EXPLORE OUR NATIONAL & COUNTY PARKS

Cuyahoga Valley National Park preserves and protects 33,000 acres along the Cuyahoga River between Cleveland and Akron, Ohio. Managed by the National Park Service, the National Park combines cultural, historical, recreational and natural activities in one setting. It’s one of the Top 11 most visited parks in the National Park System. The park runs through the southern Cuyahoga County and northern Summit County sections of the Ohio & Erie Canalway National Heritage Area.

Summit Metro Parks manages 10,500 acres, including 14 developed parks, six conservation areas and more than 125 miles of trails — which encompasses 21.5 miles of the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail. Visit the 10,000-square-foot visitors center at F.A. Seiberling Nature Realm, a special park dedicated to the enjoyment and study of the natural world.

AREAS WE LOVE

EVERETT ROAD COVERED BRIDGE - The Everett Covered Bridge, which crosses Furnace Run, is the only remaining covered bridge in Summit County. But in the 19th century, it was one of over 2,000 in Ohio, the state that led the nation in covered-bridge construction. The bridge played an important role in the 19th-century transportation system. 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.

HERONRY AT BATH ROAD - The Great Blue Heron is one of CVNP’s most iconic species. Bath Road Heronry is a local favorite of wildlife watchers. From mid-February through June, great blue herons build over 140 nests and raise their young high above the passing cars.

HOWE MEADOW - A hub for summer activity in CVNP and home of the Countryside Farmers’ Market, horseback-riding events, summer concerts, and seasonal yoga classes. Since it sits less than half a mile from man-made Indigo Lake, a popular fishing and bird-watching spot, and less than two miles from the historic Everett Covered Bridge and several trails, Howe Meadow is the perfect spot to begin or end your day in the park.

PENINSULA - Peninsula is a beautiful village located between Cleveland and Akron and surrounded by the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. A community of passionate residents with deep local history, Peninsula has many unique shops, businesses, arts, and much more.

BEAVER MARSH - Hike half a mile on the firm, flat Towpath Trail to reach this fun, active wildlife hotspot. Depending on the month, you may be serenaded by choirs of countless frogs, watch turtles swim among lily pads, glimpse a beaver nibbling on a willow branch, or hear northern cardinals call from snowy trees. The Beaver Marsh is among the most diverse natural communities in Cuyahoga Valley National Park. The exceptional scenery and wildlife make it one of the park’s most popular destinations. Here you can enjoy photography, bird watching, and sharing nature with family and friends.

BLUE HEN FALLS - A half-mile round-trip hike with a great view: This lovely 15-foot waterfall is made of shale and sandstone, surrounded by towering trees and is favorite of visitors who wish to visit one of the prettiest waterfalls in Cuyahoga Valley National Park. The trailhead is located off Boston Mills Road, west of Riverview Road.

BRANDYWINE FALLS - This stunning 65-foot waterfall should be on your must-see list. This is a very scenic and easy to visit waterfall. It is one of the highlights of Cuyahoga Valley National Park, and the most impressive waterfall in the Lake Erie Watershed.

LEDGES TRAIL This two-mile iconic hike takes you past and through striking sandstone cliffs rich with mineral deposits and geological marvels. This is one of the most scenic hikes in the Cuyahoga Valley. It’s rocky and rough, so make sure you’ve got sufficient footgear. There are striking, canopied hemlock trails to moss-covered rock formations, ferns, Ice Box Cave, and more at the Ledges. The payoff to the hike—the amazing cliff ledge overlook and massive rock staircase. 

TOWPATH TRAIL ON THE OHIO AND ERIE CANAL
The Towpath is a 101-mile trail from Lake Erie to Zoar, Ohio. Whether birding, biking, hiking, running, riding on horseback, taking a canal boat ride, or traveling alongside it by scenic rail — folks find that old-school “travel” along the Towpath Trail adds an undeniable energy to the quality of life in Northeast Ohio. Along the trail and at key visitor centers, you can learn more about the cultural, historic, natural and recreational resources being preserved and celebrated along the Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail.

SUMMIT METRO PARKS BIKE & HIKE TRAIL - The Summit Metro Parks Hike & Bike Trail is a 34-mile long system of paved pathways and designated streets in Summit County to the south of Cleveland. The trail system was one of the earliest rails-to-trails system in the country and follows abandoned railroad right-of-ways and current power line utility easements. Much of the route of the trail goes cross country through forest and past open meadows away from roads and traffic.

F.A. SEIBERLING NATURE REALM 
The 104-acre Nature Realm includes a 10,000-square-foot visitors center with exhibits, kids’ areas, live animals and a gift shop featuring educational and locally-made items. The grounds showcase a suspension bridge over a 45-foot-deep ravine, several gardens, plant identification, observation decks, two ponds, wetlands, hiking trails and a tall-grass prairie. Dogs are not permitted, since the park is a special-use area that has been set aside for the study and enjoyment of nature, including the hand-feeding of chickadees.