The Great Guernsey Trail

07/29/2026

Our crews are out making sure our trail is looking beautiful!

07/09/2026

FYI

Contractors on a side-by-side will be on the trail today (July 9, 2027) for the purpose of installing signposts for the new mile markers that are being placed.

This is being done as part of the trail connection project that will create a three mile extension of our trail to downtown Cambridge.

As a result the new western terminus of the trail will be on Turner Avenue. The Corduroy Rd. Trailhead will still be open and serve as one of the principal trailheads of our trail.

07/07/2026

Our crews have been out making a number of improvements to our trail. Today, they are working on an enclosure for our portable restrooms. This is is being done purely for aesthetic reasons. Additionally, we added two new picnic tables at the Corduroy trailhead. Next we will be adding a small pavilion to provide shade during those hot days of summer.

We hope you enjoy our improvements and we look forward to many more additions over the next few years.

06/30/2026

From our Executive Director Ron Gombeda

Folks,

On Sunday I received a call from an individual stating he witnessed a black bear crossing The Great Guernsey Trail near the 6.5 mile marker, just east of Lore City. Typically when I get these calls or messages I take them with a grain of salt, but not in this case. I know the caller and their background, so I knew they for sure saw a black bear.

Fast forward to today, we received a call from a group of ODOT workers letting us know they all saw the black bear near the interstate crossing, just west of Kipling. I and two of my coworkers went to the area where they bear was observed. When we met with the ODOT workers, they shared a photo of the bear and told us what they saw and which way the bear was heading (west).

As we drove down the trail we encountered an individual walking and he too confirmed that he saw the black bear. Based on what we saw and what we were told, I can only assume that the bear is a juvenile and that he was curious as to why there were people on the trail.

I am sharing this information not to scare people, but to inform the public of our visitor and to provide information on what to do if you encounter the bear. It is important to know that black bears are typically fearful of people, so please do not be overly afraid. Be aware and be cautious, but you most likely have nothing to fear.
For more information on black bear encounters, please click the image below for ODNR's website:

If anyone sees the bear and happens to snap a picture of it, please send it to me so we can document the sighting.

Thank you and have a great day!

Black bears are large animals and can cause significant damage while in search of an easy meal.

06/20/2026

The trail has been super busy these past few weeks as people enjoy the lovely weather and the beautiful scenery our trail has to offer!

06/16/2026

A message from our executive director:

Hi! I need to take a minute and provide an update and some clarification regarding e-bikes on The Great Guernsey Trail.

But first it’s important for people to understand that the trail is not owned by a public entity, it’s owned by The Guernsey County Community Development Corp., a private nonprofit and we permit public access for the enjoyment and betterment of the public. As such, we are left to decide what rules and policies we decide to implement on the trail.

That brings us to e-bikes. Initially I opted to ban all e-bikes, but I figured out rather quickly that that was a hasty and poor decision on my part. Because many people who are not physically able to ride a basic bicycle can however ride an e-bike. Which means they can enjoy our beautiful trail, which is my goal!

Based on conversations I had with numerous people and those that enjoy e-bikes, I decided to permit level one and level two e-bikes, level threes are NOT permitted on the trail.

Additionally we implemented a 15 mph limit for e-bikes. But here is where I dropped the ball. I failed to change out the signage that displayed our trail rules. On those signs it showed absolutely no e-bikes and a 10 mph limit. As you can imagine that caused a lot of confusion, phones calls to my office and people arguing on the trail. That’s my fault and I apologize. It just slipped my mind.

Today we removed the old trail rules signs and will be updating them asap. Additionally we will be installing 15 mph signs at various access points along the trail. I hope this will alleviate any confusion in the future.

My sole goal in all of this is to ensure the trail can be enjoyed by as many people as possible, while being a safe and welcoming attraction.

If anyone has any questions, please feel free to call my office, 740-439-0020 or you can message the trail FB page.

As always ✌🏻 ❤️ ➕

Ron G.

05/12/2026

Repairs and updates are being made this week. Our crews are working on our flowerbed near the bird sanctuary and butterfly trail. They are also removing and replacing the crack sealant that is used to protect and maintain our beautiful trail.

If you see them out and about, stop and say hello!

03/17/2026

Come to the trail and enjoy a winter wonderland!

03/09/2026

The warm weather and our trail are both being enjoyed today. So come out and take a nice leisurely walk and enjoy what nature has to offer.