Towpath Trail XV (8/21/2016)

Sunday, August 21, 2016
Today we went from W Bath Road to mile marker 32. During this hike we left the Cuyahoga Valley National Park and entered the incorporated city limits of Akron, OH.
We have completed the entire Towpath Trail that lies within the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, a distance of about 20 miles (down and 20 miles back!). The total mileage we have walked on the Towpath Trail is about 28 miles (and 28 back!).

Looking back at the Cuyahoga Valley National Park sign

The Akron Water Reclamation Facility, specifically the
Renewable Energy Facility (i.e., composting)

The main outfall sewer pipe, which sits in the former canal bed,
is being rehabilitated; the project is to be completed in 2017

It appears that this pipeline continues for 3-4 miles from the city of Akron.

Polygonum cuspidatum/Japanese Knotweed, an invasive

Lophocampa caryae/Hickory Tussock Moth caterpillar

Sand Run flows under the canal bed/pipeline

Sand Run

A peek at the Cuyahoga River

Papilio glaucus/Eastern Tiger Swallowtail,
with a very ragged tail

This is probably the last of the Towpath Trail hikes, as it now follows a sewer pipeline and will get into commercial areas of the city of Akron. We did walk a small section of the Towpath Trail when we visited Akron on August 9, 2015.

(We hiked the "first" section of the Towpath Trail that follows the old Ohio & Erie Canal on July 6, 2014 from Harvard Road to the Marcy Trestle. We started at the Canalway Center near the trestle and walked to the overpass of I-77 on November 9, 2014. On December 26, 2014, we walked between the I-77 overpass and Quaker Steak on Canal Road in Valley View. On September 27, 2015, we hiked between Quaker Steak on Canal Road and Lock 38. On October 4, 2015, we went between Lock 38 and Alexander's Mill. On November 8, 2015, we hiked from Alexander's Mill halfway to Station Road Bridge. On November 29, 2015, we went from Station Road Bridge halfway back to Alexander's Mill. On December 6, 2015, we went from Station Road Bridge to Red Lock. December 13, 2015 was between Red Lock and Boston Store. On February 28, 2016, we hiked from Lock 29 back to Boston Store. The hike on March 27, 2016 was from Lock 29 to Deep Lock Quarry. On April 24, 2016, we went from Deep Lock Quarry to Lock 27. Lock 27 to Ira was on June 12, 2016. Then on July 17, 2016, we hiked from Ira to W Bath Road.)