I recently spent an afternoon in and around my old stomping grounds of Lorain, Ohio. While I was there, I took a few hours to explore a Lorain County Metroparks Trail that runs through the slag fields of the city’s steel mill, as well as along the banks of the Black River. Walkers, runners, and bikers on the trail get to see a juxtaposition of industry (or what’s left of it, anyhow) and nature.

I wanted to share a few photos:

Slag, a byproduct of the steelmaking process, is piled all around in giant heaps.

You can see the mill on the other side of the river.

A view of the river.

Nature is reclaiming the slag heaps as well. Notice the plants and trees growing.

I believe this train is carrying pipe from the mill.

Getting this trail built was quite an undertaking and took a number of years, with the legal issues of going through the slag fields, as well as the engineering challenges of crossing the Black River, French Creek, and a small ravine. It’s just over two miles, and starts at the Day’s Dam area at East 31st Street in Lorain.

-KG

Popularity: 11% [?]