Lebanon Countryside Trail

As of 1 December 2005 the trail is complete. The trail starts in downtown Lebanon near the train station where the excursion train parks. It runs East to toward the Armory and turns South into Harmon Park. The trail passes over Turtle Creek in the park on a new bridge there. After crossing the creek the trail continues East to the SR48 bypass, then runs South toward the Warren County government complex. The path continues through the City of Lebanon to the Countryside YMCA. The trail continues South to Kings View Road/Fujitec Road. South of there the trail crosses Tuttle Creek on a new bicycle bridge and then goes back onto the old "Middletown Junction" track bed until it crosses the Little Miami Scenic River to connect with the Little Miami Scenic Trail. (see the map below),

Hotels, Motels, B&Bs & Campgrounds near the Trail - Each trail has it's own accommodations near the trail. Click on the link to be taken to the Accommodations in the Miami Valley RailTrails Area

Click on Photo for Larger Image	To get to the trail take State Route 48 and 42 South through downtown Lebanon. You'll go by the Golden Lamb Hotel on the left. Abraham Lincoln once stayed here and the hotel is still open for business. Once you get to the Warren County Historical Society Museum (It is next to the library) on the right side of the street you'll cross one more light and you'll see the railroad tracks of the Cincinnati Railroad Company. (They have train excursions) Turn left onto South Street, go past the trail depot and you're at the head of the trail. Here we are at the parking lot on South Street next to the trail's start. The train station is to the right of the caboose about 20 yards. The trail is to the left in the picture below.

In this picture we see the beginning of the trail at the intersection of Cherry Street and South Street, looking west. There's parking for about 30 cars in the lot to the right of the photo. The road is just behind us and the train station is also to the right. To the left and slightly behind the picture is the Double Dip restaurant (see below).	Click on Photo for Larger Image

Click on Photo for Larger Image	Here, across the street from the trailhead on the corner of South St. and Cherry St. is: Double Dip 126 S Cherry St Lebanon, OH 45036 (513) 228-0070 They serve pizza, sandwiches, and homemade ice-cream. There is additional outside seating around back.

In this photo we have left the trail head and are traveling East on the trail. We are looking back toward the parking lot and trail station.	Click on Photo for Larger Image

Click on Photo for Larger Image	Here we have gone by the tip of the Runyan Ball Field on the left and are crossing East Street. The tennis court at right of picture is a part of Harman Park. We will now ride through the park to the new bridge.

Here we are in Harman Park in downtown Lebanon riding East. In the park the old trail goes straight and comes to an end at the Armory. The new trail branches off to right and continues on past some ball fields. Take the right branch please.	Click on Photo for Larger Image

Click on Photo for Larger Image	We have passed the play fields and Roberts Ball Field in Harman Park. Here you can see the new bridge over Turtle Creek in the park.

The trail leaves Harmon Park via an "S" curve which you can see in this picture. "Friend wife" is with the bicycles and I am taking this picture looking back at Harmon Park	Click on Photo for Larger Image

Click on Photo for Larger Image	Here we see the trail crossing Jamison Lane just beyond Harmon Park. The trail continues East. We are .72 miles from our starting point.

The trail continues East for about 100 yards and then turns right (South) to parallel SR-48 at left in the picture and the Lebanon Government Center which we are slightly North of at this point.	Click on Photo for Larger Image

Click on Photo for Larger Image	n this photo we have reached the Government Center. The building at the right is called the Detention Center, but I'd call it the city jail. We are 1.09 miles from the end of the trail in downtown Lebanon

The trail goes South until it has cleared Government Center then turns West and crosses Justice Drive which is the entrance to the Center. We are at Justice Drive looking East back towards Government Center. To left of the picture is North. As you can see the trail is uphill to the East.	Click on Photo for Larger Image

Click on Photo for Larger Image	Here we see the trail going West and downhill from Justice Drive which is behind us in the picture. North is to the right of the photo. The trail is downhill from here to Deerfield Drive.

This photo is looking East back the way we came down the trail from Justice Drive. We are at the corner of the trail and Deerfield Road which is behind us.	Click on Photo for Larger Image

Click on Photo for Larger Image	Here we are looking across the street at the intersection of the trail and Deerfield Drive. We crossed Deerfield looking for the continuation of the trail but we did not see the markings for awhile. The trail from here is on Deerfield Road going South (left) from this picture. The trail is marked on the shoulder of the road on each side. There are sidewalks on both sides of Deerfield Drive if you don't want to ride in the street but remember it is illegal to ride on them. We are 1.88 miles from the trail's start in downtown Lebanon.

While the Lebanon Countryside Trail is scenic it is also quite hilly. It is generally downhill from downtown South to the Little Miami Scenic Trail 8.2 miles away but there are several very steep hills especially from Deerfield Road South and after you pass the YMCA. You will see the sign at right repeatedly on the trail. It means "Steep Hills" on the bicycle trail so be warned!

Click on Photo for Larger Image	The trail on Deerfield Road is steeply uphill towards the Countryside YMCA about one mile away. Here we are at the halfway point up the hill at Countryside Drive. We stopped here to catch our breaths and have a drink.

We have reached the top of the hill on Deerfield Road! The trail goes to the right as you can see in this picture. We are 2.7 miles on our journey.	Click on Photo for Larger Image

Click on Photo for Larger Image	Here we are at the same corner looking farther to left. As you can see the trail goes by the Ralph J. Stolle Countryside YMCA an enormous complex in Southern Lebanon along Deerfield Road. They have playfields, tennis courts, and outdoor pool and parking on both sides of this immense building.

In this photo we are looking down the trail. Deerfield Road is at our back and we are facing West. The Countryside YMCA is to the left in this picture and the trail goes by several new housing developments.	Click on Photo for Larger Image

Click on Photo for Larger Image	We have left the YMCA behind. The trail goes downhill past new housing on the right and is now about to enter the woods. In the distance the trail turns left through an "S" curve and goes by several old barns.

Some of the most steep climbs are in this section of the trail. We are looking back the way we came (North) to see some of the rolling hills. The downhills are nice but Oh! those uphill climbs!	Click on Photo for Larger Image

Click on Photo for Larger Image	Here at the 5.0 mile mark we pass by a very large power substation. From here the trail follows some high tension lines overhead until it gets to Fujitec Drive. We are looking South towards the Little Miami Scenic Trail.

The trail turns right or West as it intersects Futijec Drive which becomes Kingsview Road. Here you can see the trail following Kingsview Drive. To our right is (North) and the trail coming from the power substation and still following the overhead high voltage lines.	Click on Photo for Larger Image

Click on Photo for Larger Image	The trail follows the West side of Kingsview Drive for about a mile and goes down a very substantial hill. We are looking North or up the trail at the trail and Tuttle Creek. The trail crosses Kingsview Drive. here since the trail South of the bridge is on the East side of Kingsview Drive.

We are looking South from the same place the photo above was taken. This is the corner of Kingsview Rd and Tuttle Creek Road. The bridge in front of us was modified by adding concrete trusses at the left of the bridge to carry the trail over Tuttle Creek. We are 6 miles from downtown Lebanon. We'll see close up pictures of the new bicycle bridge below.	Click on Photo for Larger Image

Click on Photo for Larger Image Photo by Frank Allen	We are again looking back up the trail toward the YMCA and downtown Lebanon. North of where we are is the steepest hill on the trail. South or behind us is Tuttle Creek and the trail along Kingsview Road.

We have turned around to face South and are looking at the new bicycle bridge across Tuttle Creek alongside the road bridge for Kingsview Drive. The trail follows Kingsview Drive for about another 1/2 mile	Click on Photo for Larger Image Photo by Frank Allen

Click on Photo for Larger Image Photo by Frank Allen	This is a picture of the same bicycle bridge looking North back to the "big hill" to the left of the picture that rises to the North along Kingsview Drive up to Fujitec Drive.

Finally we are south of Tuttle Creek and the new bicycle bridge. We are looking South. The trail follows the East side of Kingsview Drive. On our right (out of the picture) is Amtex Corporation. The trail continues for about 1/2 mile until it reaches a building complex. The trail turns Right (to the East) as you can see below and continues.	Click on Photo for Larger Image Photo by Frank Allen

Click on Photo for Larger Image	We have reached the turn point. The trail turns East here. From here on the trail is complete until it meets the Little Miami Scenic Trail about eight miles North of Loveland. In the background you can see the I-71 bridge that crosses over the trail. We are 7.25 miles from downtown Lebanon where we started our ride.

This photo was taken on the East side of I-71 on Mason-Monroe-Milgrove Road. To the left of the photo is a large gravel pit with a weigh station for trucks. We are looking East toward the Little Miami Scenic River and Trail This road is also known as also known as County Road 38. If you were to leave the trail here and turn right (South) in about 2 miles after crossing Kings Mills Road you'd reach: Paramount Kings Island once of the premier amusement parks in America. See this MapQuest Map for more information	Click on Photo for Larger Image

Click on Photo for Larger Image Photo by Aldo Ross	Here is the renovated bridge over the Little Miami River, showing the new concrete deck surface, and high "safety cage" fencing. There are also extensive wooden safety fences before and after the bridge, to keep people from staying into the ditches on either side of the trail.

Here is another picture of the old railroad bridge across the Little Miami River that makes the trail to Lebanon possible. The bridge is an old two-span overhead railroad bridge. The route took the tracks to Middletown	Photo by Mr. David Appleby

Photo by Mike Mueller Click on Photo for Larger Image	Here is an end on picture of the same bridge as it looks today.

We are now at the end of the Lebanon Countryside Trail. If you look at the picture you'll see the sign on the right of the trail that says "Loveland 8 miles -> and Morrow 6 miles <-. You are 8 miles North of Loveland and six miles South of Morrow.	Photo by Mike Mueller Click on Photo for Larger Image

If you'd like a aerial view of the bridge which until 2004, I didn't know existed see this Google Maps photo. I have it set at the highest resolution. The Little Miami Scenic River is running East to West at this point. If you scroll to the left (East) it will show you the SR-48 bridge over the Little Miami Scenic River. I have the viewer set to show both the satellite view but also the map which shows the roads.

The trail runs to the Northwest from the Little Miami Scenic Trail. What makes this trail possible is the existing double overhead span railroad bridge over the Little Miami Scenic River (see photos above). The old right of way was once called the "Middletown Junction" since the railroad went to Middletown. The marker at this point says; "Middletown Junction." You'll notice that it also says "16.0" on the top. I'm not sure where this location is 16 miles from. Also at the bottom of the marker it says "Warren County Railroads."

Click on Photo for Larger Image	At right is a map from Map Quest that gives you an idea of where the trail starts. The railroad line markings on the map show the Little Miami Scenic Trail. North is at the top of the map. The Little Miami Scenic Trail at this point is coming in from the East and turns South to follow the bend in the Little Miami Scenic River. The railroad markings that lead off to the Northwest across the river is the location of the Lebanon Countryside Trail and where the "railroad" crosses the river is the beautiful two span, overhead arch, bridge (see above).

If you click on the link to MapQuest here you'll be taken to the MapQuest Map of South Lebanon. Click on the "Zoom In" button at right twice and you'll see a map which has the Middletown Junction (which you can see enlarged above) at the far left. Navigate to the West by clicking on "West" and then "Zoom In" again. You can navigate the entire Little Miami Scenic Trail by using MapQuest in this way. Just move North or South to see the trail.

The Lebanon Countryside Trail will also connect to the Miami 2 Miami (in planning) trail South from Muddy Creek between the Little Miami Scenic River and Interstate 71. The Miami 2 Miami Trail will run from where it connects with the Lebanon Countryside Trail to Hamilton connecting to the extended Great Miami River Recreation Trail that is being extended South from Dayton to Hamilton in stages.