Photo courtesy of Kristen Walker
The next stop on our journey was Cuyahoga Valley National Park in northern Ohio for another wintery exploration of the National Parks. This trip I made with my dad, Rodney. It was a new experience for the both of us.
Overall, Cuyahoga Valley was a wonderful and easily accessible park, with lots of friendly nature lovers also enjoying the area. There was no entry fee at this park. There was also a series of smaller metroparks surrounding the area around the National Park, with lovely lookout points and trail options. Cuyahoga Valley’s a great park to visit, especially for people interested in spotting wildlife. The park was named an Important Bird Area by the National Audubon Society, and you can observe more than 200 types of birds there over the course of the year. We spotted some blue herons on our trip.
Though we only saw two other Black hikers the entire weekend at the park, my dad and I felt very safe and welcome while enjoying sights! When other park visitors saw us filming, they were curious and friendly, and often stopped to direct us to more lovely landscapes to take in and other parks of interest in the area. Another park goer even mentioned that he and his daughter are on a similar journey, and we compared which parks we had each visited in the U.S. National Park system.
Beginner Friendly: Yes
Where to Stay: Cuyahoga Valley is an urban park situated between Cleveland and Akron, Ohio. There is no camping or RV parking in Cuyahoga Valley National Park, but there are plenty of hotels within 20 minutes of the park.
What to Do:
- Beaver Marsh
- Beaver Marsh was once a salvage yard. In the 1980s, Sierra Club volunteers removed the old cars and materials from the area. Around the same time, beavers built a dam across the Erie and Ohio Canal, which caused flooding. Wetland plants flourished, wildlife returned to the area, and this is now one of the best places in Cuyahoga Valley to spot wildlife. Keep a lookout for beavers, great blue herons, and otters.
- We didn’t see any beavers during this trip, but we received a tip that they come out at dawn and dusk. We did happen to see a paddle boarder and a few herons!
- Boston Mills Visitor's Center
- Get your National Parks passport stamp!
- The visitor’s center is warm and welcoming with an updated design and friendly rangers to assist you, and is next to a ski resort!
- It is also located at one of the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad stops. We would have loved to hop on, but it is not active until the spring.
- Everett Covered Bridge
- Summit County’s last covered bridge. We saw a couple taking engagement photos under the bridge. Adorable!
- Park at the Everett Road Covered Bridge Parking Lot on Everett Road. It is a short walk on a paved path to get to the bridge.
- Kendall Lake
- The Kendall Lake Area is popular among anglers, photographers, snowboarders, birders and history buffs. There’s something for anyone to enjoy between the view, the lake and the surrounding trails.
- Ledges Trail
- The Ledges Trail and Overlook are a 2.6-mile trail. It’s in the Virginia Kendall area of the park.
- Park at the Ledges Trailhead parking lot and you can complete this hike as a loop.
- This trail was busy and well maintained with clean bathroom facilities along the way. There were very beautiful and unique rock formations along the trail. Although this trail was mostly free of snow, watch for falling icicles in the winter!
- Stanford Trail to Brandywine Gorge Loop
- Stanford House
- Brandywine Waterfall
- These trails start near the welcome center. If you take the Stanford Trail loop, you will end up on about a 5.5-mile journey. This trail was picturesquely covered in snow this winter, which made the long trek worthwhile. If the trail’s a bit too long for you or you have a shorter time frame, you can access Brandywine Falls from the location’s parking lot for a shorter journey.
- As a bonus attraction, the Pro Football Hall of Fame is only 30 minutes away in Canton, Ohio!
Where to Eat:
- Carbrys BBQ & Soul Food
- It’s a large welcoming space with perfectly seasoned food, large portions, tender ribs, and crispy catfish! Call first because their operating hours sometimes change versus what’s presented online.
- Khaao Macha Resto Bar
- Formerly a food truck, this restaurant is now a brick and mortar in the Radisson Fairlawn serving delicious Indian meals.