Elyria: River Trails, Waterfalls and History

Elyria is located where the Black River forks in two. The river landscape, waterfalls and trails shape the ways you can explore the area. There are also local history sites and annual festivals at Ely Square. When planning your stay, you can choose from different options for outdoor activity, nature and culture.

Trails along the Black River and beyond

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. This gives you a longer route through a range of landscapes. The trail is open to all types of non-motorized traffic except skateboards. This includes walkers, runners, cyclists, inline skaters and cross-country skiers.

At mile 14.3, the Gateway Trailhead is located at 6302 Gateway Boulevard, Elyria, Ohio 44035. This specific location may be helpful if you’re planning to include the North Coast Inland Trail in your excursions.

Another option is the Black River Reservation trail. It is 6.5 miles long and runs along the Black River. The route connects High Meadows on Ford Road in Elyria with Route 611. It is suitable for hikers, cyclists and other forms of non-motorized travel, and is fully accessible. The two trails described differ in length and route: the Reservation trail follows the river, while the North Coast Inland Trail extends beyond Elyria.

The Bridgeway Trail also has a distinctive feature: a 1,000-foot-long bridge is a highlight of the trail and crosses the Black River twice. Those interested in trails and river scenery will find a variety of specific route features in Elyria to help guide their excursion planning.

Waterfalls and green surroundings

Elyria has impressive waterfalls. Cascade Park features rivers, waterfalls and hemlock forests, and is close to downtown Elyria. This gives nature viewing a distinct local setting. During your stay, you can make this park a nature-focused stop in its own right, alongside the trails described above, without conflating the different places and experiences.

History and community events

The Lorain County History Center has exhibition galleries. Admission is free for visitors taking a self-guided tour. If you’d rather have a guided tour of a historic home, you can visit The Hickories, where tours are offered of the house built for the Garford family. They last about 45 minutes and involve climbing stairs. Details about the tour and stairs can help you assess these two different ways to visit.

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. Ely Square thus combines a historic memorial with recurring community events.

When choosing a vacation rental in Elyria, you can consider which focus you’d like to shape your stay: trails and outdoor activity, waterfalls and nature, or history and local festivals. These different options give your search a clear focus as you get to know Elyria as a travel destination.

More local pages: Oberlin, Avon, North Ridgeville.

For the broader travel overview: Lorain.