Cuyahoga Valley National Park is one of the most visited national parks for good reason. Hiking trails, waterfalls, vast and vibrant fall colors, and rugged sandstone cliffs shaped by the last Ice Age.

Situated between Cleveland and Akron, Ohio, Cuyahoga Valley National Park contains 33,000 acres of the natural landscape to view wildlife and wetlands is best explored by renting a bicycle, strolling the Towpath Trail, or by riding the rails of the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad.

The national park entrance isn’t a typical one like the other national parks. There is no entrance fee, but there is a sign letting you know you are entering Cuyahoga Valley National Park, but no ranger to great you or hand you a map.

You would expect the visitor center, Boston Store Visitor Center to appear less than a mile later, but you have to drive a few more miles through town to reach it.

A National Park for All People

Just like Hot Springs National Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas, private homes are situated within its boundaries.

It’s confusing to get around. I literally drove through the national park without knowing it trying to find the Boston Store Visitor Center.

The places of interest are well hidden in the surrounding forests giving the impression of large acres of land waiting to be developed.

Major highways 271 and 80 cross paths over the national park.

Most people have never heard of this national park to include me.

I only came across it as I looked up a list of national parks to explore on my way to Niagara Falls State Park in New York.

This metropolitan national park an easily be enjoyed by people living nearby.

Hiking and Trails

Serenity and solitude are easy to experience as there isn’t a lot of foot traffic visiting Cuyahoga Valley National Park like Yellowstone, Yosemite, Grand Canyon, and Glacier National Parks with the exception of a group of students from nearby schools.

I saw residents walking around on the many nature trails. It must be nice to have a national park in your back yard!

The attractions are separated by drives through busy roads and the signage is difficult to find in some areas.

I recommend stopping at the Boston Store Visitor Center first to get a map or else you will be driving along busy roads and miss the nearby attractions.

The main visitor center is poorly marked. You may find yourself driving around town forever trying to find it. Not like that is a bad thing because the area is beautiful and quaint.

Avoid going on a wild goose chase to find the visitor center by plugging in the address in your GPS navigation device before departing for the Cuyahoga Valley:

Boston Store Visitor Center

6947 Riverview Road

Peninsula, Ohio 44264

(41° 15’45.3″ N) (81° 33’37.3″ W)

Phone: (330) 657-2752

You will have plenty of time to spend the day hiking, kayaking, and picnicking.

Places to Visit

1. Brandywine Falls

Brandywine Falls envelopes a calming, relaxing, and reflective atmosphere for nature lovers. The falls is best viewed in the fall as it is surrounded by colorful autumn leaves.

If you’re into nature and landscape photography like I am, the falls will be a fun subject to photograph.

Backdrops of colorful autumn leaves surrounding it as the water falls into a natural pool along Brandywine Creek await your camera.

While the fall colors were peaking in my home base of Minnesota in September, not so much here. I arrived way too early.

Be sure to check the fall foliage forecast when planning a trip out to Cuyahoga Valley.

2. The Ledges

On the way to view Brandywine Falls is a 2.2-mile hike of sandstone cliffs shaped by seas, glaciers, and rivers, layers of sedimentary rock the Ledges Trail leads you back in time to the Ice Aged with the geological remnants of the rugged landscape and carved topography.

3. Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Train Ride

Spend a day or a few hours traveling through Cuyahoga Valley National Park from September to November to view wildlife and scenery.

The train cars are climate-controlled perfect for those warm and hot summer days.

Cost is $15 for adults, $10 for children ages 3-12.

The trains run from September to October, Wednesdays through Sunday, and weekends in November.

4. Beaver Marsh

Enjoy being serenaded by countless frogs and bird watching. Watch beavers swim in their natural habit while turtles swim between the numerous lily pads in the marshland.

Spring, summer, fall, and winter offers the opportunity to observe wildlife (wood ducks, muskrats, songbirds, bullfrogs, and white-throated sparrows throughout the year.

5. Blue Hen Falls

One of the prettiest waterfalls in Cuyahoga Valley National Park and favorites among visitors, Blue Hen Falls is an experience of a lifetime to stand below the falls as the water rushed over and hear the falls singing.

6. Fall Ranger-Led Programs

From early September to mid-November, join rangers on various trails for bird walks, early evening hikes, full moon walks, hiking hills to get your heart rate pumping or take paths less traveled and explore beyond the trails at Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

A list of events can be found here.

7. Support Your Park By Volunteering

Volunteer with park staff with preserving trails, natural habitat in restoring Cuyahoga Valley National Park habitat with invasive plant removals, native planting, and native seed collection

You can easily spend one to two days at Cuyahoga Park. The national park is perfectly situated for day trips to Niagara Falls USA, New York City, Indiana Sand Dunes National Lakeshore, and satisfy your travel foodie urges with a trip to Chicago’s French Market.

Additional Cuyahoga Valley Points of Interest:

• The Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail

• Canal Exploration Center

• Bridal Veil Falls

• Brecksville Nature Center

• Station Road Bridge

• Hunt House

• Everett Covered Bridge