Join the Delaware County Friends of the Trail for a family-friendly trail ride or walk celebrating Galena’s newest trail during National Trail Opening Day on Saturday, April 7.

Area residents including families, those new to bicycling, and those interested in local trails, are invited to gather at 10 a.m. at the Galena Brick Trail trailhead in the 200 block of North Walnut Street near the Galena Cemetery. DCFT will have light refreshments, tire pumps, and basic bicycle tools available.

The approximately 8-mile bicycle route will include the newest section of the Galena Brick Trail with picturesque views from the railroad trestle high over Little Walnut Creek, Preservation Parks of Delaware County’s Hoover Scenic Trail beside Hoover Reservoir, and the tree-lined Genoa Trail in Genoa Township.

DCFT volunteers will lead the ride and provide an introduction to basic ride safety as well as a brief overview of the Ohio to Erie Trail in eastern Delaware County. The ride will be on trails except for short connections on Dustin, Old 3C and Plumb roads. The ride will take approximately one hour based on an average speed of 10 to 12 miles per hour.

Ride participants must have helmets, should bring water, and should dress appropriately for the weather.

Those who prefer to walk are encouraged to stroll along the Galena Brick Trail, pause for views of the Little Walnut Creek and Hoover Reservoir in the distance, and turn around where the trail meets Dustin Road.

The event may be cancelled in the event of rain or snow.

This sixth annual National Trail Opening Day is recognized by the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy to celebrate the kick off of the spring trail season where people across the nation hit their favorite trails for a ride, walk, run or special event.

The Ohio to Erie Trail spans the state from the Ohio River in the southwestern corner of the state to Lake Erie near Cleveland, with about 280 miles of paved trails and about 50 miles on streets and rural roads.

In Delaware County, the trail passes from Westerville through Galena and Sunbury toward a short planned connection in northwest Licking County, and on to the Heart of Ohio Trail in Knox County.

DCFT is working with the villages of Sunbury and Galena, Preservation Parks of Delaware County and the Ohio to Erie Trail Fund to complete the approximately 13-mile section of the Ohio to Erie Trail through the eastern part of the county.

The DCFT is a nonprofit trail advocacy group dedicated to the development and maintenance of multi-use trails for recreation and transportation in Delaware County. Learn more at dcft.org or visit us on Facebook.