Cuyahoga Valley National Park ⓘ

The Cuyahoga Valley resonates with stories of people, past and present. They tell of discovery, self-expression, hardship, gain, love, and humor. Some describe how people changed the landscape to make a living or how American history unfolded here. Many stories were never recorded and have become lost or dimmed through time. Whenever possible, Cuyahoga Valley National Park tries to preserve stories or their remnants. These can teach us where we have been and shape where we are going.

How do we know about the past? The answers to many of our questions can’t be found in history books. To piece together what happened, we use a combination of strategies. Archeology reveals what people left behind. Historical research may involve searching through property records, census records, birth and death records, agricultural reports, family genealogy, historical images, diaries, written memories, and oral histories. It is common to find contradictions or have one puzzle lead to another. The process is like detective work. Once the raw information is put together, we consult with scholars and other experts to help us interpret the meaning and put it into a larger context. When appropriate, we consult with the Tribes affiliated with Cuyahoga Valley. Use the links below to explore our wealth of stories. These major areas of study are works in progress. Check back periodically to see what we’ve added.

Is Cuyahoga Valley a civil rights park? It was created in 1974 as part of the federal government's Parks to People policy. It was born out of the civil rights and environmental movements of the 1960s and early 1970s. For the first 40 years or so of the park’s history, the focus was on building access. Trail networks. A diverse menu of programs. Volunteer and education opportunities. For the National Park Service, we are an “urban park.” For people who visit us from urban centers, we feel rural or suburban. We are part of the metropolitan area, but we are also apart. In-between spaces are good spaces to explore what brings us together--and what divides us. Or just to explore nature. As we prepare for our 50th anniversary, we are exploring park themes through the experiences of people whose stories have not always been told. Here we share stories about African Americans with connections to Cuyahoga Valley. Some people were just traveling through. Some lived here. Some worked here. Some played here. Cuyahoga Valley is included in a 2022 study by the National Park Service called African Americans and the Great Outdoors . This research report includes a StoryMap with links to essays and other resources. This page is a work in progress, so please check back and see what our research has uncovered. We are also participating in the Green Book Cleveland project to map the history of Black entertainment, leisure, and recreation sites in Northeast Ohio. Visit that website to read about three newly rediscovered places in Cuyahoga Valley: the Drift Inn/Cabin Club , Stonibrook , and Lake Glen .

Farming has long been part of life in the Cuyahoga Valley , beginning with Indigenous peoples during the late Archaic period . In the 1800s and early 1900s, farming was the dominant occupation for most residents. Starting in the late 1990s, the national park began rehabilitating historic farmsteads and leasing them to farmers who use sustainable practices. This farming program , originally called the Countryside Initiative, helps preserve the agricultural landscape, as well as sensitive natural and cultural resources. The valley is also home to vibrant farms on private land that sell a broad range of products, from fruit and vegetables to Christmas trees and Belgian horses. Explore the pages below for stories of living and farming in the valley:

The national park partners with Cleveland State University's Center for Public History + Digital Humanities to collect, archive, and share oral histories about different aspects of valley life. As time and resources allow, we fill in gaps in our collection, usually around different themes. In 2011 Cuyahoga Valley National Park received a Parks as Classrooms grant from the National Park Service to collect about 50 oral histories from current, former, and descendants of local farmers.

All stories begin with people and every person has a story. Oral history is a way to record, preserve, and interpret stories from individuals and communities. Oral history is the oldest form of historical inquiry, used by Native Americans in prehistoric times. New technology allows historians to capture and digitize stories so that future generations can hear and learn from them. Oral history interviewees are an important source of knowledge, perspective, and experience that might not be found in the historical record.

The Cuyahoga Valley has been home to humans for thousands of years. Native Americans were the first inhabitants. Different cultures lived in the valley during different time periods. By the mid-1700s, Europeans were establishing trading posts in the valley and a few decades later settlers from New England started coming to stay. Those frontier communities eventually became towns. Their growth was helped along first by the canal, then the railroad, and later interstate highways. Each wave of residents left its mark. The artifacts, trails, farms, old mills, and canal remnants of the Cuyahoga Valley provide clues to how past peoples lived their lives. Visiting the park's many historical sites is like visiting different time periods in the valley. Thanks to the park, those special places are preserved. Learn more about the history and culture of the Cuyahoga Valley by exploring profiles of people who have connections to this place. These profiles are works in progress. Check back periodically to see what we’ve added.

This 60-foot waterfall is accessed via a partially accessible boardwalk. Avoid this area during peak time as it is our most popular location and parking near the falls is limited.

Brandywine Falls is open daily from dawn to dusk. The boardwalk may be closed during icy conditions. Brandywine Falls is located at 8176 Brandywine Road in Sagamore Hills Township.

The 1.5-mile Brandywine Gorge Loop lets you explore beyond the waterfall. It starts near the bed & breakfast and follows the edge of the gorge, eventually taking you down to creek level. The trail is worth revisiting in the spring to view vernal pools that temporarily fill with water, attracting breeding salamanders. Along the way, there are also views of the creek and the layers of rock it has exposed.

Brandywine Falls is a place to return to time and time again - to enjoy seasonal changes like fall colors and spring vernal pools. It is also a place to watch the moods of the waterfall. With less water, the bridal-veil pattern becomes more pronounced. In winter, ice becomes the attraction. Runoff from upstream paved surfaces has increased water flow compared to historic water volumes. This is especially true immediately after storms and water can be seen in high volumes as it rushes over the falls.

Carved by Brandywine Creek, the 60-foot falls demonstrates classic geological features of waterfalls. A layer of hard rock caps the waterfall, protecting softer layers of rock below. In this case, the top layer is Berea Sandstone. The softer layers include Bedford and Cleveland shales, soft rocks formed from mud found on the sea floor that covered this area 350-400 million years ago. Shale is thinly chunked, giving water a bridal veil appearance as it cascades down the falls. A combination of boardwalk and steps brings you into the waterfall's gorge and lets you view the waterfall head-on (a boardwalk option without stairs is also available). The boardwalk also provides a close look at Berea Sandstone. Careful inspection will reveal the individual grains of sand that accumulated in a sea 320 million years ago. Berea Sandstone is high quality sandstone found commonly throughout this area, both in nature and as a construction material used in buildings and canal locks. The moistness of the gorge is evident as you walk along boardwalk. The moisture invites moss to grow on the sandstone and eastern hemlocks, a type of evergreen tree, to grow along the gorge. The hemlocks contrast with the abundant red maple trees in the area, which flame with color in the fall.

Early settlers in the valley saw the falls, not just as an object of beauty, but as something to be used for its water power. In 1814, George Wallace built a saw mill at the top of the falls. Grist and woolen mills followed. The Village of Brandywine grew around the mills and became one of the earliest communities to emerge in the Cuyahoga Valley. Much of the village is now mostly gone, lost to the construction of nearby Interstate 271. However, the James Wallace house, built by George's son, remains and is a bed & breakfast, the Inn at Brandywine Falls .

Everett Covered Bridge, which crosses Furnace Run, is the only remaining covered bridge in Summit County. When it was built in the 1800s, it was one of over 2,000 in the state. During that period, Ohio led the nation in covered bridge construction. This bridge played an important role in the transportation system of its time. Local histories emphasize the role of the Ohio & Erie Canal . With the canal, farmers could ship products to Cleveland and beyond. But to get to the canal and other local destinations, people needed functional roads. Creek crossings posed a challenge for early roads. Their treacherous nature is illustrated by the story of the origins of Everett Covered Bridge. Whether this incident actually led to the bridge construction is uncertain. However, it certainly represents the real hazards of the time. On a winter night in 1877, valley farmers John Gilson and his wife had to cross Furnace Run when returning home from visiting friends. A winter storm had caused the waters to rise and ice to obstruct the ford they would have used. In passing around the ford, Mrs. Gilson was thrown into the stream. Mr. Gilson lost his footing and was dragged by his horse into deeper water. Mrs. Gilson was rescued, but Mr. Gilson's body was not recovered until four days later. The story continues that the bridge was built in response to this tragedy. In truth, the date of construction is unknown and could have predated the drowning. However, clues suggest that it was built close to the time of the incident. Covered bridges are truss bridges with support coming from a framework of beams. The builders of Everett Covered Bridge used a truss pattern patented by Robert W. Smith of Tipp City, Ohio, in 1867. The bridge was also unlikely to have been built much after the 1870s. The popularity of covered bridges waned in the 1880s with the appearance of more durable iron bridges like the one seen at Station Road Bridge Trailhead. Everett Covered Bridge was repaired at least twice after major damage, first caused by the 1913 flood and then by a truck in 1970. Then in 1975, rushing water from a spring storm lifted the bridge from its sandstone abutments and deposited the wreckage into the stream bed below. The community, rallied by the park friends' group (then called Cuyahoga Valley Association; now called Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park), began raising funds to rebuild the bridge. School children, local citizens, private organizations, and governmental agencies all joined hands to secure money for the historically accurate reconstruction, completed by the National Park Service (NPS) in 1986. Everett Covered Bridge is located at 2370 Everett Road in Peninsula, 1/2 mile west of Riverview Road. Learn more about the village of Everett !

In 2006 the National Park Foundation, an organization that supports the NPS, included Everett Covered Bridge on its list of top ten places for photography on public lands. Here are some tips for photographing the bridge:

History runs deep in the Cuyahoga Valley, with over 12,000 years of human occupation. Generation after generation has adapted to changing conditions to find food, create homes, and raise families. Over 600 historic structures and archeological sites help reveal their stories. Music and arts programs carry on their cultural legacies. Nomadic Paleoindians arrived first, chasing big game. Later Native American people lived in seasonal base camps that became more permanent over time. The first Europeans to arrive were traders and missionaries . They encountered Native Americans who had moved to the valley seeking refuge from colonial pressures. During the American Revolution and the early years of the US, the federal government removed the remaining Native American nations by force . Cuyahoga Valley land was surveyed and sold as part of the Connecticut Western Reserve . The construction of the Ohio & Erie Canal brought economic growth and ushered in the industrial age. Farms dotted the valley, while nearby Cleveland and Akron grew into major cities. When the Valley Railway opened, it strengthened the economic connections between the valley and cities. The valley also became a getaway for people from urban areas who wanted to enjoy nature. Leisure trips, county parks, private retreats, and youth camps became part of the valley experience.

Although people had discussed protecting Cuyahoga Valley earlier, the fight for federal preservation grew strong in the 1960s. Local residents and political leaders worked to stop suburban development that threatened the valley. A highly publicized fire on the Cuyahoga River in 1969 , just north of the park, became a symbol for the need to improve environmental protection. Around the same time, the Nixon Administration promoted the idea of creating federal parks near big cities through its Parks to People policy. On December 27, 1974, President Ford authorized Cuyahoga Valley as a national recreation area, and it was officially designated on June 26, 1975.

Twenty-six miles of the Cuyahoga River wind and weave through the Cuyahoga Valley, forming the backbone of Cuyahoga Valley National Park. The river, with its associated riparian habitat, is just one element of the park’s habitat mosaic. From deciduous mixed-mesophytic forests to wetland habitats, from currently cultivated agricultural lands to older field habitats in various stages of succession, the park’s habitats provide opportunities for plants and animals to flourish. Over 900 plant species are found in the park, as well as over 200 species of birds, 91 aquatic macroinvertebrates, 43 fish, 32 mammals, 22 amphibians, and 20 species of reptiles. Read about how our scientists inventory and monitor species to build a strong scientific foundation for the management and protection of natural resources in the park. The national park is much more than a list of species. It contains a truly unique physical environment, formed by the mingling of two diverse geographic regions—the Appalachian Plateau and the Central Lowlands—modified by the comings and goings of multiple glaciations. High above the Cuyahoga River, the landscape is rugged, with steep-sided valleys backed by high, narrow hills. Closely spaced ravines funnel tributaries, some of which drop up to 600 feet in a distance of only a few miles, toward the crooked river.

The parks proximity to urban areas, long history of use, and high visitation make it vulnerable to a variety of environmental concerns.

Inventory and monitoring builds a strong scientific foundation for the management and protection of natural resources in national parks.

Learn about the spectacular wildlife, botanical, and astronomical observations occurring each month .

The National Park Service and the Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park have a long standing partnership with the Wick Poetry Center at Kent State University. Our current collaboration is a Poetic Inventory of all the life forms that make our park their home. This project was inspired by the 2016 Bioblitz held in Cuyahoga Valley as part of the National Park Service Centennial.

If you are planning a university project and considering doing research in Cuyahoga Valley, permits may be required. Please visit the NPS Research Permit and Reporting System website for more information. For information about science and research across the National Park System, the following websites may be of interest:

Cuyahoga Valley National Park's diverse landscape provides habitat for about 250 species of birds. Of these, 28 species are of concern for conservation. The park provides important habitat for their survival. There are certain bird species that call the valley home year-round. These include cardinals, blue jays, chickadees, woodpeckers, goldfinches, and several others. Other kinds of birds pass through the valley or only live here for part of the year.

Ten raptors are either summer or year-round residents of the Cuyahoga Valley. Bald eagles first began nesting the valley in 2006 and are now seen regularly. Peregrine falcons can also be spotted high above the valley floor.

The park's riverine and wetland habitats support many different bird species. Great blue herons , not known to nest in the park before the 1980s, now raise young in three heronries within or adjacent to the park boundary. Wood ducks, Canada geese, and other waterfowl are found throughout the park. To learn more, read about a recent National Park Service wetland bird study conducted in the park.

In addition to resident species, visitors may notice seasonal variations in the park’s bird communities, as outlined below.

Use the species list below to find information about each kind of bird recorded in the park. Select "Birds" in the species category dropdown menu to filter the list.

Cuyahoga Valley National Park includes a diverse mosaic of natural vegetation types alongside various human-developed land uses. The park’s natural vegetation is composed primarily of mixed-mesophytic forest (approximately 80%), which is characterized by a variety of deciduous tree species growing in conditions that are neither too wet nor too dry. The oak-hickory association is the most widespread; others include maple-oak, oak-beech-maple, maple-sycamore, pine-spruce, and hemlock-beech associations. Several large semi-contiguous tracts of forest remain, but most forested areas are heavily fragmented. Interspersed among these forests are other natural habitats, including older field habitats in various stages of succession, wet meadows, and other wetland habitats. Additionally, a variety of developed lands, including residential areas, golf courses, ski areas, and other suburban lands exist within park boundaries. Agricultural activity, once widespread, continues at low levels within the park. Many different plant species are able to survive in the park’s diverse habitats. A walk though any field or forest provides visitors with the opportunity to see many of the park’s approximately 1,145 plant species . In the spring, wildflowers such as bloodroot and spring beauty blanket the forest floor, while late summer stands of goldenrod and wingstem line the roads with gold. The park’s diverse habitats support 21 state-listed rare plant species, including sedges, grasses, wildflowers, shrubs, and one tree species.

Cuyahoga Valley National Park's fields, forests, and wetlands are home to over 90 species of grasses and over 70 species of sedges. A walk through any field will generally yield the patient observer a long list of grass species, including Kentucky bluegrass, black bentgrass, redtop, annual ryegrass, timothy, velvet grass, poverty grass, switchgrass, bromegrass, orchard grass, fowl meadow grass, and many others. While the natural vegetation of this region is forest, the national park has one prairie, which was planted before the park was created. Situated on a disturbed area that was used as a borrow pit during construction of the Ohio Turnpike, this prairie is home to many species not commonly found in the area. The grasses of this area include big bluestem, little bluestem, switchgrass, and Indian grass. When walking in wetter habitats, including forested wetlands, you are likely to encounter sedges. Golden-fruited sedge, fox sedge, needle spikerush, hairy-fruited sedge, radiate sedge, Pennsylvania sedge, wood sedge, wool grass, burr sedge, and more can be found in these areas.

Nearly 20 percent of the park’s plant species are exotic (not native to the area). This high percentage is in part due to the longstanding history of human alteration of the Cuyahoga Valley landscape. Sixteen of these species are considered invasive, posing a significant threat to native plant communities. Learn more about the invasive plant species in the park. People of all ages assist the park in removing exotic, invasive plant infestations. Visit our Volunteer page for more information about helping out.

Surrounded by urban areas, Cuyahoga Valley National Park's 33,000 acres contain forest, field, river, and wetland habitats that offer food, water, shelter, and open space to wild animals. The park's fragmented configuration and land use history have a strong effect on the types of wildlife found here.

The recovery of the lower Cuyahoga River over the past several decades is not only evident in the improvement in the aquatic assemblages that inhabit the river water, but in the terrestrial wildlife associated with the riparian habitat of the river corridor. Efforts to improve water quality and preserve wetlands have transformed a once heavily polluted river into an attractive place for wildlife.

The comparative wilderness of Cuyahoga Valley National Park in a sea of urbanity provides a refuge to many mammals.

Insects are vital to the complex cycle of life, Whirling, buzzing, singing, chewing, vibrating with energy, they are all around us.

An early study identified nine species of salamanders, eight species of frogs, and one toad in CVNP.

Cuyahoga Valley National Park's proximity to large urban areas, long history of use, and high visitation make it vulnerable to a variety of environmental concerns. Water quality in the park's rivers and streams varies from good to poor. The Cuyahoga River, although much improved from its days as the "river that burned," still has some pollution problems.

Lands now within the park had many different uses in the past, including conventional agriculture; mining of topsoil, sand, and gravel; quarries; dumps; industry; and residential development. The park has often initiated actions to restore degraded areas to a more natural state when natural succession processes are insufficient. Many of these areas are now in various stages of succession, giving visitors the opportunity to see butterflies, birds, and other animals taking advantage of plentiful food and shelter.

The park is working to inventory, monitor, and control invasive plants. Spongy moths, an exotic insect species from Europe, defoliated over 4,000 acres of forest in 1999. The park has since implemented a suppression program to help minimize and mitigate further moth defoliation effects.

Park staff, volunteers, university researchers, local organizations, and other agencies help monitor these and other environmental concerns to identify problems, establish trends, and assist in management decisions. Learn more by visiting the following pages:

Any given month, you might observe spectacular wildlife, plants, fungi, or astronomical events at Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Select a month below for some ideas of what you might encounter during a visit to the park.

Imagine witnessing hundreds of salamanders and frogs making their annual trek to their breeding pools. A frog chorus fills the air, possibly heard more than a quarter mile away. This event typically unfolds during the first rainy night in early March, when temperatures are above 45 degrees F, nearly all the snow has melted, and the temporary forest (vernal) pools unfreeze. In Cuyahoga Valley National Park, there are two areas to experience the amphibians at their breeding pools. The first is along the Towpath Trail just south of the Beaver Marsh . Listen for the high whistle of the spring peeper sounding like sleigh bells in large choruses, and the unusual quack-like call of the wood frogs. The second location is by the two vernal pools at the base of the ravine near the east side of the Brandywine Creek, along the Brandywine Gorge Trail . See if you can spot Jefferson and spotted salamanders during the day. Please note that it is illegal to capture or disturb amphibians in the park.

Male woodcocks have a chubby body and an exceptionally long bill. During the second half of the month, they perform sky dances at more than 300 feet in the air, approximately 20 minutes after sunset. It is best to observe this event looking towards the west so the dark birds appear silhouetted against the light sunset background. The two prime viewing locations are in the thicket meadows along the Buckeye Trail south of Jaite, and along the Towpath Trail, where it intersects with the trail leading from Ira Trailhead . Watch for returning waterfowl that stop at Beaver Marsh on their northbound migrations. Past observations include a dozen different kinds of ducks, including hooded mergansers, ring-necks, green-wing teals, and buffleheads.

April is a wonderful time to explore the lowland forests along the Cuyahoga River as they abound with blooming spring wildflowers . Among the forest gems are brilliant yellow marsh marigolds of the wetlands, delicate small spring beauty flowers with violet streaks, endless blue blossoms of Virginia bluebells, and the soft white petals of bloodroot. The rich moist silt soils of the Cuyahoga River floodplains provide ideal growing conditions for the lush bounty of woodland wildflowers. Below are some prime locations for observing spring wildflowers. Please note that all wildflowers are strictly protected within CVNP. Please do your part by not picking them.

Hunt House to Botzum Trailhead is a great section for observing purple and spring cress, marsh marigold, spring beauty, yellow and white trout lilies, and bloodroot. The Hunt House area is also fine for seeing Virginia bluebells just north of Furnace Run. Station Road Bridge Trailhead to the Pinery Narrows area is an excellent section for several early wildflowers including bloodroot, spring beauty, squirrel corn, and cut-leaf toothwort.

The Brandywine Gorge Trail is an especially good trail toward the end of the month to observe blooming rue anemone, squirrel corn, spring beauty, cut-leaf toothwort, and purple cress. The Haskell Run Trail is another great wildflower trail. At the end of the month enjoy marsh marigold, spring beauty, purple and spring cress, yellow trout lily, rue anemone, and cut-leaf toothwort along the bottomland forests of Haskell Run.

In early April, harmless, tiny, brown DeKay snakes sun themselves on the Towpath Trail and rocky banks. There are no poisonous snakes in the park. Please be respectful of all animals. Listen for returning pine warblers at Kendall Lake the first weekend in April. Their song is a low trill that resonates from the tall red pines surrounding Kendall Lake Shelter and the first of the warbler songs to return to Cuyahoga Valley. Later in the month, observe yellow-throated and cerulean warblers in the high sycamore trees along the Towpath Trail near the historic Station Road Bridge.

Early this month birders can spot countless migratory songbirds passing through the Cuyahoga Valley on their way to their northbound destinations. The songbird migration reaches its frenzied peak by mid-May. The Towpath Trail between Hunt House and Deep Lock Quarry is especially good for finding many varieties of songbirds, including: cerulean, northern waterthrush, northern parula, blackburnian, blackpoll, and Cape May warblers. This is also an especially good stretch to look for orchard orioles when buckeye trees are in flower. Another excellent place to visit during peak songbird migration is the Plateau Trail . This trail passes through a mixture of different habitats that support several different types of birds living in specific areas. Using a pair of binoculars or a birding scope, look for chicks in tree-top eagle and heron nests. Heronries are especially noisy later this month as the developing young become more and more vocal.

The expansive green space of Cuyahoga Valley National Park provides a refuge for many types of mammals. Forty-one mammal species have been documented in the park.

Coyotes returned naturally to the valley in the 1980s after a long absence. They are now the dominant predator in several park ecosystems. The abundance of forest edge habitat along open meadows and fields provides coyotes with plenty of food. Here they find fruits, nuts, small mammals, and other food sources. Coyotes are present in all 88 counties in Ohio. No one is sure how many coyotes live in the Cuyahoga Valley, but recent surveys estimate 100 to 150. Red and gray foxes take advantage of the same food sources as coyotes, though gray foxes are considered rare in the park. When identifying foxes, remember to look at the tail. Red foxes are taller and lankier with dark legs and a white tip at the end of the tail. Gray foxes are lower to the ground and have a black line running down the top of the tail ending in a black tip. Coyotes also have a black-tipped tail. Red foxes thrive on the edge of suburbia, often taking advantage of human-modified landscapes. They appear to avoid confrontation with coyotes and will often use old groundhog dens to raise their young, known as kits. Gray foxes have semi-retractable claws and can use them to climb trees. This animal's numbers have been declining in the state over the last decade. Its presence has not been confirmed in the national park since 2006, though several people have reported sightings.

Small mammals make up the majority of the mammal population in Cuyahoga Valley. These animals can be found through out the park's forests, fields, and wetlands. They include mice, moles, voles, shrews, chipmunks, and squirrels. If you hear rustling leaves while hiking through the woods, one of these small critters is usually the culprit. A small mammal inventory showed that white-footed mice and short-tailed shrews are two of the most abundant animals in the park.

Nine species of bats have been found in the park, three of which were first identified in a 2002 bat survey. The Indiana Bat, a federally endangered species, found in the 2002 survey was not identified in the 2022 survey. Biologists from Summit Metro Parks were the first in the region to detect a bat-killing fungus that causes white-nose syndrome (WNS), at the Liberty Park Reservation in Twinsburg in 2012. This fungal disease has killed millions of bats in the northeastern and eastern United States, including bats that live in the national park. Learn more about the bat population and WNS .

Along roadsides, white-tailed deer and woodchucks graze on grasses and forbs in open fields. At night, you may catch a glimpse of raccoons or opossums scurrying across the road, in a hurry to find food or shelter before the day begins.

Many of the park's wetlands are filled with beaver and muskrat activity. Where a tree once stood, there may be nothing left but a stump and woodchips, signs of the beaver's need for food, shelter, or a dam. Mink, in search of fish, snakes, or other foods, often visit wetlands or streams are occasionally seen. River otter sightings usually occur in the very early morning when there is minimal human disturbance. In general, these mammals are also very active at dusk and throughout the night feeding on fish and at times, other aquatic animals. Use the search tool below to see which creatures call the Cuyahoga Valley home.

Trail Details Find detailed information about each trail, including trail length, surface type, elevation change, and more.

More Hiking Nearby There are even more trails within the boundary of Cuyahoga Valley National Park. The following areas are managed by local park districts: Bedford Reservation (Cleveland Metroparks) Brecksville Reservation (Cleveland Metroparks) Brushwood Area (Summit Metro Parks) Deep Lock Quarry (Summit Metro Parks)

There are over 125 miles of hiking trails in Cuyahoga Valley National Park. These trails range from nearly-level to more challenging, and pass through various habitats including woodlands, wetlands, and old fields. Some trails require you to cross streams with stepping stones or log bridges, while others, including the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail , are nearly level and are accessible to all visitors. A portion of the state-wide Buckeye Trail also passes through the park. Visit our Maps page for maps of the park and of certain trail areas. Several books and leaflets, including Trail Guide: Cuyahoga Valley National Park, 3rd Edition , contain helpful information about hiking in the park. This book is published by the Cuyahoga Valley Trails Council and is available for purchase at Boston Mill Visitor Center. Ask a ranger at Boston Mill Visitor Center about borrowing hiking poles to use in the park. Hiking poles are available first-come, first-served. No matter where you choose to hike, please be mindful of your impact on plants, animals, and other people. We recommend trying to " Leave No Trace ."

On Gorge Parkway 0.4 miles northwest of Egbert Road in Bedford Reservation (Cleveland Metroparks).

Station Road Bridge Trailhead is located off of Riverview Road 0.2 miles south of Chippewa Road (S.R. 82) in Brecksville, OH.

Red Lock Trailhead is located on Highland Road 1/2 mile east of Riverview Road. (Vaughn Road becomes Highland Road)

Boston Trailhead is located on Boston Mills Road 0.2 miles east of Riverview Road in Boston, OH.

Pine Lane Trailhead is on State Route 303, 1/2 mile east of Akron-Peninsula Road in Peninsula, OH.

Everett Covered Bridge to Botzum Trailhead/Train Station (via Towpath and Buckeye Trails)

Everett Covered Bridge Trailhead is located on Everett Road 1/2 mile west of Riverview Road near Everett, OH.

On Wetmore Road 0.6 miles east of Akron Peninsula Road in Cuyahoga Falls, OH. Wetmore Trailhead parking lot is primarily for horse trailers. More parking for hikers is available at Pine Hollow, 5465 Quick Road.

Red Lock Trailhead is located on Highland Road 1/2 mile east of Riverview Road. (Vaughn Road becomes Highland Road.)