Training grounds. Sanctuary. Nature preserve. Physical therapy. Gathering place. Corridor. Second chance. Safe place to teach your kid to ride a bike.

People travel hundreds of miles in search of a place that can be all of these things — and countless others. How far would you travel?

If you live in Logan County, not far at all. And if you live in Bellefontaine, you are already there.

The Simon Kenton Trail is a path that starts (or ends) at its trailhead in Bellefontaine and goes directly through West Liberty and Urbana to Springfield. Adjoining trails can then take you to through Yellow Springs, Xenia and as far as Cincinnati.

Having strolled, run and cycled the Simon Kenton Trail myself over the years, I’ve discovered golf balls, gathered buckeyes, found mushrooms and picked raspberries. I’ve traversed landscapes from swamp to prairie, spotted wildlife from eagles to minks and strode through a kaleidoscope of butterflies.

At certain times the path may be lined with wildflowers; or as a quiet homage to its heritage, the occasional train sitting on the long-inactive tracks.

I’ve met birdwatchers, marathon trainers, out-of-staters, dogwalkers, transients, mushroom hunters and a recovering addict looking for peace.

And, as an occasional reminder that we are out in nature, I’ve been bitten by flies, barely dodged a raccoon on the bike, about tripped on a groundhog carcass (eyes on path!) and been pooped on by a cackling crow with an apparently odd sense of humor.

But what’s the purpose of the Simon Kenton Trail? That depends on who you ask.

For Patty Curtis of East Liberty, this is her place of worship and reflection.

“This is my ‘Prayer Trail’,” Patty said, standing at the trailhead with her headphones resting around her neck. “I’ll walk or run while praying, meditating, or listening to Christian music.” Patty explained that through this mind and body link with the serene natural surroundings, she finds her peace, fulfillment and closeness to God.

For the Layton family, this is their place to promote health, outdoors and togetherness. Jeff and Miranda, recent transplants from Alabama, found it soon after arriving in Bellefontaine.

It was only a matter of time since, as Jeff put it, “We live a two-minute walk away.”

They bring their three children Bentley, Mari and Krew to walk, bike and push a stroller as they chat and observe their surroundings. There was no music, earbud or phone use… the family was fully unplugged.

And as a bonus, they now have a place to teach Mari, their middle child, how to ride a bike since there is no worrying about traffic.

The trail can also be an ideal place for health and recovery. Dave Booher came here after several surgeries. His doctors required low-impact exercise and biking was the most logical choice.

I carried Dave's cane while he leaned on his bicycle to make his way to the trail.

“I’ll need a tree or post to hold me up to get going,” Dave said, almost to himself. So naturally, the stopping-starting required with traffic for Dave is inconvenient and even dangerous.

On Bellefontaine city streets, Dave would have to stop every block or two for intersections. On the trail, he can ride for one to two miles or more without worrying about traffic. 
Note: Dave makes my excuses for not working out rather embarrassing…

For Matt & Kathy Evans and Mike & Penny Ramsey, the trail has become the setting for countless double dates.

Years ago, Mike and Matt discovered the trail while training for half marathons, back when it was still gravel. Later, after the trail was chip sealed, they introduced their wives to it for bike rides.

“We could go to restaurants” Matt acknowledged, “But you can only stay so long before you feel you are holding up a table.”

On the trail they can visit all day if they want. But don’t think this excludes restaurants… that is part of the planning. With towns and cities teeming with restaurants along the way, the choices are nearly endless.

“We do this first for the friendship, and then for the food. The riding is just how we get to both,” Mike added.

For all the ways the Simon Kenton Trail has been repurposed, Rebecca Marker-Smith still uses it as the trails are originally intended: simply to get from one place to another.

A regular two-wheeled commuter and Thoman’s IGA grocery-getter in West Liberty, Rebecca fully grasps this concept.

“I’ll ride the trail to Bellefontaine to, say, the Farmer’s Market for produce, or Urbana to hit The Depot,” Rebecca remarked.

For Rebecca, this is multitasking at its best. She likes that she can run errands, get some exercise and even be social, all while being more environmentally-friendly. And that basket on the handlebars tells us she isn’t playing.

Doug Chivington of Bellefontaine uses it as one of his primary training grounds.

Considering he holds several Grand Master championships and world records, this is no small endorsement. Doug does a lot of his higher-intensity training from Bellefontaine through Urbana, but some of his distance training takes him to places like London and Cincinnati and back.

Besides geographical convenience, he likes some of the trail’s unique training features such as its flatness. You might think that would make it easy.

“You never get to stop pedaling, to rest or coast downhill,” Doug points out helpfully.

And with his level of competition, he needs to train year-round – in Ohio. Fortunately, Doug can do so because of the path’s safety.

The Simon Kenton Trail is remarkably safe, as it lacks traffic, curves and hills. It can be used most of the winter since its chip sealed surface resists black ice, and the trees give some respite from the biting wind.

It can also be ridden safely at night, though some lighting and general caution are advised as always.

For those who want to enjoy Logan County’s bucolic country roads, the trail is a good way to reach them without having to take major routes like U.S. Route 68, or state routes 540 and 47 for example to run, bike or walk.

The area from Bellefontaine to Urbana was brought to us and maintained by the Kenton Trail Pathfinders, a volunteer organization who keeps it safe, beautiful, convenient and accessible while promoting it so more can feel its benefits.

It all began with the dream of local visionary Carmen Scott in 1971. More than 50 years later, that dream continues through the shelter at Bellefontaine's trailhead and the annual bike tour that bears his name. The 2026 ride is set for Sunday, Sept. 13.

Details on this and more, including membership and donations, are available on their website: https://www.simonkentonpathfinders.org and on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SimonKentonPathfinders.

Carmen’s dream finally began to take shape in 1997, when 17 volunteers formed the Pathfinders and began a relationship between Logan and Champaign counties. Since then, through fundraising, grants, volunteers and donations, the entirety of the path was cleared and chip sealed from Bellefontaine’s trailhead to Urbana by 2019.

A current member of the Pathfinders’ Board of Directors, elite cyclist Doug Chivington has helped to oversee the path’s development over the years. He noted that in addition to the benefits the path brings to walkers, cyclists and runners, it has another positive impact on the Logan County area.

“People who use the trail spend $4-$11 per day”, he said, citing data on how such trails affect local economies. “If someone rides a trail and spends the night, they spend $100-$400.”

Doug recalled a Canadian couple he recently met, who trekked all the way to Ohio to use the trail.

“They stayed the night here; they ate at Six Hundred Downtown.”

These stories remind us there are countless more tales waiting to be told... and still yet to be made. So next time you pass the trailhead or cross the path, consider that someone may be training, healing, praying, laughing with friends, walking a dog, finding some peace or watching birds.

Whether on the trail or not, hopefully we all have a little birdwatcher in us… keeping an eye on the mischievous ones directly overhead.