OHIO & ERIE CANAL - up & down! Approx 7-8 miles
Details
The weather looks nice, with high 50s. So let's get on the water and experience life as it was over 100 years ago on the Ohio & Erie Canal! Life was a bit slower & water was the primary way of transportation.
We'll launch at Lake Nesmith & then quickly enter the canal heading north to Summit Lake for a look-about before heading back south to our boat ramp. (Alternative would be to go south first?)
PFD's must be worn. We'll look to travel together as a group, so please know that the pace will be 3.0 - 3.5 mph.
This section of the canal is completely navigable. Early spring or late fall is best when algae and plant life are minimal...
The Ohio and Erie Canal (built 1825–1832) connected Cleveland on Lake Erie to Portsmouth on the Ohio River, spanning about 308 miles. It transformed Ohio’s economy by allowing cheap, efficient transport of goods, helping towns like Akron, Massillon, and Newark grow rapidly.
The canal thrived in the 1830s–1850s but declined as railroads took over. The 1913 flood destroyed much of it, ending its use. Today, parts are preserved as the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail and within the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, honoring its role in shaping Ohio’s development.
Social time afterwards if interest...