Prairie Grass Trail- Page 1

Complete from Xenia Station to Cedarville,
South Charleston and London
(37.6 miles overall)
See Construction Progress

The Xenia to Cedarville Section of the Ohio to Erie Trail opened 1998. It runs 8.6 miles from the Xenia Station in Xenia, Ohio to Cedarville, Ohio. The Cedarville section, the South Charleston section and the section to London join the other completed sections of the Ohio to Erie Trail. These include the Little Miami Scenic Trail that runs currently South from Xenia Station to Milford and the Towpath Trail that runs North from Akron to Cleveland. The sponsors of the Ohio To Erie Trail hope that the Trail will be fully completed from the Ohio River to Lake Erie by 2010 or so.

Wildflowers on the Cedarville Trail by Professor John Silvius of Cedarville College. John has developed a website to explain the wildflowers along the trail. Please consult his website for information on those wildflowers you cannot name. For questions or to report new plant species observed on the bikeway, please contact John Silvius.

Surface: The Cedarville Section is three years old; and 12' wide the South Charleston Section is new and is 10' wide

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

Route: This trail is a part of the Ohio To Erie Trail. The Trail, when completed l will run Northeast from Cincinnati to Xenia; Cedarville, South Charleston, London and Columbus and then North to Dover, Akron and Cleveland. The current trail from Xenia through Cedarville to South Charleston and London to Wilson Road runs Northeast 37.6 miles parallel and close to US Route 42.

Parking is available at Xenia Station, Evans Acres and at the Massie Creek Park in Cedarville. Also at Community Park (Station) in South Charleston and at the Senior Citizens Center in London. There are restrooms at Xenia Station, Evans Acres in Xenia and at the Massie Creek Park (Seasonal) in Cedarville. Water is available at both locations (Massie Creek Park is seasonal) as well. Restrooms and water is also available at South Charleston Station and the Senior Citizens Center in London.

Place	Location	Restrooms?	Water?	Parking?
Xenia Station	Xenia	Indoor	Yes	Yes
Evans Acres	Xenia	Indoor	Yes	Yes
Massie Creek Park	Cedarville	Indoor (new)	Yes	Yes
S. Charlestown Station	S. Charleston	Indoor (new)	Yes	Yes
Senior Citizens Center	London	Indoor and portable	Yes	Yes
Wilson Road (End of Trail)	London	Portable	No	Yes

Trail Review Xenia To Cedarville: This section of the trail, was opened officially in 1998. The Xenia Station to Cedarville Section of the trail stretches 8.6 miles from the Xenia Station to 1/2 mile Northeast of Massie Creek Park in Cedarville.

Beginning your ride at Xenia Station, you have to cross US 68 next to the station and then take a steep incline to access the trail. Once there was a railroad bridge across US-68, but it has been long since torn down. Much of the first five miles of the trail is shaded, which we had not expected. The trail goes by farmer's fields, which at the time of our last ride had drying field corn and soybeans slowly turning gold. The monarch butterflies were a welcome addition to this relatively flat section of the Ohio-To-Erie Trail. See Yahoo Maps for a satellite view of The Station. The station is the X-shaped place on N. Miami Street and N. Detroit Street, directly below. You can navigate to see the 5 trails leading from the station.	Click on photo for larger image

Click on photo for larger image	The Xenia Station is just South of downtown Xenia. It's on South Detroit Street which is State Route 68. Go to the main intersection of downtown Xenia at US - 35 and SR- 68. Turn South and the Station will be on your right one mile south. You'll see this refurbished B&O caboose first. There is lots of parking, restrooms and water at the Station

After you cross US- 68 next to Xenia Station in several hundred years you come to the spur that takes you down from the trail to Evans Acres. This is a Xenia playfield which has parking, restrooms and water in season.	Click on photo for larger image

Click on photo for larger image	In this picture we have come down the ramp and ridden about 100 yards across the parking lot to the Evans Acres main building. This building contains restrooms but we were unable to find water in the park.

After 1.2 miles you cross Jasper Road, and shortly thereafter, US- 35 which you cross at grade level. In another mile or so you cross North Bickett road and then finally come to the photo at right. Here we have reached Wilberforce Switch Road (just behind cyclists). The water tower is your landmark for the left turn (coming from Xenia) to the Central State University Connector. This .9 mile spur takes you to the University and SR-42. The cyclists were from San Antonia. When asked why they were here they answered: "You've got the trails." <Duh>	Click on photo for larger image

Click on photo for larger image	. After crossing Nash Road at left, you come out into the sunshine until you reach Cedarville

In Cedarville there is the: Beans-N-Cream Coffeehouse 81 N. Main Street Cedarville, OH 45314 937-766-2120 Turn left North on SR-72. It's about 200 yards North on the left. It's in an old bank building as you can see.	Image: Beans-N-Cream

Photo By Woody Ensor	In Cedarville at the SR-72 crossing you'll see a car wash on the left next to the trail. If you turn left at this point, Cedarville University is close by on State Route 72. Continuing North on the trail , the trail shares the road for about 1/4 mile to the Terra Corp. plant. The trail then continues for another 1/2 mile, passing by the baseball diamonds and then following out of town towards South Charleston

Continue on to South Charleston on the Prairie Grass Trail

The new section of the trail from Cedarville to South Charleston, begins here. The trail opened from Cedarville to South Charleston 2001 adding 9.7 more miles to the trail. In June 2004 the 10.4 miles extension of the trail to London, Ohio was completed. Eventually the trail will connect to Columbus, Akron, Cleveland and Lake Erie. Hence the name "Ohio to Erie Trail. When completed the trail will be over 400 miles long.

Location and Parking: The Southern end of the trail terminates at the Xenia Station in Xenia, Ohio. The Station is on US-68 about 3 blocks South of the intersection of US-68 and US 35 Business in downtown Xenia at the Courthouse. There is ample parking at the Xenia Station and in Cedarville. Cedarville University is on State Route 72. You can reach it from Interstate 70 in Springfield where SR-72 crosses I-70. Follow SR-72 through town and past Cedarville College and you'll cross the trail. There is parking at the Massie Creek Park. There is extensive parking in South Charleston at the Community Park at Mound Road and High Street.

Facilities on the Trail: Restrooms and water are available at the Xenia Station, Massie Creek Park (seasonal) in Cedarville and in South Charleston at Community Park; and Shelter#1 at London; current Trail's End (seasonal).

Restaurants/Fast Food:
In Xenia there are plenty of restaurants on US- 35 about 1/2 mile North of the Xenia Station. If you wish to bike take the Creekside Trail West from the Station, you'll cross US-35; there are restaurants in both directions along US-35.

Trail Description Xenia to Cedarville	Surface
Route	Map Xenia to Cedarville
Wildflowers on the Cedarville Trail	Trail Review -Xenia to Cedarville
Hotels and B&Bs (local information)	Trail Review- Cedarville to South Charleston
Central State Connector	Trail Review South Charleston to London
Facilities On The Trail Water, restrooms, food & parking	Hotels, Motels, B&Bs and Campgrounds
Trail Detours and Construction Delays

In Cedarville Hearthstone Inn & Suites (at right) is on SR-72 at the trail across from Main Street Station. (937) 766-3000 1-877-OHIO-INN (toll free) 1-877-644-6466 (toll free) In Selma Victoria-Green Plains Farm B&B (At right) 8606 Selma Pike P/O/ Box 393 South Charleston, OH 45368 (937) 462-8682 E-Mail

In South Charleston The Famous Houstonia B&B (At right) 25 East Mound Street P.O. Box 363 South Charleston, Ohio 45368-0363 937-462-8855 E-Mail 888-462-8855 (toll-free)