The list of National Parks in Ohio is pretty short. Cuyahoga Valley National Park (CVNP) became the only Ohio National Park after being upgraded from a National Recreation Area in the year 2000. Unlike most National Parks, Cuyahoga Valley is bordered by two (2) cities, Cleveland and Akron. The urban surroundings make Cuyahoga Valley one of the most accessible National Parks in the United States.
In this article I’m going to cover some of the best ways to visit Cuyahoga Valley National Park in one day. As a local Clevelander and someone who has both cycled and hiked across the United States I have a good sense of some of the attributes of this park compared to the others across the country. The rarest attribute is the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad which can be taken as a roundtrip through the Valley or as a one way trip for cyclists, hikers, or even kayakers to get a ride back to their car.
If you’re wondering what to do in Cleveland, Akron, or even Ohio, you can definitely consider Cuyahoga Valley National Park to be one of the fun things to do. If you visit each of the points of interest on this list you could spend 6-10 hours throughout the park at a focused pace.
Points of Interest
With 33,000 acres, Cuyahoga Valley National Park is one of the 10 smallest National Parks in the United States. However, visiting the most popular points of interest will still take a full day of driving around the Valley.
I’ve laid out the points of interest below in order from north to south to make the most efficient use of your time if you’re driving down from Cleveland.
Brandywine Falls
Possibly the most popular destination in the Valley is Brandywine Falls. The 65 foot waterfall is a few hundred feet from the parking lot located at 8176 Brandywine Rd, Sagamore Hills, OH 44067.
At the waterfall, visitors can hike the 1.4 mile Brandywine Gorge Loop in about an hour. For a slightly longer hike, those interested seeing Brandywine falls can park at the Stanford House at 6093 Stanford Rd, Peninsula, OH 44264. The 1.5 mile Stanford Trail will take you to the waterfall. From there you can opt to hike the Brandywine Gorge Loop or simply head back to the Stanford House. Both trail options are pictured below:
Blue Hen Falls and Buttermilk Falls
Blue Hen Falls is another popular waterfall in the park.
Parking for Blue Hen Falls is located at 2001 Boston Mills Road, Brecksville 44141. The waterfall is about 0.5 mile from the parking lot. Backup parking for Blue Hen Falls is necessary on busy days. Backup parking is a 1.5 mile trail walk from the Boston Store Visitor Center at 1550 Boston Mills Rd, Peninsula, OH 44264.
For sense of the geography, Blue Hen Falls is a 5.5 mile ~10 minute drive from Brandywine Falls. Both points of interest can be seen on the map below.
As a bonus not shown on the map below, Buttermilk Falls is a 0.5 mile downstream of Blue Hen Falls. The 30 foot cascade waterfall is a spot the locals can tell you about. To find it is pretty straight forward. Continue passed the Blue Hen Falls sign that says “end of trail”. Follow the worn tracks along the creek for about a half mile. You’ll need to cross the creek several times so your feet will get wet. But this lesser-known “secret spot” is worth the trouble.
Ledges Overlook
The Ledges Overlook is another popular point of interest in Cuyahoga Valley.
The 2.2 mile Ledges Trail Loop can be accessed by parking at the Octagon Shelter at 500 Truxell Rd, Peninsula, OH 44264. The loop can take up to an hour and a half. For more hiking 0.5 mile Forest Point Trail and the 2.2 mile Pine Grove Trail can be accessed from the same parking lot.
If you’re travelling in the sequence I’ve laid out the Ledges Loop is roughly another 6 mile 10 minute drive from Blue Hen Falls. You’ll drive right through the center of Peninsula, Ohio (population ~565). Local eateries include Fisher’s Cafe & Pub and Winking Lizard Tavern.
If the weather is not cooperating and you still want to expend some energy, Kendall Cliffs climbing gym is just 1 mile from the Ledges Loop, located at 60 Kendall Park Rd b, Peninsula, OH 44264.
The relative location of the Ledges Loop to Blue Hen Falls can be seen in the map below:
Kendall Lake
Kendall Lake is a man made lake created by the Civilian Conservation Corp in 1935. This point of interest is just ~1 mile down the road from the Ledges Loop. Parking can be found at the Kendall Lake Shelter at 1000 Truxell Rd, Peninsula, OH 44264.
The Kendall Lake Trail is an easy 1 mile loop that takes about 45 minutes or less. The 3.3 mile Salt Run Trail and 2.5 mile Cross Country Trail are also accessible from the same parking lot as shown below:
Hale Farm & Village
Hale Farm & Village is not part of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. But if you’re travelling through Cuyahoga Valley to check out the most popular points of interest, this historical site is on the way. Hale Farm & Village is consists of 34 historic structures including 8 built by three generations of the Hale family. The museum is maintained by the Western Reserve Historical Society. The self-guided tour is recommended to last about 2 hours. Admission at the time of this post is $10 for adults. Hours of operation and other information can be found on their website linked here. The museum has seasonal hours and is not open year round. June through August the museum is open Wednesday through Sunday 10AM-5PM. In September and October the museum is only open on the weekends.
Located at 2686 Oak Hill Rd. Bath, Ohio 44210, Hale Farm & Village is about a 7 mile 13 minute drive from the Ledges Loop.
Beaver Marsh
The Beaver Marsh and boardwalk is located 1/4 mile north of the Ira Trailhead at 3801 Riverview Rd, Peninsula, OH 44264. Wildlife can be seen any time of year. The Beaver Marsh is about 1 mile from Hale Farm & Village and about a 6 mile, 10 mintue drive from the Ledges Loop.
Great Blue Heron Viewing Area
The Great Blue Heron stands roughly 4 feet tall with an impressive 7 foot wingspan. As of 2016, 96 nests were reported on the southern fringe of Cuyahoga Valley National Park along W Bath Road between Peninsula and Riverview Road. Your best chance to spot the Great Blue Herons are from April through July.
There is no parking lot as this is not a formal viewing area. You’ll have to pull off at one of the nearby intersections.
Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath
Cycling, hiking, or riding horseback through the Cuyahoga Valley National Park is made possible by the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath. The Towpath connects Cleveland to Akron, Massillon, Canton, and New Philadelphia.
This choose your own adventure is a straight line that begins and ends where you decide. A detailed map of the Towpath beyond the limits of Cuyahoga Valley National Park is available on the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath website.
To cycle from the heart of downtown Cleveland to the southern extent of Cuyahoga Valley National Park is ~30 miles one way. For shorter rides you can park at one of these Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad stations which closely follows the towpath.
Starting at the Rockside Road Station (7900 Old Rockside Rd., Independence, OH 44131), which is the closest to Cleveland, shortens the ride to about 20 miles one-way. Even shorter rides are made possible by taking the Scenic Railroad back.
Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad
Not many National Parks can be toured from the comfort of a rail car.
The National Park Scenic Excursion takes 3.5 hours round trip. Depending on which type of rail car you’re riding in the cost is $15-$35/each. This excursion can board at the Rockside Road Station (which is the closest to Cleveland) as well as Peninsula and Akron.
During Summer the railroad can be boarded three times throughout the day in either direction which allows CVNP visitors to flexibly experience the park. One way riders pay a discounted rate. And the Scenic Railroad permits you to board your bicycle and even kayaks.
Eight (8) times during the Summer the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad does two-hour beer and wine tasting trips through the park. A complete list of their events can be found on their website.
East Rim (Mountain Biking Trails)
Mountains in Ohio? You don’t need mountains for mountain biking to be hard work. Cuyahoga Valley National Park is home to an impressive mountain bike trail system known as the East Rim Trails. The trailhead is located at 281 Boston Mills Rd, Peninsula, OH 44264.
For more information on the East Rim Trail visit their conservancy website.
