By:
Submission
Verified 8/19/2020
Camping is no longer offered here.
Cuyahoga Valley National Park is a destination for millions of visitors each year who enjoy hiking, riding the scenic railroad, biking and picnicking. Whether you need an area large enough for a family reunion or just an intimate spot for two, Cuyahoga Valley is an ideal destination. Picnic areas are scattered throughout the park. Two rustic shelters, Ledges and Octagon, are available for reservation in the Virginia Kendall Unit of Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Natural Features: The Cuyahoga River flows through the park for 22 miles, fed by more than 190 miles of perennial (permanent) and ephemeral (temporary) streams. The Beaver Marsh and other wetlands, many lined with cattails and dense patches of duckweed, provide a home for many of the parks reptiles and amphibians and help filter pollutants from the water. Recreation: With many different facilities and attractions in the park, there is something to interest everyone. Most shelter areas have open fields for games and nearby hiking trails.Visitors enjoy riding the scenic railroad, exploring the visitor centers, catching one of the summer concerts, attending one of the ranger-guided programs, biking the Towpath Trail or picnicking in one of the parks picnic shelters. Facilities: Cuyahoga Valleys two shelters are fully-accessible. The Civilian Conservation Corps constructed them with American chestnut and locally quarried sandstone. The shelters are located near Ritchie Ledges, an area with approximately 2 miles of Sharon conglomerate stone cliffs about 30 feet tall. A large play field and hiking trails are available near each shelter. Ledges Shelter accommodates up to 75 people. It has two fireplaces and eight picnic tables inside, as well as eight tables in the outside pavilion and a large grill. Octagon Shelter accommodates up to 50 people. During the summer months its walls are removed; they are in place from about October 15 to May 1. Seven indoor picnic tables, two fireplaces and an outdoor grill are provided. Both shelters have electricity for normal two-pronged household appliances such as coffee pots and crock pots. Drinking water is available at a drinking fountain from May 1 to September 15. Restrooms with flush toilets are available year-round. Nearby Attractions: Visit Brandywine Falls, the historic Boston Store Visitor Center, Ritchie Ledges, the Beaver Marsh and the Everett Road Covered Bridge. These are some of the more popular attractions in the park.
Ledges Shelter: 701 Truxell RoadBoston Township, Peninsula, OH 44264 Octagon Shelter: 801 Truxell Road Boston Township, Peninsula, OH 44264 Click here for the quickest routes to Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
Spent the day here chasing waterfalls and really enjoyed the park. Lots of trails for hiking and running and whether their paved or dirt they are all in great condition. The trails back to the waterfalls were mainly boardwalks with some dirt paths. Brandywine Falls was beautiful and easy to get too. Bridal Veil was also close by but did not have nearly the level of water running through it. Tinkers Creek Falls was a little difficult to find according to Google Maps which told us we had arrived when we were still in the middle of nowhere. You have to map it to Viaduct Park in order to find it and hike down to the upper and lower falls. Beautiful park and an excellent way to spend the day.
We visited Cuyahoga Valley NP during a long Father's Day weekend trip to Ohio and spent most of two days in and around the park. There are some beautiful, serene places in the park for sure. As far as National Parks go, this one is a bit unconventional with so many people living up close to or within park boundaries. The history of the area was neat to learn about, and I would imagine living near the park would make it the perfect place to walk, run, or ride a bike regularly. I can't say it took my breath away like Yosemite, but any National Park is still a win in my book!
Definitely an underrated national park! We are so lucky to have a national park here in Northeast Ohio and as a local photographer I do so many of my sessions in these parks and in the area. Great rolling hills, waterfalls, fields, tons of great trails! The visitor center and main area is great too. Highly recommend getting out and exploring, I love the Kendall Lake area.
LOVED this park! Safe, quiet, beautiful! Nice scenery! Signs, directions, and good bathroom locations. Bathrooms were very clean. I would go everyday if I lived there.
