Sidney 

Sidney, Ohio

Sidney, the seat of Shelby County, is the northernmost city on the Great Miami Riverway and the starting point for the Riverway's 99 miles of paved trail. Its historic downtown is built around three standout landmarks: the Louis Sullivan-designed People's Savings and Loan building, one of only a handful of Sullivan "jewel box" banks left in the country; the Monumental Building, built as a memorial to Shelby County's Civil War dead; and the ornate Shelby County Courthouse. Start a Riverway trip here to pick up the trail at its northern trailhead before heading south through Miami County.

Piqua

Piqua, Ohio

Piqua sits about 18 minutes south of Sidney and 14 minutes north of Troy, making it an easy add to a Miami County day trip. The Miami-Erie Canal once ran straight through town, and you can still ride a replica canal boat at the Piqua Historical Area to get a feel for 19th-century travel. Downtown, Lock Nine Park marks the site of the canal's original Lock 9 and adds a performance pavilion, fountain, and green space right where the Riverway trail meets Piqua's historic district — a good spot to start a paddle, a ride, or just an evening walk along the river.

Troy

Troy, Ohio

Troy's downtown public square is one of the most walkable in the region, ringed by restaurants, independent shops, historic buildings, and a rotating outdoor art collection that changes every year. The Great Miami River runs along the edge of downtown, and Troy takes full advantage of it: Treasure Island Park is home to Ohio's only public floating tents, and Smith's Boathouse offers waterfront dining right on the river. Pair a stroll through the square with a paddle or a night on the water, and check the city's event calendar — Troy hosts popular festivals in nearly every season.

Tipp City

Tipp City, Ohio

Tipp City's four-block downtown, the Old Tippecanoe Main Street Historic District, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and includes more than 90 original 19th-century buildings now filled with antique shops, galleries, and locally owned restaurants. Canal Lock Park preserves the remains of the original Miami-Erie Canal's Lock 15, while 280-acre Kyle Park, just south of downtown, connects hikers, cyclists, and equestrians to bridle trails along the Great Miami River. Don't miss: the Gale Halderman Museum, a barn-turned-museum honoring the local designer of the original Ford Mustang — a quirky stop most visitors never expect to find in small-town Ohio.

West Carrollton

West Carrollton, Ohio

West Carrollton, just south of Dayton, offers a quieter stretch of the Riverway without losing easy access to the river. Miami Bend Park has a kayak launch, accessible boat dock, and a low dam that's popular with anglers and birdwatchers — herons and kingfishers are common sights here. Nearby, Miami & Erie Canal Park sits on the site of the Wright Seaplane Base, where Wilbur and Orville Wright tested early flying boats in 1913, with historical markers telling the story along the trail.

Miamisburg

Miamisburg, Ohio

Miamisburg's biggest landmark is impossible to miss: the Miamisburg Mound, the largest conical burial mound in the eastern United States at 65 feet tall, built by the Adena culture roughly 2,000 years ago. Climb its 116 steps for a panoramic view of the river valley, then head into the historic downtown for craft beer at Lucky Star Brewery or Star City Brewing, or live music at Riverfront Park's outdoor amphitheater. The 7-acre Riverfront Park doubles as a trailhead, making it an easy launch point for a ride north toward West Carrollton or south toward Franklin.

Franklin

Franklin, Ohio

Franklin, in Warren County, has earned the nickname "City of Murals" thanks to more than a dozen large-scale, photorealistic murals by local artist Eric Henn scattered across downtown — including a trompe-l'oeil brick archway and a tribute to the city's historic Roebling-designed suspension bridge. Founded in 1796 by General William Schenck and named for Benjamin Franklin, the city sits directly on the Great Miami River, which shapes its entire western edge. A recently completed $13.4 million Main Street streetscape project added a new mural at Fourth and Main blending the city's namesake kite with the curve of the river, and a new riverside park and brewery are in the works along River Street.

Trenton

Trenton, Ohio

Don't confuse this Trenton with its New Jersey or Michigan namesakes — this is Trenton, Butler County, Ohio, a small crossroads town built around the Great Miami River. The Riverway trailhead on State Route 73 connects directly to Woodsdale Regional Park, 119 acres of hiking trails and outdoor education space along the riverbank, as well as Trenton Community Park, which adds a walking trail, playground, and amphitheater for local events. It's a low-key stop for travelers who want river and trail access without the crowds of a bigger downtown.

Monroe

Monroe, Ohio

Monroe, also in Butler County, has one of the most unusual park stories on the Riverway. Monroe Bicentennial Commons Park now occupies the former site of LeSourdsville Lake and later Americana Amusement Park, a regional amusement park that operated for most of the 20th century before closing in 2002. Today the park repurposes pieces of that history — including the old carousel structure, now a sheltered children's playground — alongside walking paths that connect directly to the Great Miami River Trail and the 308-mile US Bike Route 25.

Hamilton

Hamilton, Ohio

Hamilton, the Butler County seat and southernmost city on the Great Miami Riverway, is officially designated by the State of Ohio as the "City of Sculpture." More than 40 public sculptures and StreetSpark murals are scattered through downtown, and Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park & Museum — 300-plus acres of trails, lakes, and more than 60 monumental outdoor sculptures, plus an indoor Ancient Sculpture Museum — sits just outside the city. Along the river itself, Marcum Park has been named one of the American Planning Association's "Great Public Spaces in America," and the RiversEdge Amphitheater hosts a free summer concert series right on the riverbank. Founded in 1791 as Fort Hamilton and named for Alexander Hamilton, the city blends Revolutionary-era history with one of the most active public art scenes in the region.