Fwd: Trail Mail, October 2026
Gary Gross
Begin forwarded message:
From: Friends of the Little Miami State Park <trailmail...@shared1.ccsend.com>
Date: October 31, 2026 at 8:04:06 PM EDT
To: grog...@outlook.com
Subject: Trail Mail, October 2026
Reply-To: trai...@flmsp.org
October 2026
Trail Mail
ODNR Construction Crew provides rapid response to trail erosion
by: Dick Feldman, Vice President, FLMSP
On Saturday and Sunday September 19th and 20th, the Little Miami River had another string of major storms blow through the area affecting the entire Little Miami Scenic Bike Trail from Hedges Road to Terrace Park. On the north end of the trail, Glady Run flooded and eroded the creek banks along the bike trail affecting the safety fences and knocking out the foundation of a bench overlooking the stream.
This was another all-hands-on-deck response with park staff and volunteers cutting up and removing downed trees up and down the trail. ODNR Division of Parks and Watercraft responded quickly to the bank erosion along Glady Run. A park construction crew came out immediately the following week and evaluated the situation. They followed up immediately with a bank reclamation program consisting of using their heavy equipment to add large
limestone stone to the bank. This was topped with smaller rock and soil. The large limestone should act to resist future high-water events along the creek.
To support the rapid response, The Friends of the Little Miami State Park provided the funds to acquire the materials for the reclamation. The memorial bench will be relocated along the trail north of this location where it won’t be affected by high water in Glady Run.
Watch out for falling beaver trees!
by: Dirk Morgan
They’re back, they’re busy, and they don’t care where their trees fall!
While walking the Little Miami Scenic Trail recently with my dog Osa, I came across a tree that had been dropped directly across the trail, just north of mile marker 26.5. The telltale cone-shaped stump and fresh wood chips left little doubt about who was responsible. Fortunately, I was able to drag the tree off the trail before it became a hazard for passing cyclists.
Those busy little beavers are at it again!
Having spent most of my life along the Little Miami River, I’ve noticed a significant increase in beaver activity over the past 30 years, particularly between Morrow and Fort Ancient. I’ve even seen evidence of beavers bringing down trees nearly two feet in diameter!
Beavers were once plentiful along the Little Miami and throughout Ohio. During the late 1700s and early 1800s, their valuable pelts made them a prime target for fur trappers. By the 1830s, they had virtually disappeared from the state.
Fortunately, beavers began making a comeback in the 1930s, largely migrating naturally from neighboring states. By the late 1940s, there were still only about 100 beavers reported in Ohio. Today, they’ve reclaimed waterways throughout the state, including our beautiful Little Miami River.
With wolves and other large predators long gone from Ohio, adult beavers have relatively few natural enemies. Their populations are now largely regulated by available habitat, territorial competition, and trapping.
While beavers play an important role in our river ecosystem, their tree-cutting activities can create unexpected hazards for cyclists and walkers alike. And unfortunately, they don’t always check where their trees are going to land!
So, fellow trail users, keep your eyes open for fallen trees and other obstacles. If you encounter a tree or hazard that you can’t safely remove, please report it to our trail hotline.
It’s wonderful to see a native animal that nearly disappeared from Ohio thriving once again. We just wish they’d be a little more considerate about where they drop their trees! After all, the beavers were here long before the bike trail.
And apparently, nobody ever explained the right-of-way to them!
Safe Trails:
Yoo-hoo, where are you?
Shared by Bruce Cortright
A friend of mine parked his car at the Avoca Trailhead and rode to Loveland to meet his wife for lunch. After a few beers and a good time, they went home, leaving his car parked at Avoca overnight.
Well, at 10 pm, he got a call from his son living in Alaska.
"Where are you Dad?"
"Going to bed, why son?"
"Well the Park Rangers are looking for you somewhere on the bike trail."
"Oh."
"Please call them to let them know you are all right!"
The next day when he picked up his car, there was a nice note attached to his car from the park ranger! Glad you are all right!
Nice to know there are eyes on the trail that we do not know about.
Safe Passage to
Great Council State Park
from: Ohio Department of Transportation - Cincinnati District 8
It’s officially open! The US 68 Shared Use Path in Oldtown is now open, providing a safe passageway for pedestrians, bicyclists and other users to cross US 68 at Great Council State Park.
The project, which was developed in coordination with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, has included the construction of multi-use path connections between the Little Miami Scenic Trail and the Shawnee Interpretive Education Center. Along with the new "gateway" bridge between the trail and the education center, improvements were made to US 68 in Oldtown and the crossing at the intersection of US 68 and Brush Row Road.
The Eagle Bridge Company served as the contractors for the project, and not only did they meet this month’s interim completion, but they surpassed the final completion date of June 1, 2027, by six months!
Here’s to great work and a great partnership at #greatcouncilstatepark!
2026 Tri-State Trails Summit
The Tri-State Trails organization advocates for and works on trails throughout a large regional area that includes the Little Miami Scenic Trail in the State Park. They are holding their annual summit meeting on November 12, bringing together business owners, trail planners and community advocates to share ideas and hopes for the region.
Their keynote speaker, Carol Coletta, has spent her career championing the power of public spaces. From helping transform Memphis' riverfront to advancing ambitious civic projects nationwide, she knows what it takes to turn big ideas into places people love.
Please consider attending the summit to learn more about what is going on in the region and ways to help.
Breathtaking!
A different view of the Little Miami. Thank you Alex Smith for sharing.
Friends of the Little Miami State Park
Trail hotline: 513-212-6958
Connect with us
Friends of the Little Miami State Park | 9378 Mason Montgomery Rd. Suite 395 | Mason, OH 45040-8827 US
David Savage
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