Wilmington's trail network is getting a little longer, and the city is throwing open the gates next Saturday to show it off. The Clinton County Trails Coalition and the Wilmington-Clinton County Chamber of Commerce will celebrate the completion of the new Davids Drive Trail with a public ribbon-cutting ceremony at 9 a.m. on Nov. 7, held at the Lytle Creek Greenway Pavilion Trailhead, 575 Davids Dr., right next to Wilmington Christian Academy.
The new stretch extends the existing Lynn Lane Trail to the Lytle Creek Greenway Pavilion along Davids Drive, according to the Wilmington News Journal. The City of Wilmington managed the infrastructure project, which the News Journal reports was completed in October 2026. The new section adds to the city's growing web of paved multiuse pathways built for walking, running and bicycling.
Construction on the 11-foot shared-use path began June 29, with the project expected to wrap by Oct. 22 depending on weather, the News Journal reported earlier this year. Fillmore Construction LLC performed the work, and the path was designed to connect the existing shared-use route at Lynne Lane and Davids Drive to an area near Wilmington Christian Academy, per the same report.
Linking an Existing Network of Local Trails
The Lynn Lane Trail begins in Wilmington's city park and follows Lynn Lane to Davids Drive, forming the backbone that the new section now extends. That segment opened in 2023, connecting the Judy Gano Trail to Davids Drive, according to clintoncountytrails.org. The Lynne Lane Trail itself runs about a mile before ending at Davids Drive, per the Clinton County Trails Coalition's trail guide.
From there, the Lytle Creek Greenway Trail picks up at the Trailhead Pavilion on Davids Drive and follows Lytle Creek downstream toward the 4-C Bicentennial Bike Path, according to Clinton County, Ohio. That 4-C trail was itself built through a partnership between the City of Wilmington, Clinton County, Wilmington College and the Clinton County Trails Coalition.
Funding Accounts Differ on Dollar Source
Where the money for the Davids Drive project came from depends on which account you read. The News Journal's ribbon-cutting announcement states the project was funded through a transportation alternatives grant from the state of Ohio. A separate account from Real Change Wilmington instead describes the path as having been awarded $1,000,000 in federal funds, with development expected to start in 2026. The two sources have not been reconciled.
What's Next for the Trail System
City trail planners already have their eye on the next leg. The Clinton County Trails Coalition lists an approved extension that would carry the trail from Lynn Lane along Davids Drive to State Route 134, near the Clinton County Government Offices, though it remains listed as awaiting construction. The coalition's trail guide describes that phase as the logical next step once the current Davids Drive segment was finished.
For now, residents can explore the finished path themselves. Wilmington's recreational trails are open from dawn to dusk year-round and support walking, jogging, cycling, skating and even cross-country skiing, according to Wilmington Parks & Recreation. Public parking for the Nov. 7 ribbon-cutting will be available in front of the pavilion, and the ceremony is open to everyone. Those wanting more details can reach the Clinton County Trails Coalition by email or through clintoncountytrails.org.
