eight segments. Participants can share their thoughts with the planning team by answering interactive survey questions within the material. Visitors can return as often as they need to provide input using a computer, tablet, or smartphone. 

The Virtual Open House is available through September 1, 2024, at www.GreatParks.org/WestRegionTrails.