Wolf River Rail Trail


The Wolf River Rail Trail is easily accessible for a trucker. Access it in Brookville, Ohio, exit 21 on I-70. The easiest way to access it is to go south off of the exit. Wendy’s, Arby’s and McDonald’s all have truck parking. From there head south on Arlington Avenue for about a quarter mile, and the trail crosses the road. The trail itself is 13 miles long with a blacktop surface.
On Saturday I took the trail to Trotwood, Ohio. Along the way I stopped at Sycamore State Park and had a nice chat with the ranger there. He told me that if you know what you’re doing that you could ride the trail all the way to Dayton. Apparently I didn’t know what I was doing. The trailed ended just past Trotwood, and I couldn’t find where to continue.
Passing back through Trotwood I saw a sign for Harvest Days Festival. The festival featured some old tractors and local foods. While walking the grounds I found a sign for a 500-year-old Burr Oak. That was impressive. Anyway cycling does afford you the luxury of doing a little tourism. I have run the trail a few times and have found the surface and topography agreeable to my old joints.
Heading toward Dayton the only problem is a large number of road crossings. Heading the other way you probably will not see quite as many. You can learn more about this trail at the Miami Valley Trails website (direct link to Wolf River Rail Trail). The main website features a ton of trails in the Dayton Miami Valley region. I have found Dayton to be very biker/runner friendly with a number of trails throughout the area. If you are delivering in the area one might be close to your destination.
If you have a favorite trail let me know. That way we can share the information.
Jeff Clark is a trucker, a grandfather and an eight-time marathon (26.2 miles) finisher. He is dedicated to helping truckers improve their health through better habits. Contact him at [email protected] or https://twitter.com/marathontrucker.