Rating the Suburbs: Trail Mix

1. Brunswick A new 1-mile trail along Brunswick Lake connects to an existing trail near the Susan B. Hambley Nature Center. Two new wooden boardwalks carry the path over smaller parts of the lake. "You feel like you're away from it all," says John Piepsny, the city's parks and recreation director.

2. North Ridgeville Opened last June, the 1.2-mile paved Town Center trail connects South Central Park, City Hall, North Ridgeville Middle School and St. Peter's Parish. "It's brought a lot of people out, because now they have someplace to run, walk and take their kids," says parks and recreation director Kevin Fougerousse.

3. Shaker Heights Construction will begin this summer on a .68-mile extension trail on the 5.5-mile Lake-to-Lakes Trail, which will connect Shaker Lakes Park to University Circle, Rockefeller Park and Lake Erie. "The trail will allow people to access the parkland a little more easily," says Shaker Heights principal planner Ann Klavora.