Goals for the master plan include: • Identifying strategies for strengthening and expanding western Hamilton County’s blueway. A blueway, or water trail, is a network of connected waterways featuring managed access points, clear signage, and recreational amenities for canoeists, kayakers, and other paddlers to enjoy. • Identifying access point locations and developing design concepts for four to five canoe/kayak launch sites along the blueway trail • Preparing for a shared-use trail along the Great Miami River corridor Opportunities also being explored as part of the master plan development include: • Establishing new shared-use trails; planning new water launches for canoes and kayaks along the Great Miami and Whitewater rivers • Finding opportunities to create educational space • Identifying existing points of interest and locations for additional corridor amenities such as rustic camping facilities • Promoting the history and culture of the corridors • Identifying possible habitat restoration opportunities

Great Parks is in a unique position to be the regional leader for conservation and connections. As part of our fulfillment of the 2019 Comprehensive Master Plan, Great Parks established a district-wide strategy to connect Hamilton County as a system of parks, conservation areas, paved trails, unpaved trails and blueways. This will protect the county’s natural resources through conservation and land use while inviting residents of, and visitors to, Hamilton County to connect with nature through both self-directed and guided exploration. It will also inspire users to adopt conservation practices in their homes and businesses.

The system will span Hamilton County from north to south and crosses through five townships located in the western third of the county: Harrison, Crosby, Colerain, Miami, and Whitewater. The West Region Blueway follows the Whitewater River and Great Miami River and the shared use path will be located within the Great Miami River corridor. Below is a map of the study area. https://static.wixstatic.com/media/e63c00_c307cf8d4cf54672ac68d5c0999c442a~mv2.jpg

The Blueway trail will be approximately 36 miles long. This includes 27 miles along the Great Miami River and approximately nine miles along the Whitewater River. The shared-use trail will travel along the Great Miami River corridor, from the City of Fairfield in Butler County to where the Great Miami meets the Ohio River near Great Parks' Shawnee Lookout park. The trail's final route, which is currently being developed, is expected to be close to 21 miles.

We are currently focusing on development of the master plan. The Essential Findings will summarize this and are anticipated to be complete in 2025. The blueway and trail system will be built in phases and the construction timing for each phase will be determined based on several factors including the availability of funding and site control. As part of the master plan development process, we will be preparing a timeline that will identify our target dates for the implementation of each phase of work.

We are currently in the master planning phase and specific costs have not yet been developed.

Great Parks will be responsible for funding project components located on park properties. We’re working to develop partnerships with local communities and jurisdictions to help secure funding and construction management for project components located outside park boundaries.

The Great Miami Riverway is the nation’s largest paved trail network trail and Ohio’s first National Water Trail. It stretches across 99 miles, from Sidney to Middletown and the Hamilton-Fairfield area and has made the Great Miami River a regional and national destination for walkers, hikers, bikers, and paddlers. It travels through a variety of landscapes, from urban skylines and river vistas, to parklands and gently rolling hills. For more information, visit the Great Miami Riverway (https://www.greatmiamiriverway.com/)website.

The Ohio River Way connects people and communities to opportunities for adventure on and along the Ohio River from Portsmouth, Ohio, to West Point, Kentucky. For more information, visit OhioRiverWay.org.(https://www.ohioriverway.org/)

The Ohio River Trail is a riverfront trail that spans 22 miles along the Ohio River from Smale Park in Cincinnati to New Richmond, Ohio. Click here (https://www.traillink.com/trail/ohio-river-trail-(oh)/)for more information.

We are planning a number of opportunities for people to learn about the West Region Blueway & Trail System and participate in the development process. Visit our Participate page (https://www.mygreatparks.org/participate)for more information.

We welcome your input! You can submit questions and ideas on our Contact Us (https://www.mygreatparks.org/contact-us)page.