Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Oct 30, 2024 | 0 comments

Cuyahoga Valley National Park, at 33,000 acres, is one of our smaller national parks, but offers boundless beauty with cinnamon-colored pin oaks and fiery red sugar maples in the fall. Preserved forests hug the sparkling Cuyahoga River that pulses over rock and branches into tributaries and creeks to create waterfall music. While small, it is one of the most-visited national parks in the United States. Tucked between the cities of Cleveland and Akron in Ohio, it is easily accessible via the nation’s second largest interstate, I-80, and while big city lights and attractions are close by, they feel worlds away.

Today’s sparkling Cuyahoga River is far removed from its past. Over a century of hazardous dumping made the Cuyahoga River one of the most polluted waterways in the country. Thankfully, Congress created Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area in 1974 as part of its Parks to the People program, a movement to bring nature to urban areas. In the year 2000, the name changed to Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

Over time, the Cuyahoga River has healed and welcomed back wildlife. More than 40 fish species like steelhead trout and northern pike have returned to swim the river’s waters. Nesting eagles came back after a 70-year absence. And, wading waterfowl like the Great blue herons are plentiful, often swooping overhead with a wingspan of nearly seven feet.

About the Park

Start your visit at the Boston Mill Visitor Center and Canal Exploration Center, where you can learn about the park’s farms, forests and early canal history. More than 140 miles of hiking, bicycling and horseback riding trails offer opportunities to soak in dramatic fall colors. One of the things that sets Cuyahoga Valley National Park apart is that it is a patchwork quilt of sorts. Within the park’s borders, swatches of the Cleveland Metroparks, as well as towns, connect the park together. Non-profit partners, such as the Cuyahoga Valley Farmers Market, Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad and Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park’s Trail Mix stores, offer more ways to appreciate the park. Around 250 historic structures, including residential and farming properties, are also located within its boundaries. Some farms offer camping while others offer farm stands, tours and farm-to-table dinners. Bike along the restored Ohio & Erie Canal where mules moved travelers and goods in the 19th century.

History and Hikes

The Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail, with its smooth, crushed-stone surface, runs 20 miles, traversing the entire length of the park. Once traveled by mules, the canal path played a pivotal role in the area from 1825 to 1832. Essential goods could finally make it through the wilderness of Ohio, connecting the already settled eastern United States. This industrious transportation route revolutionized life for the people and bustling towns sprouted on the banks. You can explore remnants of old canal life on the path, such as the Hunt House in the Village of Everett. Aptly named Beaver Marsh is home to beavers, river otters, ducks, and migrating fall birds. The Everett Covered Bridge, over Furnace Run, is a reconstructed covered bridge set in the woodlands that replaced the original that was destroyed in a 1975 flood.

All Aboard

After biking or hiking through canal history, climb aboard the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad on the National Park Explorer route. The train runs alongside the Cuyahoga River and Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail with stops at the Akron Northside, Botzum, Indigo Lake or Peninsula stations. Visitors can buy one-way tickets or an Explorer pass to board their bikes and chug along for prime leaf-peeping opportunities. Mixing biking with a ride on the rails offers a nice reprieve after pedaling. Soak up the fall foliage from the comfort of the train while trekking through history. You can hop off to explore more trails.

Waterfall Hikes

The visitor center is not only the best place to launch your adventure, it’s also adjacent to some of the most popular waterfall hikes in the park. Blue Hen Falls is a 3-mile round trip loop on the rugged Buckeye Trail. With a 580-foot elevation change, hiking shoes are recommended. In fall, the 15-foot waterfall cascades over rocky ledges into a basin of fall confetti leaves. Brandywine Falls is the crown jewel of the park’s waterfalls and you can hear its thunderous sound before seeing it. Located near the Inn at Brandywine Falls, a historic farmhouse built in 1848, you’ll find the adjacent trailhead. The 1.5-mile Brandywine Gorge Loop Trail is the best way to appreciate the plunging 65-foot falls that roar over ancient rocks like sandstone and shale. While you can drive to the falls, parking is very limited.

Valley Views

For a panoramic view over the entire valley in all its autumnal splendor, take the Ledges Trail. Lace up your hiking boots for this 1.8-mile loop’s natural surface that passes over quite a few tree roots and rocks with only slight elevation changes. A clear overlook provides a dramatic display of rock ledges that frame the verdant valley with quiet whispers from spice-colored woodland trees.

Where to Camp

While there is no camping inside the park, unique camping opportunities are nearby. Valley Overlook offers canvas tent and cabin rentals on 62 wooded acres surrounded by the national park. Heritage Farms in Peninsula offers pastoral camping and more traditional KOAs and other camping options can be found on the park’s website (nps.gov/cuva/index.htm).

This article by Sarah Miller was originally published in Girl Camper Magazine.