MILLERSBURG, Ohio — We didn’t see a single horse and buggy on the trail until near the end of our second day of biking, but there was plenty of evidence that they were here: horse droppings scattered along the path, obstacles to avoid as we pedaled along.
It was no bother – the “Amish oil,” as one local referred to it, offered authenticity on the Holmes County Trail, the only one in the United States made for both buggies and bikes. It winds through the heart of Holmes County, home to the world’s largest Amish population.
It was a charmer – flat, scenic and lightly trafficked, a perfect trial run for a future, more ambitious cycling journey.
For years, I have contemplated an overnight bike trip – either an elaborate, days-long experience, organized and led by a tour company, or a do-it-yourself version, shorter in duration and with a more leisurely pace.
This summer of the pandemic seemed the perfect opportunity to try, with biking and other outdoor activities enjoying a surge of popularity.
I opted to start with the shorter version, figuring I can always work my way up to a more ambitious trip.
In Ohio, we have many options – hundreds of miles of dedicated trails, motorized vehicles prohibited, perfect for human-powered traffic. Indeed, the Holmes County Trail is part of the 326-mile Ohio to Erie Trail, a network of connected trails that link Cleveland and Cincinnati. Almost all of that route – 84% — is on trails dedicated to non-motorized traffic, chiefly bikers and hikers.
I opted for the Holmes County Trail, in part because of its unique construction for buggies and bikes, with asphalt on one side for cyclists, chip and seal on the other for buggies.
An Amish buggy makes its way south along the Holmes County Trail. The trail was created in part to improve safety and get buggies off of busy Ohio 83.
Millersburg makes a perfect overnight stop on both the Holmes County Trail and Ohio to Erie Trail.
There’s another reason that makes this trail ideally suited for an easy overnight: the charming town of Millersburg, population 3,200, which bisects the trail, a perfect overnight stop, with restaurants, shops and historic Hotel Millersburg on the town square.
The trail is 24 miles in two parts – about 16 miles from Killbuck to Fredericksburg, then another 8 miles from Glenmont to Brinkhaven.
Instead of starting at one end and stopping at the other, my daughter and I started in the middle, traveling our first day south from Millersburg and back, then, on the second day, traveling north from Millersburg and back.
Along the way, we met numerous other cyclists, including the Meyer family from Orange Village, on their fifth day of a six-day trip to Columbus and back. “It’s amazing, relaxing and beautiful that we have this in our own back yard,” said Elin Meyer, biking with husband Stuart, plus 16-year-old daughter Sadie, and Sadie’s friend, Sasha Strauss. They averaged between 54 and 77 miles per day.
Maybe next time, I told myself.
Biking the trail
After wedging two aging Schwinns into the back of my Subaru, my daughter and I headed south from Cleveland after lunch, arriving in Millersburg by 3 p.m.
We checked into our hotel room, then hopped on our bikes and pedaled four blocks to Hipp Station, a former train depot that has been converted to a small visitors center for trail users. Inside, you’ll find restrooms, maps and a bit of history about the trail.
The Holmes County Trail follows the route of the old Cleveland, Akron and Columbus Railroad, which eventually became part of the Pennsylvania Railroad. The bike-and-buggy trail opened in 2005, with the noncontiguous Glenmont-to-Brinkhaven link added in 2017; in Brinkhaven, riders can pick up the Mohican Valley Trail.
The trail is not yet finished: An additional 7 miles separates Killbuck from Glenmont and should be completed in the next couple of years, pending funding, according to Jen Halverson, director of the Holmes County Park District.
We skipped the nonadjacent section, concentrating instead on the paths directly north and south from our home base in Millersburg. Because it was late in the day, we started our journey headed south, the shorter of the two legs.
The path just south of Hipp Station is the only non-scenic part of the trail, past a Walmart and other commercial property, but soon we were pedaling through lush greenery on both sides.
The entire trail roughly parallels the Killbuck Creek, a tributary of the Walhonding River, which feeds into the Muskingum.
Much of the trail winds through marshland, coming close to the protected Killbuck Marsh Wildlife Area.
You’re also never far from the roadway, including U.S. 62 south of Millersburg and Ohio 83 north of town. Getting buggies off these busy highways was one of the motivations for constructing the trail, said Halverson.
For much of the route, the sounds of cars mixed with the sounds of frogs and birds as we pedaled.
We passed fewer than 10 cyclists on this portion of the trail, which ends in the tiny town of Killbuck, population 919.
The trail ends on the outskirts of town, but we pedaled an extra mile or so to see what the village offered. The answer – not much, at least not in the middle of a health pandemic. The small Killbuck Valley Historical Society Museum was closed, as was Snow Side, a diner and ice cream parlor (open for breakfast and lunch only).
We settled for trail mix and water, then headed back north.
We were back to our hotel by 6, enjoying dinner at Olde World Bakery and Bistro at 7, took a stroll through town at 8 and were ready for bed by 9.
The Holmes County Trail offers two options for travelers, including a path for those with horses and those without.
Day two: North to Fredericksburg
We stored our bikes in our room, wheeling them through the hotel halls and down the elevator after breakfast, ready for the second half of our journey.
This section of the trail is longer – 10 miles each way. It’s scenic and lightly trafficked, as well, mostly shaded but with some stretches of farmland.
Jim Nusbaum, community liaison at Hotel Millersburg, told us we were more likely to see the county’s Amish population on the northern leg of the trail, and he was right. Just south of Holmesville, we passed our first buggy, traveling south as we pedaled north.
We saw many more Amish folks on bikes, plus kids on scooters, in strollers and an English man on a horse.
The trail through Holmesville briefly travels on a residential street before continuing north into Wayne County and ending in the quaint town of Fredericksburg. We took an extended break here, enjoying a smoothie and iced coffee at Salt Creek Café, while watching the buggies come and go across the street at the Fredericksburg Market.
The Ohio to Erie Trail continues north here, traveling on roadways until connecting with the Sippo Valley Trail in Dalton.
Instead, we turned around and headed back south toward Millersburg, taking an hour to travel about 10 miles.
After a quick stroll through town, we squeezed our bikes back into the car and were on our way home, gone a total of 27 hours. Total biking over two days: approximately 35 miles.
I realize now I could have done significantly more. And someday soon, I will.
A photo of historic Millersburg Depot hangs inside Hipp Station, which has been converted to a visitors center for Holmes County Trail users.
Hipp Station in Millersburg is a convenient resting stop along the Holmes County Trail.
If you go: Holmes County Trail
What: 24-mile bike trail that travels through Amish country
Where: Pick up the trail in Millersburg, the county seat of Holmes County, or numerous other stops along the route.
Overnight: We stayed at Hotel Millersburg, on the town square; rates start at about $90 per night.
More information: holmestrail.com, visitamishcountry.com
More bicycling options: ohiotoerietrail.org, ohiobikeways.net
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Ohio's Holmes County Trail was the nation's first dual-purpose trail, built for both bicycles and buggies.