DESCRIPTION

This section of trail has probably changed more dramatically than any other in recent years. It is about a mile in length from Spring St to Broad and Marconi. A few years ago, it was a ribbon of asphalt hugging the edge of the river join the end of the Olentangy Trail with downtown--now it passes through one of the newest and most visible city parks: North Bank Park on the edge of the developing arena district. It will be the gateway to a connection that will join the Olentangy/Scioto trail system with the Alum Creek trail via existing and new crosstown trails and will be a part of the Ohio to Erie trail as it passes through our area. It also forms, with a piece of the West Bank Trail and one or more of the river crossings, a loop trail--the Scioto Loop which is a near 3 miles round about the riverfront that affords great view of the city skyline and the river.

The trail section begins, more or less, at the southeastern corner of Spring St and SR 315. Crossing the street directly north puts you on the Olentangy Trail. Continuing south from that point takes you to the West Bank Trail, which parallels the Scioto Trail on the opposite bank, and to the two short segments of the upper Scioto Trail going north-west to Grandview. As for the lower Scioto, you head east briefly going around the river side of the Confluence Inn parking lot and across the Olentangy river on a trail bridge. The trail then curves to follow SpringLong Sts and ramps up for a short, straight run through a small park that doubles as the top of the flood levee. It reaches the first of two railroad trestles and dips down somewhat sharply to pass under the trestle on the river side and into North Bank Park.

The trail surface shifts to concrete and continues along the arc of the river. There are side paths to the roads and the park pavilion. The trail mile marking runs concurrent with the Olentangy Trail (note: there are no mile markers on the upper Scioto as yet.) but the 0.5 mile mark was removed when the new park was built. For reference purposes, it is approximate at the first cross path in the park south of the first railroad trestle. (see marker page).

The trail follows the river passing around a retaining wall below the pavilion and continuing to arc around and under the second railroad trestle. Here it returns to asphalt and begins and immediate slow climb up the river embankment, topping out in Alexander Park on the south side of the Courthouse. This is where is gets interesting--trail users at this point are faced with a continuing asphalt trail which ramps back down to the river on the right side and a concrete walkway into the park behind the courthouse on the left--TAKE THE LEFT SIDE--stay up top, go around and into the park. Follow the Battelle park path south and you will exit the park on a slight ramp at Broad and Marconi where Milepost 0 is located. IF YOU HEAD BACK DOWN to the river, you will pass through the area around the Santa Maria but the trail here DEAD-ENDS under Broad St. The only way up to the road and to continue is to climb the ramps and the stairs. If you're running, it means breaking your stride. Cyclists have to carry their bikes up. There are plans, in future, to extend the waterline promenade along the floodwall to Bicentennial Park and, when that happens, the trail will probably continue down closer to the river.

At Broad and Marconi, this section ends. Continue across Broad St to pick up the next section. The trail continues south from this point for 4.1 miles to near Frank Rd.

There are plans for a Downtown Connector through the Arena district and the Columbus State area to connect to the existing I-670 trail and from there to the Alum Creek Trail. As it will involve mostly reconfiguring existing walkways, it can be negotiated now. See the connector page for directions.

IMPRESSIONS

A wide open if short section. The addition of North Bank Park has made it a more traveled and much nicer section. It is more than just the "last" mile into Downtown.