Lake County boasts 31 miles of Lake Erie shoreline and Lake Metroparks helps connect people to this unique resource. Construction has been completed on a new section of lakefront trail that is open to the public adjacent to Painesville Township Park. Lake Metroparks finished work on 2,300 feet of multi-use trail extending west from Painesville Township Park last winter. This ADA-accessible ten-foot wide trail is just the first phase of plans to eventually connect Painesville Township Park to Fairport Harbor along the Lake Erie shore. The trail can be accessed from the ramp leading down to the Painesville Township Park pier.
On April 30, the trail was officially celebrated as Lake Metroparks staff and community partners gathered on the new patio at Painesville Township Park. Creation of this lakefront trail is a success story for modern conservation efforts. The project brought together a wide range of public and private partners who recognized the national significance of providing public access to the shores of Lake Erie. Funding came from many federal, state and local agencies who worked in concert with Lake Metroparks to assemble what is destined to be one of the premier lakefront paths in the Great Lakes region. Because of their generosity and commitment, stunning sunsets and recreation along the lakeshore will be preserved for generations to come.
Phase one of this lakefront trail takes visitors along a half mile of lakeshore. Phase two will continue the trail west, but first requires construction of a breakwall and trail. The breakwall will be constructed in 2024 and the trail behind it will be constructed in 2025. Plans for a proposed phase three are still in development but may include parking lots and access points to the trail from Fairport Nursery Road.