Miami and Erie Canal near Napoleon.
Andrew Bashaw
The southern half of this section is all on-road. It follows county roads with light traffic. The trail then enters the city of Defiance where it follows sidewalk along tree-lined streets, crosses the Maumee River, and turns east through Pontiac Park, where there is a monument to Johnny Appleseed. The trail continues on-road to and through Independence Dam State Park, past the old canal locks. It follows along the Miami and Erie Canal on the towpath most of the way through Napoleon and on past Providence to Waterville.
CW | CCW | Pt | Description |
---|---|---|---|
35.3 E |
18.6 W |
14 | Intersection of C424 and SR 109 (R)
To the W of this point, C424 is generally known as E Riverview Drive; to the E, as Old US 24. Continue E past a roadhouse. Cross SR 109 (exits S). Enter North Turkeyfoot Wildlife Area. After 0.7 mi, reach a parking area for hikers [41.41245° N, 83.99671° W]. Facilities: P, PT. Contine E 0.3 mi and cross Turkeyfoot Creek on footbridge. Proceed N on dirt path 300' to hunter parking area (Bulletin Board, P, PT) [41.41478° N, 83.98940° W]. Exit E onto grassy path that turns S. After 150', turn E through old shed. After 0.26 mi at trail intersection, jog N onto gravel drive. After 500', join Old US 24 heading E. After 200', Old US 24 crosses Dry Creek on a stone culvert built for the canal. If interested, a view is found with a little bushwhacking S of the road. After another 500', join Towpath Trail above Dry Creek. After 0.4 mi, cross ODNR drive [41.41905° N, 83.97414° W] to river access w/P. After 0.35 mi, towpath disappears, probably because of erosion caused by Maumee R. Drop onto grassy flat along river and continue E. After 0.45 mi, trail returns to narrow towpath above river with one temporary departure onto lawn. After 0.6 mi at grassy area, further progress on towpath trail is blocked by structure. Jog N. At Old US 24 [41.42352° N, 83.95022° W], turn E along berm of road. |
52.7 E |
1.2 W |
20 | Bike Path at S River Rd (C53) Note: this description was updated on 2-7-2023 for clarification. NCT exits here. BT hikers continue on the BT as described in the map update identified below on 11-5-2020. |
CW | CCW | Pt | Description |
---|---|---|---|
6.7 NE |
48.1 SW |
4 | Canal Rd 156 at Kiser Rd 30 and Kibble Rd 155
The height of land just ahead contains the Defiance Reservoir. From the NE corner of this intersection, follow the bike path NE. After 0.1 mi, reach a 3-way intersection of paved trails. Turn back W on trail that curves slowly to the N beneath the reservoir. After 0.45 mi, pass the Defiance Reservoir Park Campsite on the W side of Kibble Rd. Facilities: C, Cast Iron Grills, P, PS, PT. Location: 41.26768°N, 84.39984°W. Continue N on paved trail across driveway (300ft) that leads to a handicapped parking on the rim of the reservoir. Go N past parking lot and enter woods and brushy areas. Within this area, the trail turns E and joins a boardwalk. After 0.5 mi, exit the boardwalk onto paved trail that turns SSE parallel to Precision Way and passes a parking lot (0.11 mi). After 0.22 mi, reach a 3-way trail intersection. Turn E across Canal Rd a short distance to the end of the bike path at driveway that uses part of the former Canal Rd (200ft). Turn N. After 70ft, turn NE onto S Jackson St. After 0.45 mi, pass Legion Field, a city ball field (P). Hudson's Lock 34 is located near the S corner of this park. Continue NE on S Jackson St 0.10 mi to Dotterer St. Turn SE onto Dotterer St and continue 0.10 mi to Clinton St. Cross S Clinton St and turn NE on the sidewalk. After 0.32 mi reach Sunday St and in another 300 ft, reach the intersection of Clinton St with Deatrick St to the NW and Downs St to the SE. |
9.2 SE |
45.6 NW |
5. | S Clinton St at Deatrick and Downs Sts Continue SE on Downs St. At the end of Downs St (0.4 mi), turn NE onto Jefferson Ave (SR 66), a beautiful tree-lined street. After 0.34 mi at Williams St, jog 1 block SE to Washington Ave. Follow Washington Ave NE past several churches and the site of Fort Winchester. Bounded by Third St, Jefferson Ave, First St and Washington Ave, the fort was in service during War of 1812. Washington Ave ends at Fort St. Continue NE on lawn into Old Fort Defiance Park. |
10.4 NW |
43.2 SW |
6. | Point of Land at Confluence of Auglaize and Maumee Rivers |
CW | CCW | Pt | Description |
---|---|---|---|
6.7 NE |
48.0 SW |
4. | Canal Rd 156 at Kiser Rd 30 and Kibble Rd 155
The height of land just ahead contains the Defiance Reservoir. From the NE corner of this intersection, follow the bike path NE. After 0.1 mi, reach a 3-way intersection of paved trails. Turn back W on trail that curves slowly to the N beneath the reservoir. After 0.45 mi, pass the Defiance Reservoir Park Campsite on the W side of Kibble Rd. Facilities: C, Cast Iron Grills, P, PS, PT. Location: 41.26768°N, 84.39984°W. Continue N on paved trail across driveway (300ft) that leads to a handicapped parking on the rim of the reservoir. Go N past parking lot and enter woods and brushy areas. Within this area, the trail turns E and joins a boardwalk. After 0.5 mi, exit the boardwalk onto paved trail that turns SSE parallel to Precision Way and passes a parking lot (0.11 mi). After 0.22 mi, reach a 3-way trail intersection. Turn E across Canal Rd a short distance to the end of the bike path at driveway that uses part of the former Canal Rd (200ft). Turn N. After 70ft, turn NE onto S Jackson St. After 0.45 mi, pass Legion Field, a city ball field (P). Hudson's Lock 34 is located near the S corner of this park. Continue NE on S Jackson St past Linden St (0.1 mi). |
9.1 N |
45.6 S |
5. | S Jackson St at Deatrick St (G) |
CW | CCW | Pt | Description |
---|---|---|---|
51.8 | 2.9 | 19. | Farnsworth Metropark |
53.1 | 1.6 | 20. | Bike Path at S River Rd (C53) |
54.7 | 0.0 | 21. | S River Rd at Mechanic St (SR 64) in Waterville |
CW | CCW | Pt | Description |
---|---|---|---|
51.1 NE |
2.9 SW |
19. | Farnsworth Metropark
Continue NE through the highly developed Farnsworth Metropark, a unit of Metroparks Toledo (C, P, PS, PT, W, WC). The large island seen in the river is named Parker Island by the Waterville Historical Society. It is more commonly named Missionary Island and is owned by Ohio Division of Wildlife. Prehistoric Native American sites may be present. After 1.3 mi near the N end of Missionary Island, exit the Towpath Trail onto a bike path; turn NW. |
52.4 N |
1.6 S |
20. | Bike Path at S River Rd (C53) Cross S River Rd and then Waterville Monclova Rd (150'). Continue on the bike path parallel with S River Rd. After 0.28 mi, continue on the bike path that now parallels the Anthony Wayne Trail as S River Rd exits the highway E. If you look S, you can see a sign along the Towpath Trail in Farnsworth Metropark that tells about the Bowling Green fault, the only known fault line near the Great Lakes. The fault extends about 100 mi from Findlay, Ohio, into Michigan. It crosses the park here. When the water level in the Maumee R is very low, the fault is exposed in the river bed. After 1.0 mi on the S side of Farnsworth Rd, exit the bike path; cross Anthony Wayne Trail and continue E along the sidewalk on the S side of Farnsworth Rd. After 3 blocks, turn N onto the sidewalk along the E side of S River Rd. |
54.0 E |
0.0 S |
21. | S River Rd at Mechanic St (SR 64) in Waterville The DEFIANCE SECTION ends here. The PEMBERVILLE SECTION describes the next Section CW (E). This map update ends here. |