Ohio - Cuyahoga Valley National Park

The Cuyahoga Valley National Park is a long narrow park that follows the Cuyahoga River for miles just south of Cleveland. In this corridor, there is also a section of the Ohio-Erie Canal, as well as a rail line. The area is hilly, and there are numerous opportunities for hiking in the park.

Some of the hiking is along the towpath of the canal, and along that route there are various facilities that are dedicated to the history of the canal system. Other hikes are in the more wooded and hilly areas, and the Brandywine Falls area is one of the more beautiful spots that I found.

At the Visitor Center, I overheard the Ranger talking to some visitors that were saying that they have heard of the big parks like Yellowstone and Yosemite, but they hadn’t heard of this National Park. The Ranger explained that this park is mostly visited by locals that are looking for day hikes, kayaking, and family rides on the railroad.

This is clearly a great asset for the people in the Greater Cleveland area.