We hope you have an enjoyable visit. Access CVNP is intended to be used in conjunction with the official CVNP map and guide which is available at the visitor centers or by calling (216) 524-1497.

General Information

The designation accessible in this brochure indicates access for wheelchair users in compliance with Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards (UFAS) and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Keep in mind that information in this brochure describes only the accessibility of facilities in Cuyahoga Valley National Park (CVNP).

Programs and events are listed in the park’s quarterly Schedule of Events. Many guided interpretive programs are offered at the accessible sites described in this brochure.

Parking

All facilities and trailheads within the park have designated spaces marked with the international access symbol. These spaces are reserved for visitors with physical disabilities whose vehicles display a special license plate, tag or sticker.

Ohio Relay Service

CVNP’s two primary visitor centers and the park’s dispatch office can be contacted using the Ohio Relay Service, a free local communication service for hearing and speech impaired. Dial (800) 750-0750 and have the phone number you wish to call available. A specially trained communication assistant will then process relay calls and stay on the line to relay conversations electronically, over a text telephone (TTY), or verbally. For information on park events and programs please contact either visitor center. For emergencies please call the park dispatcher or 911.

Canal Visitor Center: (216) 524-1497

Happy Days Visitor Center: (330) 650-4636

Park Dispatcher (216) 546-5946

Accessible Buildings

Canal Visitor Center is located adjacent to the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail in Valley View. The visitor center exhibits on the history of the canal and the book store sales area are fully accessible. An elevator lift provides access to the second floor and an exhibit spanning the last 12,000 years of history in the Cuyahoga Valley. A 20-minute orientation slide show on the park and half hour videos on canal history are shown upon request in the basement visitor center auditorium, which is accessible via an outside walkway. Rangers present interpretive programs regularly at this site. Check the Schedule of Events for dates and times.

Boston Store is located adjacent to the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail in Boston. This small museum offers accessible exhibits demonstrating the craft of canal boat building during the mid-1800s on the O&E Canal.

CVNP Headquarters is located in the historic papermill company town of Jaite. The main building on the corner of Vaughn and Riverview roads houses the Superintendent’s office and is accessible via a lift adjacent to the front porch.

Happy Days Visitor Center is located in a 1930’s era Civilian Conservation Corps structure. Visitors can view an orientation slide show, participate in ranger- led interpretive programs, or enjoy the Winter Lyceum series in the visitor center’s accessible auditorium. National Park Service travel planning information, videos, and brochures are available in the travel planning center, adjacent to the book store sales area.

Hunt Farm Visitor Information Center, along the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail, is fully accessible. The center’s self-serve exhibits and brochures provide visitors with a glimpse into the valley’s agricultural past and orients them to the park and the recreational opportunities available. A small sales area offers books on the park, the canal, and natural history. The center is located on Bolanz Road or 1.5 miles north of the Beaver Marsh via the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail.

The historic Frazee House is open on a limited basis. Check the Schedule of Events for days and times. The 1826 home of Stephen and Mehitable Frazee is one of the oldest structures in the Cuyahoga Valley. The accessible first floor exhibits describe life in and the settlement of the Western Reserve. The site is equipped with an accessible picnic area.

The Cuyahoga Valley Environmental Education Center offers a unique multidisciplinary environmental education curriculum for school children in 4-8th grades. During a four day, three night experience students and teachers learn how rivers connect us locally and globally to other cultures and affect history, politics, economics, and transportation. (Teacher workshops, a summer arts camp, and a summer pioneer camp are also offered.) All buildings and trails to major features are accessible. Available by reservation only. For more information and reservations, please call (800) 642-3297 or (330) 657-2796.

Recreational Opportunities

Picnic Areas and Shelters
CVNP offers a variety of picnicking experiences from group sites near open meadows and fields to intimate forested sites. The Ledges, the Octagon, Frazee House, Shady Knoll, Lock 39, Boston Store, Hunt Farm, Ira and Indian Mound Trailheads and Horseshoe Pond sites offer accessible picnic tables and rest rooms, while other sites provide limited accessibility. The historic Ledges and Octagon shelters are available for groups and may be reserved by calling Cuyahoga Valley National Park Association at (800) 642-3297 ext. 105.

Trails
CVNP maintains nearly 100 miles of trails through a variety of habitats including deciduous forests, open meadows, old fields, and marshes. The 20-mile Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail follows the canal. Fully accessible, the crushed limestone trail carries users through many of these diverse habitats. Thirty-nine illustrated wayside exhibits describe the history of the canal era. The Brecksville and Bedford Reservations of the Cleveland Metroparks also provide accessible trails. Other park trails provide limited accessibility.

Fishing
Fishing is permitted with a state license in the Cuyahoga River, and Ohio & Erie Canal and in the numerous ponds scattered throughout the park. Horseshoe Pond and Kendall Lake provide accessible fishing piers. Kendall Lake is closed to bass fishing from December 15 to May 31 of each year. Please call (216) 524-1497 to request CVNP’s fishing brochure.

Special Features

Brandywine Falls
No matter the season, Brandywine Falls is one of the highlights of CVNP. The site of the former town of Brandywine, the area around the falls combines history with natural beauty. This 60-foot cascading bridal veil waterfall can be viewed from a series of boardwalks. The upper boardwalk is fully accessible and provides a descriptive wayside exhibit about the history of Brandywine Village.

Beaver Marsh
A designated Ohio Watchable Wildlife Site, the Beaver Marsh is now one of the park’s most attractive and active beaver habitats. The wooden fully accessible boardwalk through the marsh provides users an opportunity to experience the wetland first hand. Water fowl, muskrats, beaver, and turtles live here. Access to the boardwalk is via the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail from the Ira Trailhead or from Hunt Farm Visitor Information Center.

Park Partners

Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad (CVSR) provides a unique perspective on the valley. Paralleling the Cuyahoga River, visitors travel by rail through a variety of habitats, historic towns and villages. The railroad has restored and equipped the "Fort Mitchell" car, which will be accessible as soon as funding is available. This car carries all of the services of the train including a small concession area. For more information and reservations, call (800) 468-4070.

Hale Farm and Village is operated by the Western Reserve Historical Society. The open air, living history farm preserves the history of the Western Reserve. The Hale homestead along with 21 other 1800s structures depict life in the Western Reserve along with showcasing early industries such as glassblowing, candlemaking and blacksmithing. The Gatehouse visitor center is accessible. Some historic structures have limited accessibility. For more information call (330) 666-3711.

Blossom Music Center is the summer home of the Cleveland Orchestra. This outdoor amphitheater offers concerts for every musical taste from classical to jazz, rock or country. Blossom is fully accessible. For concert schedules and to make arrangements for motorized shuttles to your seats call Blossom at (330) 920-8040 or (800) 566-8184.

The Brecksville and Bedford Reservations of the Cleveland Metroparks are within the boundaries of CVNP. The Brecksville Nature Center has natural history displays and exhibits and is fully accessible. Metroparks also maintain a series of paved trails that are accessible. For more information call (216) 351-6300.

MetroParks, Serving Summit County also maintains four units within CVNP boundaries. These areas provide hiking trails into a variety of habitats, however access is extremely limited. For more information call (330) 867-5511.

Boston Mills/ Brandywine Ski Resorts offer downhill skiing, snowboarding and tubing experiences for all levels from beginners to the more experienced. Boston Mills and Brandywine Ski Resorts serve as sites for the annual Ohio Winter Special Olympics. Hundreds of participants come from across the state to compete for medals in skiing and other winter recreational events in preparation for international competition. For more information call (800) 875-4241.

Dover Lake Waterpark has seven water slides, two innertube rides and a wave action pool. Picnic facilities, softball diamonds, volleyball courts and horseshoe pits are also available. Picnic and restroom facilities are accessible, however access to water slides and other recreational areas is limited. For more information call (800) 372-SWIM.

Shawnee Hills and Sleepy Hollow Golf Courses are managed by Cleveland Metroparks. The clubhouse and restrooms are accessible. The course has limited accessibility. For additional information and tee times, call (440) 232-7184 for Shawnee Hills or (440) 526-4285 for Sleepy Hollow.

For More Information

Rangers are on duty to provide information and assistance. For accessibility needs beyond those described in the Schedule of Events and this brochure, please contact us in advance at (216) 524-1497.

Last Updated: Friday, 30-Sep-2005 13:14:52 Eastern Daylight Time
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