Travel These 8 Scenic Byways This Summer

Historic National Road
The first interstate highway built entirely with federal funds, the National Road stretched from Cumberland, Maryland, to Vandalia, Illinois, at the time of its completion. The route reached Zanesville in 1830, Columbus three years later and Springfield by the end of the decade. Much of the National Road later became part of U.S. Route 40, and Ohio’s Historic National Road byway stretches 225 miles across the state. 

Sites of note along the route include the National Road & Zane Grey Museum in Norwich, which also tells the story of the famous Western novelist who hailed from Zanesville, and the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus. Farther west along the byway, travelers pass by the Clark County Historical Society in Springfield, which houses a National Road Gallery that shares the story of the route’s evolution. Springfield is also home to the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Westcott House, which is open for docent-led tours.

Amish Country Byway 
Ohio’s Holmes County has one of the largest concentrations of Amish communities on the planet. Unlike some of our state’s other scenic byways, the 190-mile Amish Country Byway spiderwebs out across 13 different roads that provide an up-close view of the slower rural lifestyle for which the region is known. A visit this time of year means seeing horses and plows in the field and men and women working in their gardens.

There are a multitude of sites to visit along the way with several bakeries and cheesemakers on the route. Families should make a point to visit Hershberger’s Farm and Bakery just west of Berlin, which offers an adorable farm-animal petting zoo. Farther east, the route reaches the communities of Walnut Creek and Sugarcreek, which offer a wealth of stops for home decor, foods prepared from traditional Amish recipes and comfortable places to stay.

Hocking Hills Scenic Byway 
Stretching 26.4 miles through one of our state’s most beautiful regions, the Hocking Hills Scenic Byway passes the seven sites that make up Hocking Hills State Park as it follows parts of state Routes 374, 664 and 56. Travelers can choose their own adventure, but stops at some of the region’s most notable rock formations make for a great day. 

Step inside the area’s only true, publicly accessible cave at the Rock House, where a path leads to a large, window-like opening in a cliff. The darkness of the cave contrasted with the natural light spilling in makes for dramatic photographs. 

The most well-known destination within Hocking Hills State Park is Old Man’s Cave, where a trail descends into and along the top of a gorge that contains the area’s namesake feature. Also be sure to visit Ash Cave, a 700-foot-wide recess cave that sits at the end of a short, flat trail.

Ohio River Scenic Byway 
Tracing the path of the Ohio River along the southern edge of our state, the Ohio Scenic Byway stretches 452 miles, from the Pennsylvania border near East Liverpool to the Indiana border near Cincinnati, and travels through 14 Ohio counties. 

Those fascinated by history of our nation should stop in Marietta to visit the Campus Martius Museum and Mound Cemetery, while nature lovers can check out the Ohio River Islands National Wildlife Refuge or the sprawling Wayne National Forest. 

In Clermont County, those interested in presidential history can tour the small one-story home where Civil War general and President Ulysses S. Grant was born. About 25 miles away in Georgetown stands Grant’s boyhood home and the schoolhouse he attended, which are both open to visitors. Ohio’s role in the Civil War also draws many travelers to the southwest Ohio village of Ripley, where they can tour the John Rankin House, a storied location that was once part of the Underground Railroad.

Lake Erie Coastal Ohio Trail
This 293-mile drive along Lake Erie passes through cities and towns dotting Ohio’s northern shoreline that have all been shaped by their proximity to the water. 

Those who want to learn more about our state’s freshwater natural resource will want to stop at the National Museum of the Great Lakes in Toledo. The museum offers an overview of the Great Lakes, from the natural history behind their formation to the industry they helped make possible. Farther east along U.S. Route 6, travelers pass through Sandusky, best known to most as the home of Cedar Point amusement park. 

The city’s downtown has also undergone a revival and has a beautiful public gathering space at Jackson Street Pier. 

Although Cleveland is often associated with industry, travelers will be delighted to find a beautiful sand beach at Edgewater Park, just a short drive away from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame that sits at the end of Cleveland’s East Ninth Street. 

Miami & Erie Canal 
Trace the route that mule-drawn canalboats once traveled to transport cargo through this part of western Ohio. The Miami & Erie Canal byway along state Route 66 follows a 54-mile stretch of the historic route that offers a window into local history. 

The Johnston Farm and Indian Agency in Piqua invites visitors to ride the 70-foot-long Gen. Harrison canalboat pulled by mules, providing an idea of what traveling the waterway was like during the 19th century. 

Lake Loramie State Park in Minster offers trails that wind along the water and through wooded terrain, while New Bremen’s Bicycle Museum of America shares how bikes have evolved from the wooden models of the 1800s. Grand Lake St. Marys State Park also sits along the byway and is known for its opportunities for boating and bird-watching. The Delphos Canal Commission Museum at the northern end of the route holds the recovered remains of the Marguerite canalboat.

Quaker Heritage Scenic Byway 
Members of the Quaker faith played a role in Ohio’s Underground Railroad that helped enslaved people make their way to freedom, and there was a time when the nation’s largest population of Quakers lived in Clinton County.

Members of the faith practice principles of simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality and stewardship, and their meeting houses are found along the Quaker Heritage Scenic Byway. The 54-mile loop begins and ends at Wilmington College and passes through Wilmington and Waynesville. 

Sites of interest along the way include Wilmington College’s Quaker Heritage Center, while Quaker meeting houses along the route include the Wilmington Friends Meeting House and Dover Friends Meeting House and Burial Ground. 

Travelers can stop and explore nature at Caesar Creek State Park with its hiking trails, boat launches, swimming beach and nature center, while the neighboring Caesar’s Creek Pioneer Villages cares for preserved 19th-century cabins.

Big Darby Plains Scenic Byway
The 27-mile main route of this byway passes through Union, Champaign and Madison counties as it runs parallel to Big Darby Creek, offering views of the prairie for which the area is known. Be sure to stop at the scenic Pottersburg Bridge, a footbridge that leads to a walking trail. From June through October, Dine on the Covered Bridge lunch and dinner events are held here and feature live music and locally sourced food. 

In Milford Center, once the Union County seat, stands a replica of the first county courthouse, while the village of Plain City is known for the Plain City Clock Tower, one of the last public timepieces made by renowned 19th-century clockmaker Seth Thomas. Stop along the route to look at the Old Indian Trail historic marker. The area is home to trails blazed by Shawnee leader Tecumseh that were later used by the Pony Express.

For more information about these and other Ohio Byways, visit transportation.ohio.gov/traveling/ohio-byways.

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