Explore the Ohio and Erie Canal Corridor
No-Hassle Trips for Hiking, Biking & Sleeping
By Marie Elium
Brian and Tracy Davis have hiked all over the world, but it’s right here in Northeast Ohio where they’re blazing a trail for local explorers.
The two grew up in Cape Town, South Africa, and moved to Northeast Ohio 26 years ago. This year alone, the Davises have made trips back to South Africa as well as to Panama, where one of their sons is in the Peace Corps, and to Switzerland to visit another son who is on a work assignment. Hiking always is part of their travel plans.
When they aren’t on the road, Brian is an engineer and professor at the University of Akron. Tracy is a teacher in Euclid.
A Plan — and a Grant
The Cuyahoga Valley National Park is close to their heart. They’ve spent years exploring its valleys, rocky outcrops and scenic trails. Last year the Davises were awarded a prestigious Knight Cities Challenge grant from The Knight Foundation, which was looking for suggestions to boost the 26 cities where the Knight brothers had owned newspapers. The Akron Beacon Journal was their flagship paper.
Brian and Tracy were among 37 recipients — out of 4,000 applicants — who snagged a share of the $5 million grant. They used the money to help start Explore-A-Foot, an initiative that plans and books overnight or multi-day trips for families along the Ohio and Erie Canalway.
International Inspiration
The Davises’ experiences in Germany hiking the beautiful Eifelsteig and Malerweg trails got them wondering if that type of experience could be replicated in Northeast Ohio. They wanted to make hiking and biking accessible and hassle-free so visitors could explore the beauty of our Northeast Ohio trails, starting with those in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
Their interest in hiking found a natural fit close to home. The well-maintained Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath makes biking or hiking from Cleveland to Zoar user-friendly and includes interesting stopping points such as Peninsula, Akron and Zoar, Brian says. One popular stop on their trip offerings is the Silver Fern, an 1874 bed and breakfast near Peninsula owned by Deb and Gary Beckley.
Fans of the Towpath are accustomed to taking afternoon hikes or morning bike rides along the trail. The Davises’ program offers another option: multi-day sequential hikes and bike trips similar to those that they had taken in Germany’s Eifelsteig area.
When they settled here, the Davises were struck by the similarity between northwest Germany and Northeastern Ohio. Both have well-marked hiking routes along rivers linking quaint villages, plus plenty of places to picnic or stop for a bite to eat.
They thought, why not create a multi-day “German-like” hiking or cycling trip where people can explore the region between Cleveland (in the north) and Zoar (in the south)? One coincidence: Zoar was settled by Germans 200 years ago.
MAYBE A CALLOUT???????
Grandkid Friendly
Explore-A-Foot also offers trips that are just the right size for younger hikers and bikers, too. They make use of the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad — perfect for families with children who might want to use the park’s Bike Aboard! program.
For one trip, travelers can park their cars at Akron Northside, ride to Peninsula and stay overnight at the Silver Fern. After exploring Peninsula — or perhaps opting for a quick Uber ride to Blossom, the summer home of The Cleveland Orchestra — they can hop on the train to take a leisurely ride back to Akron.
Another option: Starting in Peninsula with Akron as the overnight destination, families can stay in the beautifully renovated Cascade Lofts space, right on the towpath in Akron.
Planning a Trip
Explore-A-Foot’s website showcases multiple options for both locals and visitors to the region, highlighting the connections between the Ohio and Erie Canalway, the Cuyahoga Valley National Park and multiple bed and breakfast inns.
The Davises are able to tailor the trip to meet the needs of the traveler — from providing pickup and drop-off at your home to delivering luggage to your destination.
The Davises place equal importance on the journey and destination, so their trips are customized to walkers and riders of all ages and fitness levels.
Hike, bike, eat and sleep — explore Northeast Ohio like a European would. To learn more about Explore-A-Foot, visit the website exploreafoot.com.
Marie Elium has explored Europe’s pubs but hasn’t found time to check out the hiking trails.
