Day Trips

Horace Huffman Loop (8 miles)
Downtown Dayton

The 8-mile loop in downtown Dayton along the Great Miami River Bike Trail provides some of the best views of the city. Experience one of the first sections of bike trail developed in this region that serves as the backbone of the nation's largest paved trail network (300+ miles). 

MCD’s riverfront property has hosted multi-purpose trails for more than 40 years. Explore Dayton’s original 8-mile loop of the Great Miami River Recreation Trail – championed by the late Horace Huffman, Jr., chairman of Huffy Bicycles. This trail was dedicated during a huge riverfront celebration in 1976.

VIEW MAP (pdf)

Parking

Several public parking places are available around the loop, including Island MetroPark, 101 East Helena Street, Dayton, Ohio 45404. Note: Temporary bridge closures at Helena and Webster streets. Use detour over the Riverside/Patterson Bridge and pedestrian bridge linking RiverScape and Deeds Point metroparks.

Attractions 

Along the east/southeast bank

• Deeds Point MetroPark – Take a selfie with the Wright Brothers.
• RiverScape Fountains – Enjoy them most summer days at the top of the hour.
• RiverScape MetroPark – Fix your bike, get a snack at the seasonal snack bar, learn about Dayton innovations at the Inventor’s Walk, view the River Run Mural, and watch kayakers play at River Run.
• Vietnam Veterans Overlook – Enjoy the river views as you pause to reflect on the sacrifices of our military men and women.

Along the west/northwest bank

• Dayton Aviation Heritage Site – Pedal a half-mile up the Wolf Creek Trail and ramp up to southbound Broadway for a few blocks to tour the Wright Cycle Company.
• Dayton Art Institute – Enjoy the diverse collection and special exhibits, shop in the gift shop or grab a bite to eat in the stately Italian Renaissance museum.
• Korean War Veterans Memorial - Stop by to see the nation’s only monument with the names of the 8,182 service members missing in action from the Korean War.

Food and Fun Ride (22 miles round trip)
West Carrollton to Dayton

This 22-mile ride begins at Island MetroPark near downtown Dayton and continues along the river to West Carrollton. Early in your trip, you'll pass Dayton History's Carillon Park. Stop in to learn about innovation and invention, see the Wright Brother's Wright Flyer III, and explore the Great Flood exhibit in this 65-acre park and museum. 

VIEW MAP (pdf)

Parking

Park at the West Carrollton Miami Bend Park near the intersection of North Alex Road and Hydraulic Road in West Carrollton, Ohio.

Attractions

• South Montgomery County Low Dam – Watch the water tumble over this recreational dam.
• Miami and Erie Canal Park – Relax under the shelter or stop for a picnic, read the historic markers about the Wright Brothers’ amphibious airplane testing, and stop for a restroom or water break at the K-Station.
• Moraine Boat Ramp Park – Enjoy the quiet, wooded lot and informational kiosk.
• Carillon Historical Park – Grab a bite or pint at its ‘50s style diner or at the only brewery that is part of an interpretive museum; then learn about Dayton’s history, including a building dedicated to the Great Flood of 1913.
• Bike sculpture – Take a selfie with this bronze and granite structure, installed to celebrate the bike trail’s construction.
• University of Dayton – Detour into the beautiful Marianist campus known for its service-learning model and strong engineering and STEM programs. Several casual dining options are on nearby Brown Street.
• Oregon District – Experience local dining, coffee shops, and boutiques.
• RiverScape MetroPark – Fix your bike, get a snack at the seasonal snack bar, learn about Dayton innovations at the Inventor’s Walk, view the River Run Mural, and watch kayakers play at River Run.
• Island MetroPark – Turn around here with a restroom break, but not before you check out the band shell, splash pad, and cable-stayed bikeway bridge.

Parks and Rec Ride (14 miles round trip)
Moraine to Miamisburg

This 14-mile ride passes the City of West Carrollton's Miami & Erie Canal Park, where you'll find historic markers about the Wright Brothers testing amphibious landing and take-off capabilities of their planes on the river. Once in Miamisburg, visit the old Greek revival town market building and other historical buildings. Stop at one of the city's trailside informational kiosks to locate bike-friendly businesses in this quaint and thriving downtown. 

VIEW MAP (pdf)

Parking
Park at the Moraine Boat Ramp Park accessible at the southern end of East River Road in Moraine.

Attractions

• Moraine Boat Ramp – Watch paddlers launch from the canoe/kayak dock.
• Wax Park and Payne Recreation Center – Take the bike stairs and turn right on to Main Street. Follow the path to the park and rec center, complete with picnic areas, sport courts, ballfields, playground equipment and restrooms.
• Miami and Erie Canal Park – Relax under the shelter or stop for a picnic, read about the Wright Brother’s amphibious airplane testing at historic markers, and stop for a restroom or water break at the K-Station.
• West Carrollton Farmer’s Market – Pick up some dinner fixin’s late on Tuesday afternoons during the summer.
• West Carrollton Soccer Complex – Time it right to catch an exciting match or two.
• Friend Park – Stretch your legs on the playground.
• Transportation Corridor The bikeway between West Carrollton and Miamisburg is built on the bed of the former Ohio Electric Railway, once the largest interurban system in Ohio. A narrow corridor only a few hundred feet wide houses several current and past major transportation modes: the Great Miami River, the Ohio Electric Railway, the Great Miami River Recreation Trail, Cincinnati Dayton Pike, the Miami and Erie Canal, and the Norfolk Southern Railroad.
• Miamisburg Riverfront Park – Enjoy an outdoor concert or fun festival.

History Ride (16 miles round trip)
Miamisburg to Franklin

This 16-mile ride begins a block from downtown Miamisburg. With numerous restaurants to choose from in Miamisburg, it's a great place to get a bite before hitting the trail or as a reward after. And don't miss the numerous historical markers and plaques along the trail in Miamisburg. This ride offers mature trees and stunning river vistas. Once in Franklin, be sure to check out the Old Log Post Office and circle a block over to Main Street to take in murals by local, award-winning artist Eric Henn. Then cross the Lion Bridge on Second Street to visit the (General Forrest) Harding Museum. 

VIEW MAP (pdf)

Parking

Public parking exists at the Miamisburg Riverfront Park, 3 North Miami Avenue, Miamisburg, OH 45342. Alternatively, there is a public Park and Ride lot off of Baxter Drive in Franklin.

Attractions

• Miamisburg Historical Society in the Market Square building – Study the exhibits and chat with local historians on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons in this 1851 Greek Revival structure. Taste the famous Hamburger Wagon fare from this business that started after the 1913 flood.
• Daniel Gebhart Tavern Museum – Experience 1800s tavern life every Sunday afternoon in the summer.
• Mound Science and Energy Museum – Grasp the heritage of this former nuclear lab Tuesday afternoons and Saturday mornings.
• Miamisburg Mound State Memorial - Climb 116 steps to the top of Ohio's tallest conical burial mound for a great view of the town.
• Rice Field – Watch a Little League game.
• Hutchings Station low dam – Enjoy the sound of water flowing over this low dam built to provide cooling water for the Dayton Power & Light facility on the opposite bank.
• Crains Run Nature Park – Cool off among the big trees or grab a picnic table to enjoy your lunch.
• Sunfish Lock 1829 Miami and Erie Canal – See the restored lock, part of the canal that connected Lake Erie with the Ohio River.
• Harding Museum – Cross the river on Saturdays to tour inside one of the stately Victorian homes of the Mackinaw Historical District, operated by the Franklin Historical Society.
• The Old Log Post Office – Take a tour on Saturdays of Ohio’s oldest standing post office.
• Murals on Main – Pedal a block over to downtown Franklin to view several trompe-L’oeil murals by artist Eric Henn.

Aviation Ride (14 miles round trip)
Huffman Dam to Dayton

This 14-mile ride features the Mad River Bikeway. On your way to Huffman Dam you will pass Founder's Point Pavilion where the first European settlers of the city are thought to have landed after traveling up the river from Cincinnati. You'll also pass Tech Town at the edge of downtown Dayton and ride through Eastwood MetroPark before continuing to Huffman Dam. Nearby you can climb to see the Wright Brothers Memorial. On the way back, visit the National Museum of the Air Force about 1.5 miles from the dam. 

VIEW MAP (pdf)

Parking

Park at the Huffman Dam MetroPark, 4095 Lower Valley Pike, Dayton, Ohio 45424. Use the abandoned roadway to cross the top of Huffman Dam and begin your trip on the Mad River Bike Trail.

Attractions

• Wright Memorial via the Huffman Prairie Bike Trail – Enjoy the National Park Service exhibits and don’t miss the overlook of Huffman Dam.
• Wright-Patterson Air Force Base – Experience a variety of military aircraft landing and taking off  at Ohio’s largest single-site employer.
• National Museum of the United States Air Force – Schedule a couple of hours to explore four hangars of historic and modern aircraft.
• Eastwood MetroPark – Check out the Mad River and connection to the Creekside Trail.
• Miami and Erie Canal Abutment – Imagine the Miami and Erie Canal passing overhead in an aqueduct that was part of the 1830s era structure, connecting travelers from the Ohio River to Lake Erie.
• Wright Flyer III sculpture – Take a selfie, helping the Wright Brothers get off the ground
• Engineers Club of Dayton – Step into the beautiful lobby where innovative minds like that of Orville Wright have connected for more than 100 years.
• RiverScape MetroPark – Fix your bike, get a snack at the seasonal snack bar, learn about Dayton innovations at the Inventor’s Walk, view the River Run Mural, and watch kayakers play at River Run.