Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail

This park encompasses the 25-mile Stark County portion of the 110-mile Ohio and Erie National Heritage Canalway which extends north to Cleveland and south to Zoar. The trail and bordering parklands follow the historic route of the Ohio & Erie Canal through deciduous forests and rural and urban landscapes. The park and Towpath Trail extend through what once were three thriving canal villages, now the cities of Canal Fulton and Massillon and the Village of Navarre. The shady, flat terrain parallels the Tuscarawas River and is popular with hikers, bicycle riders, and equestrians. In many areas the old canal is visible. In the Canal Fulton area, the canal has been preserved, allowing for rides on a replica canal boat, the St. Helena III, during spring and summer. South of Canal Fulton is Lock 4 Trailhead with areas for picnicking and fishing. A small brick building at Lock 4 dates back to the Works Progress Administration during the Great Depression and is being restored to serve as a volunteer outpost. Other sites in close proximity to the park include a Canalway Visitor Center and museum in Canal Fulton, a bust of former astronaut and U.S. Senator John Glenn, a tunnel under an active railroad, and bronze plaques dedicating the Stark County section of the Canalway to Ralph Regula, who was instrumental in its preservation and funding during his service as a state legislator and U.S. Congressman. There are 14 parking lots allowing access to the 25-mile towpath trail and park, which parallels the Ohio & Erie Canalway Byway for automobiles. The six-mile Olde Muskingum Trail is on the west side of the Tuscarawas River from Canal Fulton to 40 Corners St. in Jackson Township.