For many Ohio University students, the “bike path” comprises the multi-use paved path that cuts through the campus golf course and extends either direction from there. But it’s a lot more than that, extending from a couple miles east of Athens along U.S. Rt. 50, into and through Athens, and then northwest into Nelsonville, for a total of more than 21 miles. Multiple paved bike-path spurs take you into other areas along the corridor.
If you’re an OU student, chances are you’re within an easy walk or bike ride to an access point for the officially named Hockhocking Adena Bikeway. That’s whether you’re living in Ohio University student housing or an Athens Ohio apartment or house.
Plenty of Options Available on the Bike Path
Once you’re on the bike path, you can walk, run or ride as far as your heart desires (assuming you don’t want to go more than 20 miles [-;). And if you have access to a car, there’s plenty of options for driving to access points. So if you’re the adventurous type, you can explore a different section of the bike path every day for a month.
For OU students, many of whom stay in their own social sphere, the bike path is a good opportunity to see local folks who don’t attend or work for the university. On any given day with nice weather, you’re liable to see students, families, couples, all sorts of people. (But take care when passing children on your bike; they’re notorious for swerving or wandering into the path of passing cyclists, with potentially disastrous effects.)
As mentioned, the bike path has offshoot spurs as well, including one that crosses the Hocking River near the end of Armitage Road to Columbus Road, right where Devil’s Kettle Brewery/tap room is located. Another one runs 0.8 mile from Eclipse Company Store to Athens High School in The Plains.
Stop for a Beer Along the Bike Path
That’s an added attraction for people who are 21 and older. There’s several places within a very short distance of the bike path where cyclists can enjoy a craft brew and food – with inside and outside dining. In Athens, Little Fish Brewing Co. and the Jackie O’s Taproom and Brewery are both close to the bike path, and in The Plains, just northwest of Athens, the bike path runs within a few feet of where patrons are slurping craft beers in the beer garden of Eclipse Company Store and Craft Beer Hall.
Much of the Hockhocking Adena Bikeway runs parallel to the Hocking River and/or the channel of the old Hocking Canal, while some sections also are parallel to railroad rights-of-way, one of which remains active. Read up on the Hocking Canal if you have an interest in history. It was quite an engineering feat in the mid 19th century, especially in relatively remote southeast Ohio.
The TrailLink.com website has a page devoted to the bike path. Here’s a nice description of the stretch of bike path after it leaves Athens and heads northwest toward Nelsonville:
“After you cross the bridge over the Hocking River, there is a noticeable shift from an in-town feeling to the solitude of quiet forest. Lush tree cover creates a tunnel-like effect for the vast remainder of the path, a pleasant respite on a hot summer day. As you meander in and out of the dense forest, openings in the trees frame classic farm field vistas, which, combined with rock outcrops, make this stretch of trail an absolute joy to experience. Common sights along the trail include deer, herons, snakes, and many more species. Adding visual interest to the experience, active railroad tracks are in close proximity to the trail the majority of the way, though train traffic is not frequent.”
Bike Path Is Rich in History
The Ohio.gov tourism website also devotes a page to the Hockhocking Adena Bikeway, providing some interesting historical detail.
The bikeway, according to the site, is named in honor of the first human inhabitants of what became known as southeast Ohio. “Hockhocking” means “bottleneck” or “twisted,” which is how the native Shawnee named the Hocking River, apparently describing a portion near the river’s headwaters close to present-day Lancaster. “Adena” refers to the native Adena people who lived in this region more than 2,000 years ago.
Much of the Hockhocking Adena Bikeway is located on the old Columbus and Hocking Valley Railroad bed, according to the ohio.gov website. “Construction of the rail line between Columbus and Athens was completed in July 1870. Before the railroad, it was a towpath alongside the Hocking Canal, built between 1829 and 1842, which moved agricultural products and other goods to Carroll, Ohio (northwest of Lancaster), where it joined the Ohio-Erie Canal. The canal had 26 locks, seven culverts, and one aqueduct crossing Monday Creek south of Nelsonville.
“Repeated flooding, especially in the late 1800s, severely damaged portions of the canal, and the railroad became the favored mode of transportation,” ohio.gov continues. “Today, remnants of the canal basin are visible from the bikeway particularly from Armitage north to Chauncey (between miles 5 and 10).”
Wildflowers Flourish Along Bike Path in the Spring
One popular attraction of the bike path can be appreciated in the spring, when wildflowers – bluebells, trillium, and more – blossom in all their glory. The best place along the path to see wildflowers is on the stretch northwest of the Beaumont-Salina parking area/access point between The Plains and Chauncey. Another good spot is the stretch just southeast of the small parking area/access point at the Glen Ebon Road bridge across the Hocking River, near Movies 10.
Just about any time during the year, heavy rain can result in flooding along the bike path, especially in the aforementioned area northwest of The Plains. Fortunately, the bike path is built on an old railroad grade that’s safely above even the highest likely water lines during flooding.
Along much of the bike path, as you’re heading northwest, hills rise up on your left, with occasional steep ravines opening up, with creeks and even waterfalls spilling water through culverts underneath the paved bike path.
Bike Path Is Great Even if You Don’t Go Far
Of course, for most OU students the main attraction of the bike path is the section that runs along the edge of the OU campus, providing a handy place for an evening jog, walk or ride after class. Much of the section near the Back South Green has lighting.
Mix With the Diverse Athens Community While Enjoying the Bike Path
One of the best things about the Bike Path in Athens is that it provides OU students the opportunity to get to know the community a little better. It’s a sad waste to spend your four years in Athens without ever getting to really know the community. On the bike path, you’ll see – and even chat with – all sorts of Athens residents, of varying ages and backgrounds. If all you know of Athens is what you see between your off-campus student rental and uptown, you’ve really missed an opportunity to broaden your horizons.