CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Imagine starting a bike ride on the Towpath Trail and pedaling all the way to Pittsburgh, Washington, D.C. or even Atlanta.

A new frontier is opening for bike travel. A growing network of designated routes is being pieced together across the nation along low-traffic roads, trails and bike lanes by the same association that designates Interstate highway numbers. The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) established the US Bicycle Route System in 1978. However, it’s only recently begun to take shape.

There’s more than 17,000 miles of U.S. Bicycle Routes across the country. Ohio boasts 1,523 miles, more than any state in the nation.

In the age of the automobile, road trips have thrilled millions of travelers with the allure of the open highway. As roads become more open to bikes and as trails expand, that sense of adventure is giving rise to a new kind of tourism. For people willing to spend multiple days on their bike, trail trips may become the new road trip.

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