Elyria: Trails, Waterfalls and City History

Elyria is located where the two branches of the Black River meet. Water, trails, and city history give a trip several distinct focal points: you can focus on longer routes through the region, a shorter path along the river, or historic places in the city. This lets you decide before booking whether to make outdoor activities or a mix of nature, culture, and events the focus of your trip.

River Landscape and Trails

The North Coast Inland Trail is more than 29 miles long. It connects Lake Erie with the rural fields of western Lorain County and passes through Elyria and Lorain. The trail is open to all types of non-motorized traffic, except skateboards. Permitted uses include walking, running, cycling, inline skating, and cross-country skiing. At mile 14.3, the Gateway Trailhead is located at 6302 Gateway Boulevard, Elyria, Ohio 44035.

The Black River Reservation also offers a way to experience the river on foot or by bike: its hiking and cycling trail is 6.5 miles long and runs along the Black River. It connects High Meadows on Ford Road in Elyria with Route 611 and is suitable for hikers, cyclists, and other non-motorized forms of travel. The trail is fully accessible.

The trail lengths represent two different scales: the trail in the Black River Reservation is 6.5 miles long, while the North Coast Inland Trail is more than 29 miles long. This gives you a way to compare the trails by their stated lengths. Another striking river feature is the Bridgeway Trail, highlighted by a 1,000-foot-long bridge that crosses the Black River twice.

City History and Culture

A monument in Ely Square commemorates hundreds of Elyria residents who volunteered to fight in the Civil War. The square is also the setting for annual festivals and celebrations that bring together people from the city and Lorain County. The monument and events offer different points of interest: one recalls a chapter of the city’s history, while the others are part of its annual events calendar. If a particular celebration is important to your trip, check the dates in advance.

The Lorain County History Center has exhibition galleries. Admission is free for visitors taking a self-guided tour. Check the current admission policy before your visit. The Hickories offers another perspective on local history, with tours of the house built for the Garford family. They last about 45 minutes and involve navigating stairs. Check the current tour arrangements in advance.

Waterfalls and Landscape

Elyria has impressive waterfalls. Close to downtown, Cascade Park features rivers, waterfalls, and hemlock forests. Waterfalls are therefore part of both Elyria’s landscape and the park’s features; the park also has rivers and hemlock forests. Together with the trails along the Black River, these natural attractions give your trip a different focus from the historic sites and events in the city center.

Discover more destinations: Oberlin, Avon, and North Ridgeville.

Return to the main travel overview: Lorain.