Hosted on the fourth Saturday of April, Celebrate Trails Day (formerly Opening Day for Trails) is an annual spring celebration of America’s trails. Started by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy in 2013, the celebration encourages people across the country to get outside and enjoy the nation’s exceptional trails and trail systems.

Trails make getting outdoors and around by foot, bike and wheelchair more accessible for everyone. These essential outdoor spaces give us the space to swap car trips for bike trips, reducing emissions and helping the environment; bring  powerful economic opportunity to communities big, small and in between; and deliver health and happiness for so many people. This year, in a time when trails are more in demand than ever, we hope you’ll join us in celebrating these special places. Let’s get out and make more trail moments!

For more information visit https://www.railstotrails.org/experience-trails/celebrate-trails/

Join us for a spring celebration along the Cuyahoga River on the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail & Cleveland Foundation Centennial Lake Link Trail!

Stop by to enjoy a bike ride or hike, snacks and refreshments from Cleveland Metroparks' Merwins Wharf, fun, freebies—and to learn more about the great pathways in northeast Ohio and around the state! Support northeast Ohio’s expanding network of urban trails by USING them! Share the Facebook event to your page and invite your friends! https://www.facebook.com/events/2261805754075887/

What's happening:
▪️ Program begins at noon.
▪️ Tours: Depart at 12:30 p.m. and again at 2 p.m.

👟 Future Redline Greenway Tours (12:30 p.m. & 2 p.m.): Guided hike to the future site of the Redline Greenway Trail. Please wear footwear needed for a rugged hike.

🚲 Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail Bike Ride Tours (12:30 p.m. & 2 p.m.): Explore the not-yet-opened-to-the-public section of the Towpath. This will be a bike ride from Merwins Wharf to Steelyard Commons.

For the last six years, thousands of trail users across the country—long-timers and newbies alike—have joined Rails-to-Trails Conservancy in celebrating America's exceptional trails and trail systems on Opening Day for Trails. And to make the Opening Day for Trails - 2019 a real home run, you’ll even get a swing at winning some awesome trail gear courtesy of our sponsors and partners at Wheel & Sprocket, KEEN, Adidas, Hydro Flask Patagonia and Topo Designs. Learn more: railstotrails.org/openingday.

We hope you’ll join us on the trail to make this year’s Opening Day one of the best yet! Start spreading the word with your friends and family now using #RTCOpeningDay.

You're invited to the 2nd Annual Share the River Ramble, a 3.3-mile connect-the-dots, run/walk of the Cuyahoga River riverfront trail segments  Rivers and trails are the arteries that connect people and communities to their natural resources. The Ramble physically connects people to the evolving transformation of Cleveland's riverfront that in some ways is unrecognizable from that June 22 day in 1969. 

We're grateful to our supporting sponsors who have helped make the Expanded Ramble and Blazing Paddles a possibility:

• Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District: "‘Given our role in helping to improve the health of the Cuyahoga River, we’re excited to be part of this celebration. Plus, we’re happy to support an event that connects people to our water resources."
• Fat Head's Brewery is our official brewery partner.
• Canalway Partners: "We're pleased the Share the River Ramble is serving as one of the kick-off events for the inaugural Cleveland History Days, "10 Days and 20 Ways to Experience Cleveland’s History". More information is at http://canalwaypartners.com/events/clevelandhistorydays/
• Ohio City Inc.: "Ohio City Incorporated is working with partners to tie together a growing network of trails and connecting people to the riverfront through Irishtown Bend, and we are thrilled to support the Share the River Ramble which celebrates one of our regions greatest assets, the Cuyahoga River."

We're also partnering again with North Coast Mutli Sports Inc. to stage the Ramble.  Our charity partner is St. Malachi Parish. Cleveland Rowing Foundation (CRF) is our site partner.

You made the 1st Annual Ramble such a success that we're adding a music and beer event at CRF/Rivergate Park where participants can connect with Share the River partner organizations, Cuyahoga River and Lake Erie stakeholders. Fat Head's Brewery is the Ramble's brewery partner and they are excited to support an event that celebrates an important turning point in Cleveland history. We're also teaming up with Nalu Standup Paddle & Surf to host Blazing Paddles, a stand-up paddleboard race on Saturday, June 23.

Stay tuned for more details. The Ramble's intent is to encourage the public to enjoy their natural resources, parks, and paths but it's also intended to provide a focus on several themes central to Share the River's "branding Cleveland as a waterfront city" mission:

• the importance and demonstrable impact of common sense environmental regulations
• the value of public investments in clean water infrastructure (like NEORSD's Project Clean Lake).
• the positive impact of engaged, long-term recreational use of the Cuyahoga River
• the benefit the above three have on Cleveland's appeal 1) as a city where people want to work, live and play in and 2) as a tourism destination.

Save the date, register, and invite your friends! Click on the below link and register for the Share the River Ramble now! Would you like to be part of the team that's making this year's Ramble an event to remember? Register to be a volunteer or serve on one of our committees!

And if you are a business, organization, foundation or individual who sees the branding value of the Ramble, we are in the process of securing sponsors! We are a full-blown experiential marketing event with an engaged social media presence and following. Please e-mail us at sharetheriver3@gmail.com. 

If you're on Facebook, click on this link to let your friends know you're going and then invite your friends to the Cuyahoga River Party!

Inaugural Ramble Media Links

• Plain Dealer (Steve Litt) - First standup paddle race on Cuyahoga, Blazing Paddles, to showcase shipping and recreation sharing river
• WKYC (Dawn Kendrick) - Exploring Cleveland's "Rails to Trails"
• Plain Dealer (Steve Litt) - Share the River plans "Burning River Ramble" Thursday to mark 48th anniversary of Cuyahoga fire (photos, video)
• WCPN/Sound of Ideas (Mike McIntyre) - Burning River Ramble Commemorates 48th Anniversary Of Fire
• Plain Dealer (Joshua Gunter) - Inaugural Burning River Ramble brings runners to Cuyahoga River (photo essay)
• Plain Dealer (Zach Lewis) - Fresh glimpses of city reward effort in inaugural 'Burning River Ramble' (photos): Stretching Out
• WCPN/Sound of Ideas (Mike McIntyre) - Learning to Fail (Burning River Ramble portion comes up at 28:10 in the show)

Cleveland Rowing Foundation & Rivergate Park will serve as the Cleveland gathering point for northeast Ohio citizens to kick off the spring trail season by hitting their favorite trails for a walk, run, ride or special event. Bike Cleveland, Cuyahoga County Planning, Canalway Partners and Share the River are teaming up with other local groups and organizations to provide a number of FREE and fun events that the general public can participate in. Stay tuned for additional details.

Saturday, April 7: Join us, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy and trail users nationwide in kicking off the spring trail season by celebrating the 2018 Opening Day for Trails!

 For the last five years, thousands of trail users—veterans and newbies alike—have celebrated America's exceptional trails and trail systems by participating in Opening Day. And to make this year’s Opening Day a real home run, you’ll even get a swing at winning some awesome trail gear courtesy of our partners at Fuji Bikes, Performance Bicycle, KEEN, Topo Designs and Patagonia. Simply pledge to participate in Opening Day and be entered to win ➤ railstotrails.org/sweepstakes!

 We hope you’ll join us on the trail to make this year’s Opening Day one of the best yet! Start spreading the word with your friends and family now using #RTCOpeningDay. Happy trails!

National Rails to Trails Opening Day website: https://www.railstotrails.org/experience-trails/opening-day-for-trails/

Suggested Routes for Walks, Runs, and Rides

The Red Line Greenway is an active project to create a 3 mile elevated linear park in the heart of downtown Cleveland, Ohio. This meeting hosted by Cleveland Metroparks at Hoopples Restaurant & Bar (1930 Columbus Rd, Cleveland, OH 44113) will provide insight to community members on proposed development concepts. http://www.ohiocity.org/event/redline-greenway-community-meeting

Recent Stories on the Red Line Greenway

Cleveland Metroparks completes funding for Red Line Greenway with $500k state grant. http://www.cleveland.com/architecture/index.ssf/2017/10/cleveland_metroparks_completes.html

Red Line Greenway gets a boost from volunteers. http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2017/04/red_line_greenway_gets_a_boost.html

Big dreams start to become reality for three miles of elevated urban trail. http://www.freshwatercleveland.com/devnews/RLGupdate083016.aspx

Red Line Greenway advocates plan 'unveiling' of visionary concept at Wednesday meeting. http://www.cleveland.com/architecture/index.ssf/2015/05/red_line_greenway_advocates_pl.html

Just a Reminder that the Cool Red Line Greenway Project is Still a Long Way Off. https://www.clevescene.com/scene-and-heard/archives/2015/06/01/just-a-reminder-that-the-cool-red-line-greenway-project-is-still-a-long-way-off