Biking the Little Miami Scenic Trail. Loveland to Milford, Ohio ~ Adventures in Southern California

We spent a Sunday in early November riding the Little Miami Scenic Trail from Loveland to Milford, Ohio. It's one of the best paved bike trails I've ridden. We covered 9.2 miles each way following the Little Miami River through beautiful forests, small towns, and several historic bridges. There are also some excellent breweries and restaurants along the way. We would have made it further had we not stopped in several amazing breweries along our route for beer!

The Little Miami Scenic Trail stretches 78 miles from Springfield Ohio toward Cincinnati. It's built along an old railroad corridor, so the trail is essentially flat and very easy to ride. Most of the route follows the Little Miami River, which was Ohio's first designated State Scenic River. The trail also connects to a much larger network of paved bike trails throughout southwestern Ohio. I am dying to come back and do more of this trail.

Starting in Loveland

We rented bikes from Loveland Bike Rental for $30 each for the day. It's a great little shop right next to the trail, with really nice hybrid bikes that were perfect for the ride. The girl at the counter was awesome and got us set up in 5 minutes. Loveland is a gorgeous little town and one of the best places to start and finish a ride. There are several great restaurants and breweries, including Narrow Path Brewing Company, Cappy's Taproom, and Hops & Berry, a self pour taproom. Pig Candy BBQ is another great option near the trail. The town was packed with people outside enjoying the Sunday afternoon. Cyclists were everywhere, the bars were full of people watching football, and families were hanging out in the parks and restaurants. There's a great atmosphere in Loveland, and I could have easily spent an entire afternoon there.

You can ride north or south from Loveland. We decided to head south toward Milford, which is about 9 miles away.

Riding the Trail to Milford

The ride itself is beautiful. The paved trail runs through a forest with a canopy of trees overhead for almost the entire route. Even on a sunny afternoon, there was plenty of shade and a nice breeze coming off the river. We saw people canoeing on the water and dozens of cyclists riding in both directions. The serious road cyclists were absolutely flying past us. There are several scenic bridges along the route, including an old railroad bridge with beautiful views of the Little Miami River. Since the trail follows a former railroad line, there are very few hills, making it easy to cover a lot of distance.

One of our favorite stops was The Schoolhouse Restaurant in Camp Dennison. The restaurant is a historic schoolhouse dating back to the 1860s that serves traditional American comfort food. . They also had some fantastic bourbon cocktails on the menu. Outside, there are picnic tables, a general store, and a little farm with goats you could pet. It's a fun place to stop and hang out for a while.

We also stopped at the Miamiville Trailyard, a restaurant and bar right along the trail. There's a large outdoor area where you can grab a beer and play games like giant Connect Four or cornhole.

At another point along the ride, we came across a basketball court with a giant chessboard set up in the middle. We stopped and played a game before getting back on our bikes. It's little things like this that make the trail so much fun.

Little Miami Brewing Company in Milford

Another of the highlights of the ride was Little Miami Brewing Company in Milford. The brewery is located right along the river, just across a bridge from the bike trail. They have a fantastic selection of craft beers, a large indoor taproom, outdoor seating, and a second-floor deck overlooking the river. There's also a patio with comfortable Adirondack chairs surrounding a fire pit. We sat upstairs overlooking the water and drank a beer before heading back toward Loveland. The Blackbird Fly was honestly one of the best beers I’ve ever had in my life. One thing I noticed throughout the day was how relaxed everyone was about their bicycles. There were bikes everywhere, leaning against fences and parked outside breweries, and hardly anyone seemed to bother locking them up. It was a very different atmosphere from some of the busier places I've ridden. We also saw surprisingly few electric bikes. Most people were riding traditional road bikes or hybrids, although Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes are allowed the trail.

My Next Trip

We only explored about 9 miles of a 78 mile trail, and I desperately want to come back and ride the rest of it. I'd love to bring an electric bike and cover a huge section in a single day. There are a ton more towns, bridges, restaurants, and breweries to explore in both directions. I'm especially disappointed that we didn't make it farther south to Fifty West Brewing Company near Cincinnati or north to Cartridge Brewing in Maineville, which is inside a historic ammunition factory beside the trail. Those are definitely on my list for the next trip. Between the beautiful scenery, shaded paths, historic buildings, and all the great places to stop for food and drinks, the Little Miami Scenic Trail is easily one of my favorite bike trails in the US.