Camp Chase Trail is a "rail with trail" project, named for the Camp Chase Railway it parallels. During the American Civil War, Camp Chase was a military staging and training camp for Union forces, and a prison camp for Confederates. All that remains of the camp today is a Confederate Cemetery containing 2,260 graves, located at 2900 Sullivant Ave. It was named for former Ohio Governor and Lincoln's Secretary of the Treasury Salmon P. Chase. Four future Presidents passed through Camp Chase as Union soldiers: Andrew Johnson, Rutherford B. Hayes, James Garfield, and William McKinley.
The Camp Chase Trail has been complete from the conjunction with the Roberts Pass trail at the Wilson Road Trailhead in Madison County, Ohio to the intersection with Sullivant Avenue in Franklin County since 2015. The City of Columbus approved funding for the final 3 miles of the Camp Chase Trail from Georgesville Road to North Eureka Ave. on November 3, 2014. and completed it December 2016. In July 2019, the trail connector parallel to Georgesville Road and Sullivant Ave was opened and replaced the Industrial Mile Road section of the trail. From the trail access at Georgesville Road, the trail continues north to N. Eureka Ave where the Ohio to Erie Trail route continues on N. Eureka Ave to Valleyview Dr which changes names to N. Highland Ave, then Harper Rd where the route crosses McKinley Ave. and utilizes the Hilltop Connector bridge to connect to the Scioto Greenway Trail. The Ohio to Erie Trail is marked on the short road route to the Hilltop Connector bridge, where it joins the Scioto Greenway Trail. For the most part, the Camp Chase Trail is paved, with the exception of the connector through the Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park, which is crushed, packed limestone. For navigation, it is important to note that Camp Chase trail is in proximity to two roads named "Wilson Road", one in each county, Wilson Road Park is in Columbus at 275 S. Wilson Road.
March 21, 2012: Trail bridge over Darby Creek brings the trail into Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park
October 10, 2013: The Friends of the Camp Chase Trail held their first meeting at the Haydocy Automotive Community Room. Area citizens met with members of the Friends of Madison County Parks and Trails to discuss creating a similar function for the Camp Chase Trail.
November 15, 2013: Completion of the Trail segment east of Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park
April 8, 2014: Friends of the Camp Chase Trail introduced the trail at the Westland Area Business Association Meeting at Darby Dan Farm.
July 14, 2014: WSA Studio presented to the friends of Camp Chase Trail and Community Stakeholders regarding the Wilson Road Trailhead at the Haydocy Community Room.
October 12, 2014: Camp Chase Trail partnered with the Friends of Madison County Parks and Trails to host a table at Darby Creek Days at Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park an event held annually in the Indian Ridge section of the park.
November 3, 2014: Columbus City Council approves funding to construct the Camp Chase Trail between Georgesville Road and North Eureka Ave.
November 13, 2014: Paving completed on the Camp Chase Trail between Alton Road and Galloway Road.
March 28, 2015: Camp Chase Trail Day was celebrated at Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park
October 30, 2015, Friends of Camp Chase Trail hosted the Opening Trail Ride on the newest 3 mile section between Galloway Road and Sullivant Ave, including the 100 Yard bridge over Interstate 270. 36 trail friends were in attendance.
December 5, 2015, The Camp Chase Trail Hilltop Action Team was established to monitor conditions in the trail corridor for the trail area from Georgesville Road to N. Eureka Ave. The Columbus Westside Running Club was formed by meeting attendees and began holding group runs at Columbus Westgate Park on January 12, 2016.
December 1, 2016, The Camp Chase Trail is fully paved between Georgesville Road and N. Eureka Ave which represents the conclusion of the major construction of Camp Chase Trail.
