Little Beaver Creek Greenway Trail
Lisbon, OH to Washingtonville, OH in Columbiana County
The trail follows the Little Beaver Creek from Lisbon to Washingtonville. From the railroad station/information center the trail is on back streets to MP0.0. The next 6.5 miles climbs gradually out of the river valley to the plains of Ohio. The final mile has a swamp on both sides of the trail. The first section of developed trail ends in the parking lot just short of the town of Leetonai at MP9.8. A short (1 mile) bike route through town leads to the second section of developed trail which runs from Leetonia to Washingtonville though woods with an ocational farm. This trail is a segment of the Great Ohio Lake to River Greenway (see page <<xx>>,
From the railroad station/information center the trail is a bike route on a back street of Lisbon (Maple St). About 0.3 miles from the station, at a stop sign, busy Lincoln Way/OH164 crosses Maple St. Use caution. After a left turn on Morrison St and two blocks you arrive at the actual beginning of the paved trail at MP0.0.
The first half mile of trail runs through the outskirts of Lisbon, with a few road croddings. At <<MPX.XX it enters the woods >> with a road and the creek below on the left and hillside on the right..
Little Beaver Creek Greenway Trail
Location Lisbon, OH to Leetonia, OH in Columbiana County
Trailheads Lisbon, St. Jacobs-Logtown Rd, Eagleton Rd, OH588, Leetonia
Length, Surface 12.2 total, 10.5 miles paved, 1.8 miles on-road
Character Uncrowded, wooded, shady, definite grade
Usage restrictions No motorized vehicles, no horses
Amenities Rest rooms, food, bike shop/rental
Driving time from Pittsburgh 1 hour 20 minutes northwest
At mile 2.1 houses and driveways have consumed the trail, and the trail exits onto St Jacobs-Logtown Rd for about a third of a mile. Leaving the road, (MP 2.5) the trail enters woodlands without any houses or roads. In this rural section of trail, Logtown Rd crosses the trail several times at an almost parallel angle, which makes seeing the traffic behind difficult.
Where the trail crosses Eagleton Rd at mile MP5.1, a short 250 ft. excursion can be made downhill to see the Teegarden-Centennial Covered Bridge over the Little Beaver Creek. This 66 ft was built in 1876 and was in use upto 1992. Restored in 2003, it is in the National Register of Historic Places.
Once past mile 6.5 the trail levels out and passes through occasional farm lands. For a half mile past mile 8 there is swamps on both sides of the trail. The developed trail ends in the parking lot just short of the town of Leetonai at MP 10.0.
<<There is a one mile on-road route through Leetonia that connects to the parking lot on East High St >> where the trail picks up again for 1.5 miles to Washingtonville.
Local history, attractions
The Teegarden-Centennial Covered Bridge just 250 ft. off the trail at MP5.1 is a covered bridge across Little Beaver Creek on Eagleton Road, It is currently only open to pedestrian traffic, and was named after U. Teegarden who owned land near the bridge. It is also known as the Centennial Bridge, it being built in 1876. The 66-foot, multiple king post span was designed by Jeremiah C. Mountz and David Reese. The bridge was in use until 1992 and underwent restoration in 2003. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in August 2010.
The Cherry Valley Coke Ovens consisted of 200 coke ovens built by the Leetonia Iron and Coal Company around 1866, near Leetonia. The function of the “beehive” coke ovens was to purify coal and turn it into coke. The coke was burned in furnaces that produced iron and steel.
The site was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1993. An Ohio Historical Marker was added in 1999. Outside of the Connellsville Coke District in Pennsylvania, this site represents one of the largest remaining site of intact beehive coke ovens in North America.
The Leetonia Iron and Coal Company went bankrupt in 1873 was taken over by the Cherry Valley Iron Works. The Cherry Valley ovens produced over 70,000 tons annually at their peak in 1900. The Great Depression and the developing steel industry put the operation out of business. One can read further history of the coke ovens at www.leetonia.org/cokeovens/Cherry Valley Booklet 2010 for web.pdf
The site was donated to the village of Leetonia for a park in 1982, and, in 1986, the village council appointed a commission to transform the area into a park. In August 2014, the village had to close the park because of hazardous conditions. They are looking for ways to deal with the hazards, and reopen the park.
Extensions of the ride
The next segmnt to the north along the Great Ohio Lake to River Greenway is the Mill Creek Metroparks Bikeway (page 103) which is a little over 6 miles away.
The next segment to the south along the Great Ohio Lake to River Greenway connect somehow to proposed trails along the Ohio River.
There is a complex of 200 beehive coke ovens about 1.5 miles from the Leetonia trailhead. It is said to be one of the largest remaining groupings. To get there turn left/north as you leave the northern trailhead, cross the tracks and continue up the slight grade to Main Street. Turn right/east on Main Street and continue until you see the Cherry valley Coke oven park and the ovens on your right.
Development plans
There is hope to eventually connect to the Mill Creek Metroparks Bike trail (page 103. Additional hope is to continue the trail south to East Liverpool and connect to the Ohio River trail. When all these connections are made, the trail will become part of a trail from Pittsburgh to Cleveland.
Access points
Vicinity: Directions begin headed north on State Route 11 from East Liverpool.
Lisbon- P.L.&W. Railroad trailhead: MP-0.4 From East Liverpool go about 11 miles. Take the exit marked for Lisbon/OH-154. Do not take the Lisbon/US30/West Point exit, which is about 6 miles from East Liverpool. At the bottom of the ramp, turn left/west following signs to Lisbon. In about 2.5 miles OH-154 will join US30 West. Continue on US30. You will be on E Lincoln Way. At the courthouse E Lincoln Way becomes W Lincoln Way, turn left onto Market Street. Go two blocks to trailhead at the old railroad station, which is now an information center. To reach the trail, exit the parking lot on the far side, turn right and follow the Bike Route signs. They will take you about 0.3 miles along Maple Street, turn left onto Morrison St for one block to mile zero of the trail.
Lisbon trailhead alternate: MP0.0 Follow directions above to the court house. Continue on W Lincoln Way for 2 to 5 blocks, depending on how you count the alleys, and turn left/south on Lincoln Rd. The trailhead parking lot will be on your right in 0.3 miles. There is space for 8 cars in this lot, however if you turn right/west on the gravel road alongside the parking lot, and continue for about 0.1 miles there is more parking, in front of Donna’s Bike Shop.
St Jacobs-Logtown Rd. trailhead: MP2.1 Follow directions above to the court house. Turn right/north on Market St./OH45 and go 0.9 miles to Saltwell Rd. Turn left/west and go 0.4 miles to the T intersection with St Jacobs-Logtown Rd. Turn right/west. Cross the trail once and go 0.5 miles to trailhead parking on your right. The westbound trail leaves this parking lot, traveling along the road for about 0.3 miles before taking off to the right onto the bicycle only path.
Eagleton Rd. trailhead: Follow directions above to the court house. Turn right/north on Market St./OH45 and go 2.4 miles to Eagleton Rd. Turn left/west and go 2.6 miles to the trail.
Franklin Square OH588 trailhead: From East Liverpool Follow OH11 north for about 21.7 miles. Take the OH344 exit to Leetonia. At the bottom of the ramp turn right/east onto OH344. Go 300 feet and turn left/south onto ST164. Go 0.9 miles and turn right/southwest onto Columbiana Lisbon Rd, staying on OH164. Go 2.0 miles and turn right/west onto OH588. Go 2.8 miles and trailhead parking will be on your left.
Leetonia trailhead: MP9.8 From East Liverpool Follow OH11 north for about 21.7 miles. Take the OH344 exit to Leetonia. At the bottom of the ramp turn left/west onto OH344. Go 1.7 miles to the T with Hazel St. Turn left/south following OH344 and cross the railroad tracks and turn right/west onto State St. Go 0.4 miles and turn left/south toward Washington St. If you cross over the railroad, you missed the turn. Go 0.2 miles to Washington St, and turn right/north. Just before crossing the railroad tracks turn left/west into trailhead parking.
Amenities
Rest rooms, water: At the trailheads
Bike shop, rentals:
Donna’s Bike Shop, next to Milepost zero in Lisbon, 446 Maple Street, Lisbon, OH 330-420-3664 has rentals
Rail to Trail Bike Shop, 9055 State Route 45, Lisbon, OH 330-424-3214 specializes in recumbent.
Restaurant, groceries: In Lisbon
Camping, simple lodging: Days Inn at intersection US11 and OH 154, No nearby campgrounds, but several in the 8 to 15 mile range.
Swimming, fishing: In Little Beaver Creek
Winter sports: none
Wheelchair access: All gates were wide enough for wheelchair access. This was an interurban rail line so the grades are steeper than your normal rail trail, but not by much.
Trail organization
Columbiana County Park District
130 Maple Street
Lisbon,
Oh330-424-9078
https://www.columbianacountyparkdistrict.org/trails
Maps, guides, other references
USGS Topographic Maps: Lisbon, OH
Version
Text version of 03 Oct 2014 based on personal observation while bicycling Lisbon to Leetonia 7/2022, Drive Leetonia to Beehive Ovend 10/2016, Beehive Ovens to Washingtonville 1/1990. Conditions may have changed; you are responsible for your own safety. Oldest segment check 10/2016.