Northeast Ohio may not have the most technically challenging roads, but it does offer a few scenic routes between small town destinations. The type of roads you’ll enjoy on a slow Sunday afternoon.
One of these is Ohio State Route 174 between the cities of Willoughby and Chagrin Falls.
You can run the route in either direction, as both downtown areas offer a great place to start or stop your ride. There are a number small shops to visit, and restaurants, ice cream and coffee shops to relax at in both locations, like the Chagrin Falls Popcorn Shop Factory.
The 17 mile trip features a north-south route that often follows the Chagrin River, with a number of rolling hills and slow sweepers that make for a great ride for cruisers, scooters and even bicyclists. The perfect route to take a passenger through.
Traffic is moderate on the weekends, with speed limits ranging from 35 to 40 mph along most of the router, and a few 25 mph speed zones.
There’s also a number of places to stop along the way, as several locations in the Cleveland Metroparks exit onto the route. Squire’s Castle makes for a nice stop with plenty of picture opportunities.
South Chagrin Reservation, just north of Chagrin Falls, offers some additional scenic roads to swing through and plenty of natural scenery to stop and admire.
The endpoints are near highways, with I-90 in the north and US Route 422 in the south.