HomeOhioBowling Green › Slippery Elm Trail: North Terminus

Slippery Elm Trail: North Terminus

4.7 ★★★★★ 82 Google reviews · Running trail in Bowling Green, Ohio · Open 24 hours

Runner's snapshot

Surface
Paved
Distance
Not reported
Shape
Not reported
Shade
Tree cover
Access
Open 24 hours

Confirmed from Slippery Elm Trail: North Terminus' own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.

PavedOpen 24hShadedScenicFlat & fastRestroomsWaterTrailhead parkingQuiet

Open-air setting with asphalt, pavement and woods trails for hiking and cycling, plus restrooms.

What runners say about Slippery Elm Trail: North Terminus

Pulled from public reviews of this trail (82 of them) — the things people bring up again and again, in their own words. Nothing here is written by us.

well-maintained 4 mentions

“I rode the whole trail twice now it is fun and fairly well maintained.”

🏞️ beautiful scenery 5 mentions

“Beautiful trail that extends across multiple towns.”

🌳 shaded & cool 5 mentions

“This is a wide open trail, lots of sun, but shade is not absent.”

🌾 quiet & peaceful 4 mentions

“Very nice trail, quiet, peaceful, pretty, and safe.”

Ample parking and easy access when school is not in session. If you are seeking access during school hours, Black Swamp Preserve at 1014 S. Maple St. (access from E.

★★★★★ — Jim , Aug 2016

I rode the whole trail twice now it is fun and fairly well maintained. There are some rough bumps by the bridges that go over ditches though. Fairly decent experience all around. Parking can be rough to find at times on the BG side because the main lot is a school that restricts parking.

★★★★☆ — Zane , Sep 2023

One of my favorites bike trail. Very nice and easy. You have a large parking lot at the trail head if you start from there. There is few sections that are in the wood and wonderful during summer. Arriving at North Baltimore there is a very convenient set of toilets.

★★★★★ — Jean-Marie , Sep 2017

I try to bike from here at least 4-5 days a week. I wish there was dedicated parking away from the school, but I always go after school is out, so it's a non-issue. Trail is really smooth and well kept. Not a trailhead issue, but I wish the water fountains worked along the trail.

★★★★☆ — Tyler , Apr 2016

Excerpts from public Google reviews. Read all 82 reviews →

Trail conditions & character

What this trail is actually like underfoot and overhead, taken from its own listing and from reviews. Each one links to every other trail with the same character. Busy or quiet is reported as a plain fact, not a plus or a minus — a runner heading out alone at dawn often wants company on the path, and someone running intervals wants an empty one.

🅿️ Trailhead parking 7 mentions

“I wish there was dedicated parking away from the school, but I always go after school is out, so it's a non-issue.”

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🌳 Shaded / tree cover 5 mentions

“This is a wide open trail, lots of sun, but shade is not absent.”

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🏞️ Scenic views 5 mentions

“Beautiful trail that extends across multiple towns.”

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🤫 Quiet / uncrowded 4 mentions

“Very nice trail, quiet, peaceful, pretty, and safe.”

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🛣️ Paved surface 3 mentions

“Delight to bike - paved, flat and groomed.”

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🚻 Restrooms 3 mentions

“Gypsy Lane just west of Wal-Mart) has flush restrooms, a water fountain, and a connector trail passing through the preserve to connect with the Slippery Elm Bike Trail.”

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Flat & fast 2 mentions

“Delight to bike - paved, flat and groomed.”

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🚰 Water fountains 2 mentions

“Gypsy Lane just west of Wal-Mart) has flush restrooms, a water fountain, and a connector trail passing through the preserve to connect with the Slippery Elm Bike Trail.”

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Plan your run at Slippery Elm Trail: North Terminus

The practical stuff

  • AccessOpen 24 hours — no gate to beat, so a 5am or a 10pm run both work
  • SurfacePaved — asphalt or concrete. Fast and predictable, runnable year-round, and fine with a stroller
  • DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
  • ShadeRunners describe real tree cover here — it makes a summer afternoon workable
  • At the trailheadparking, restrooms, water — reported by runners
  • Websitewcparks.org
  • Phone(419) 353-1897
  • Social Instagram · Facebook

Hours

Monday Open 24 hours
Tuesday Open 24 hours
Wednesday Open 24 hours
Thursday Open 24 hours
Friday Open 24 hours
Saturday Open 24 hours
Sunday Open 24 hours

Posted hours for the park or trailhead. Gates and parking lots often close earlier than the trail itself, and seasonal hours change — worth a check before a pre-dawn or after-dark run.

Where to find Slippery Elm Trail: North Terminus

515 Sand Ridge Rd, Bowling Green, OH 43402

Get directions

Running trails near Bowling Green

Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.

Black Swamp Preserve

4.6 ★★★★★ 127 reviews

Bowling Green, OH

PavedScenicDog-friendly

under a mile away

Wintergarden

4.8 ★★★★★ 372 reviews

Bowling Green, OH

ScenicDog-friendly

under a mile away

Bowling Green City Park

4.5 ★★★★★ 232 reviews

Bowling Green, OH

LitScenic

1.0 miles away

Simpson Garden Park

4.8 ★★★★★ 511 reviews

Bowling Green, OH

ScenicDog-friendly

1.3 miles away

Fuller Preserve

4.1 ★★★★☆ 26 reviews

Bowling Green, OH

0.4 miLoopNatural surfaceShaded

5.0 miles away

Farnsworth Metropark

4.8 ★★★★★ 696 reviews

Waterville, OH

8 miScenic

Narrow stretch of green space on the Maumee River with a trail, playground & boat/kayak launch.

9.2 miles away

All running trails in Bowling Green, OH →

Nearby towns

Listing verified July 2026 from public records, the trail's own website and runner reviews. Trail conditions change — paths flood, gates close at dusk, and shaded woods stay muddy for days after rain. Something out of date? Report a correction. Manage this trail? Send us the details — it is free.