Downtown Dayton provides many opportunities for walking. Walking in Downtown Dayton can be not only good for you, but also entertaining. Below you will find links to walking routes with maps and information. These will include mileage, approximate timing and points of interest.

The Walk!Downtown Dayton 2008 Kick-Off
was May 21st at noon on Courthouse Square!

Click here to see highlights

Past Kick-off Highlights!
1.	2.
Heater, the Dayton Dragon's mascot, warms up with the rest of the walkers Off we go on the Meditative Walk Dayton Mayor Rhine L. McLin led the Peace Walk	3.

Click on walk name for map:

~ All Around Town

~ Avenue of the Arts

~ Home Run Hike

~ Inventors Walk

~ Meditative River Walk

~ The Peace Walk

~ The Tartan Trail

~ The Wright Walk

Walk on downtown’s creative side! Don’t miss Urban Nights, Friday, May 16. Back by popular demand, CityLife’08: A Sculpture Walk comes to Dayton on May 16 and runs until August 15. Click here for more information. Click here for more information.

Bringing Physical Activity to the Greater Dayton Community

Local

With the high cost of fuel expected this summer, greater Dayton residents have even more reason to participate in the Drive Less, Live More campaign, presented by the Miami Conservancy District, Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission, Greater Dayton RTA and Five Rivers MetroParks.  Not only can you save money by reducing automobile use, increase your fitness and improve the air you breathe – you can win cool prizes! 

To encourage everyone to explore alternative modes of transportation, Drive Less Live More is once again offering its One Less Trip contest, where drivers in the region will be asked to give up their cars for short trips around town.  This year, the contest is being expanded to four months – May through August.  In addition to monthly prizes, there will be overall campaign winners in each transportation mode –biking, bus, walking, carpooling – as well as a grand prize and second prize. 

The grand prize is a two-night stay and various other amenities at the Mission Point Resort on Mackinac Island, MI, and the second prize is a “Discover Dayton” activities package, complete with an overnight stay at the Crowne Plaza, two tickets to the opera, “Turandot,” a $50 gift card to Citilites restaurant, two RTA day passes and more.

For more information, go to Drive Less, Live More at www.drivelesslivemore.org or call (937) 277-4374.

Thought about biking to work? Bike Miami Valley's web site offers guidance on how to commute to work on a bike. Get started in May by participating in Bike to Work Day, Friday, May 16, 2008, 6:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. at the National City Bank 2nd Street Public Market (Corner of 2nd Street and Webster Street). Free breakfast and prizes, and giveaways to the first 200 bicyclists.  Bike to Work Day corporate sponsors include roll:, Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission and CH2M HILL.

If your biking skills are a bit rusty, get practice with Five Rivers MetroParks Bike for the Health of It program, a series of guided rides of varying distances on asphalt recreation trails, May - Oct. Participants will also have the opportunity to learn basic bicycle maintenance tips. Prizes are awarded for reaching 125 and 250 miles or more. Parents/guardians must remain with their children during the program. Wearing a helmet is strongly recommended for all participants. Note: Due to the City of Dayton's helmet ordinance, all children under the age of 13 must wear a helmet when riding in the city.  This program is free and does not require pre-registration. Rides are held rain or shine.

The Great Miami River Recreation Trail through downtown Dayton is one of several recreational trails maintained by the Miami Conservancy District.  Not only is it great for walking and biking, it connects to a number of other trails and recreational parks in the Miami Valley (and the views of the river from the trails are worth the trip!).  Learn more about planning a bike trip on the trail with the interactive bike trail map on the Drive Less, Live More Web site.

Did you know the Wright Brothers built bicycles before they invented the Wright Flyer? During the summer, the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Park will be fittingly presenting this and other points of Dayton’s rich aviation history by bicycle with its “Bike with a Ranger” tours. The casual tours are paced so participants can socialize as well as learn.  Rides will alternate on the first and third Sundays of June, July, and August. The tour on the first Sunday of each month is a moderate to easy ride on mostly bike trails approximately 10 miles long and two hours in duration. The tour on the third Sunday will be along mostly residential streets, but may include some moderately busy roads. This ride will be 15 to 20 miles long and about four hours. Participants should be present no later than 8:30 a.m. the day of the program for tour and safety orientation. Pre-registration is encouraged. Cyclists are required to wear helmets and have functional bicycles. Bring personal gear, including water and food. Bicycles are subject to a safety inspection. Children under 18 must be accompanied by a cycling adult. Tours may be canceled due to inclement weather. Contact Park Ranger Mark Dues at (937) 425-0008 for more information.

Tour 1: First Sundays of June, July, and August at Huffman Prairie Flying Field Interpretive Center, 2380 Memorial Road, Wright-Patterson.
Tour 2: Third Sundays of June, July, and August at The Wright Cycle Company, 22 S. Williams St.  

Is walking your thing?  The Greater Dayton area has lots of places and spaces for walking. During the week, download the Walk! Downtown Dayton maps for a half-hour stroll.  On Saturdays, get in shape for summer by walking outdoors with Five Rivers MetroParks Spring Trail Trekkers Series during April, May and June. If this is your first Trail Trekker series, receive a MetroParks Trail Trekker ball cap for completing 8 of the 12 hikes. To get credit, sign in with the leader at the end of each walk. All walks will begin at 2 p.m. and cover about 3 miles in 1 1/2 hours. Call 278-2623, Monday - Friday, with any questions. No registration is required and the program is free.

Click here to go to Healthy Dayton's web site to find a Walking Trail in your area.

Local and National

Walking and bicycling are easier if you live in a walkable community. Walkable communities not only add to personal health but to the overall quality of life of a community.  Walkable communities are among the principles of sustainable growth for a community. What's being done about this in the greater Dayton area? The Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission (MVPRC) has developed a Sustainable Growth Initiative that seeks to incorporate principles of sustainable growth in its regional efforts.  Its goal is to manage and direct community growth in a way that minimizes damage to the environment and builds livable towns and cities that can prosper.

The National Center for Safe Routes to School assists communities in organizing Safe Routes to School programs, often referred to as SR2S or SRTS Programs, to encourage and enable children to walk or bike to school. On a broader level, SRTS programs can enhance children’s health and well-being, ease traffic congestion near the school, improve air quality and improve community members’ overall quality of life.

Communities in the Greater Dayton area are beginning to implement SR2S/SRTS (click here for a Dayton case study). For an example of a local initiative already in place, visit the City of Kettering's Safe Routes to School Web page.

National

A number of national organizations are encouraging communities to get involved in supporting safe walking and biking through community planning and local initiatives. While increased physical activity is a goal, bicycle and pedestrian-friendly communities are safer places for children, the disabled, people of low income and the elderly.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Active Community Environments Initiative (ACES) promotes walking, bicycling, and the development of accessible recreation facilities.  The initiative is based on data that suggests that characteristics of our communities such as nearness of facilities, street design, density of housing, availability of public transit and of pedestrian and bicycle facilities play a significant role in promoting or discouraging physical activity.

Walkable Communities, Inc. was organized to help whole communities, whether they are large cities or small towns, or parts of communities, i.e. neighborhoods, business districts, parks, school districts, subdivisions, specific roadway corridors, etc., become more walkable and pedestrian-friendly.

AARP has completed a report, Beyond 50.05, which examines the positive benefits of well-designed, livable communities for older Americans.

The League of American Bicyclists promotes bicycling for fun, fitness and transportation and works through advocacy and education for a bicycle-friendly America. As part of its mission, the League annually recognizes bicycle-friendly communities across the nation.
 
The Pedestrian and Biking Information Center provides accurate and current bicycling and walking information, and supports a network of informed individuals and organizations to increase public awareness of pedestrian and bike issues.