Lebanon Countryside Trail
Encyclopedia
The Lebanon Countryside Trail is a rail trail
in Ohio
.
Largely used as a bicycle trail, it links the city of Lebanon, Ohio
on the north to the Little Miami Scenic Trail at Middletown Junction on the south. The trail is about 8.5 miles (13.7 km) long. It opened in late 2005.
. The trail merges into Deerfield Road for a section that may be difficult for first-time users to recognize and follow. The trail resumes as a separate bicycle trail near the Ralph J. Stolle Countryside YMCA.
The southernmost portion of the trail runs over the former Middletown and Cincinnati Railroad
right-of-way.
s, and may present a challenge to less-fit cyclists. The largest hill has an abrupt turn and stop at the bottom, and an awkward cross of two intersecting streets, Turtlecreek Road and Kingsview Drive. Stopping at the bottom of the hill may be difficult for inline skaters
who lack expert braking skills.
Where the trail merges into Deerfield Road, it may be difficult for first-time users to recognize and follow. Pavement quality on the road shoulder was rough in places in late 2005, requiring cyclists with narrow tires to share the roadway with motor traffic.
(warning: 4 MB PDF file) shows the Lebanon Countryside Trail
as a dotted line (to indicate future construction at the 2005
publication date of the map), but the trail is complete now.
Below are links to maps showing some locations along the trail, arranged
from south to north. Note that satellite and aerial photos may pre-date
construction of the trail, so the trail may not be visible on the photos
yet. Also, the trail does not appear on most road map sites yet, and
might never, as most of them only show roads.
The trail heads west and crosses the old railroad bridge across the Little Miami River
.
.
is just a couple of blocks away.
Rail trail
A rail trail is the conversion of a disused railway easement into a multi-use path, typically for walking, cycling and sometimes horse riding. The characteristics of former tracks—flat, long, frequently running through historical areas—are appealing for various development. The term sometimes also...
in Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
.
Largely used as a bicycle trail, it links the city of Lebanon, Ohio
Lebanon, Ohio
The population at the 2010 census was 20,033. As of the census of 2000, there were 16,962 people residing in the city. The population density was 1,440.6 people per square mile . There were 6,218 housing units at an average density of 528.1 per square mile...
on the north to the Little Miami Scenic Trail at Middletown Junction on the south. The trail is about 8.5 miles (13.7 km) long. It opened in late 2005.
Description
The trail's northern terminus at Lebanon is at the station of the Cincinnati Railway Company, which operates an excursion train, and is near the Golden Lamb InnGolden Lamb Inn
The Golden Lamb Inn is the oldest hotel in Ohio, having been established in the Warren County seat of Lebanon in 1803. The present four-story structure is built around the 1815 rebuilding of the inn, maintaining its colonial architecture. It is known as the Golden Lamb because that image appeared...
. The trail merges into Deerfield Road for a section that may be difficult for first-time users to recognize and follow. The trail resumes as a separate bicycle trail near the Ralph J. Stolle Countryside YMCA.
The southernmost portion of the trail runs over the former Middletown and Cincinnati Railroad
Middletown and Cincinnati Railroad
The Middletown and Cincinnati Railroad is a historic railroad that operated in the southwest portion of the U.S. state of Ohio.It connected Middletown, Butler County with Middletown Junction, Warren County, a distance of 14 miles....
right-of-way.
Cautions
The trail portions north of the converted railway portion include some hills that are considerably steeper than the shallow grades typical of rail trailRail trail
A rail trail is the conversion of a disused railway easement into a multi-use path, typically for walking, cycling and sometimes horse riding. The characteristics of former tracks—flat, long, frequently running through historical areas—are appealing for various development. The term sometimes also...
s, and may present a challenge to less-fit cyclists. The largest hill has an abrupt turn and stop at the bottom, and an awkward cross of two intersecting streets, Turtlecreek Road and Kingsview Drive. Stopping at the bottom of the hill may be difficult for inline skaters
Inline skating
Inline skating is a recreational sport practiced widely internationally. Inline skates typically have 2 to 5 polyurethane wheels, arranged in a single line. The in-line design allows for greater speed than roller skates and better maneuverability...
who lack expert braking skills.
Where the trail merges into Deerfield Road, it may be difficult for first-time users to recognize and follow. Pavement quality on the road shoulder was rough in places in late 2005, requiring cyclists with narrow tires to share the roadway with motor traffic.
Map links
The OKI Bicycle Route Map for Warren County(warning: 4 MB PDF file) shows the Lebanon Countryside Trail
as a dotted line (to indicate future construction at the 2005
publication date of the map), but the trail is complete now.
Below are links to maps showing some locations along the trail, arranged
from south to north. Note that satellite and aerial photos may pre-date
construction of the trail, so the trail may not be visible on the photos
yet. Also, the trail does not appear on most road map sites yet, and
might never, as most of them only show roads.
Middletown Junction
(39.364895°N 84.236146°W) is where the trail begins at the Little Miami Scenic Trail.The trail heads west and crosses the old railroad bridge across the Little Miami River
Little Miami River
The Little Miami River is a Class I tributary of the Ohio River that flows through five counties in southwestern Ohio in the United States. The Little Miami joins the Ohio River east of Cincinnati. It forms parts of the borders between Hamilton and Clermont counties and between Hamilton and Warren...
.
Intersection of Kingsview Drive and Turtlecreek Road
Here (39.381442°N 84.237383°W) the trail makes an awkward cross of both streets at the bottom of a valley. The elevation at this intersection is about 625 feet (190.5 m). The northbound cyclist must now climb a steep hill along Kingsview Drive, which levels off around 760 feet (231.6 m). The trail gains more elevation as it heads north and then east, but over gentler grades.Intersection at Deerfield Road (south)
This (39.41197°N 84.208475°W) is the south intersection of the trail with Deerfield Road. The elevation at this point is about 880 feet (268.2 m). The satellite and aerial photos show the playfields and buildings of the Ralph J. Stolle Countryside YMCA to the south. This is the end of the southern portion of the trail. Many trail users who entered from the Little Miami Scenic Trail at Middletown Junction may stop here and turn around, not realizing they may turn left (north) on Deerfield Road to reach the northern portion of the trail that leads to downtown LebanonLebanon, Ohio
The population at the 2010 census was 20,033. As of the census of 2000, there were 16,962 people residing in the city. The population density was 1,440.6 people per square mile . There were 6,218 housing units at an average density of 528.1 per square mile...
.
Intersection at Deerfield Road (north)
This (39.422035°N 84.205017°W) is the north intersection of the trail with Deerfield Road. The elevation at this point is about 740 feet (225.6 m). The trail heads west, across Justice Drive, and then north along a slope between State Route 48 to the east, and government buildings to the west.Northern terminus
The trail ends here (39.431965°N 84.206843°W) near the train station. The historic Golden Lamb InnGolden Lamb Inn
The Golden Lamb Inn is the oldest hotel in Ohio, having been established in the Warren County seat of Lebanon in 1803. The present four-story structure is built around the 1815 rebuilding of the inn, maintaining its colonial architecture. It is known as the Golden Lamb because that image appeared...
is just a couple of blocks away.
External links
- Cincinnati Railway Company, Lebanon Station
- Lebanon Countryside Trail (with photos and extensive commentary)
- Ralph J. Stolle Countryside YMCA