The Heart of Ohio Trail is currently opened from the Village of Centerburg to Columbus Road (near Parrot St.) in Mount Vernon. This trail, when completed, will offer 16 miles of walking, skating and biking trail. A horse trail will lie adjacent to the trail for two miles from Thayer Road to Patton Road, which places the horse trail close to the Knox County Horse Park. The trail is maintained by the Heart of Ohio Trail group, a volunteer organization. The trail surface is comprised of railroad ballast, stone and fines, suitable for a hybric/comfort bicycle or mountain bicycle. Dry Creek cascades along several portions of the trail, offering the soothing sounds of a high quality stream.

Good News!

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources recently awarded a Clean Ohio Trails grant in the amount of $383,500.00 to the Knox County Board of Commissioners to continue development of the Heart of Ohio Trail near Mount Liberty. The project involves installation of asphalt pavement, traffic control, erosion and drainage control and associated design. No county general revenue funds are necessary for the project, since Knox County Park District levy proceeds will be used for the 25% "local match" requirement for the grant. Over two miles of paving work from Bishop Road west to Tucker Road will occur in late summer, 2010.

2011 brings the next phase of paving from Bishop Road to Updike Road. In 2012, paving will occur between Updike Road west to Preston Street in Centerburg. Both of these phases of trail development are made possible through Ohio Department of Transportation grants, with required local match from the Knox County Park District levy.

In the fall of 2009, two bridges east of Thayer Road (closest to Mount Vernon) were rehabilitated, with financial assistance from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. In the spring of 2010, a trail bed was restored between Henry Road and Thayer Road.

Historic photograph of the now-razed Mount Liberty Depot