The Little Miami Scenic Trail is an unparalleled recreational resource, providing 70 continuous miles of paved public trails through four counties along the beautiful Little Miami River.   When Little Miami State Park was established nearly 30 years ago, the marathon trail corridor was a novelty.  Today, it is an essential part of the quality of life for the neighboring communities.  With 50 miles of state park trail and an additional 20 miles of connector trails in Greene County, the Little Miami Scenic Trail remains the second longest paved trail in the U.S., and a nationally recognized destination for bicycling.

For the residents, businesses and tourist attractions along the route, proximity to the trail is bread and butter. These smart neighbors are not taking the treasure in their backyard for granted.  The Friends of the Little Miami State Park united in 2008 to help keep the aging trail fit for the future.  Their first priority was shoring up the deteriorating bridges along the trail. In just a few months’ time, the group provided 32 new oak boards to replace weathered wood on several bridges.  In little more than six months from its inaugural meeting, the Friends of the Little Miami State Park also achieved its ambitious goal of raising funds to pave over 11 wooden bridges on the 50-mile stretch.

Now that the urgent issue of bridge safety is being addressed, the group is setting its sights on additional trail improvements, including better signage, and creature comforts like benches and restrooms.  An Adopt-a-Trail group was formed to lend a hand with vegetation trimming and regular maintenance.  With assistance from a local vocational school, “pipe-safe” donation boxes were spruced up and installed to collect loose change from grateful trail users.  With the continued help and advocacy of its devoted friends, the Little Miami trail can continue to serve as a path to fun and fitness for generations to come.