• Image of bluebells in the spring

    Cuyahoga Valley

    National Park Ohio

There are park alerts in effect.
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  • Canal Visitor Center Closure

    Canal Visitor Center will be closed for construction, starting Monday, May 6, 2013. It will reopen with new exhibits in early 2014.

  • Riverview Road Closure

    Riverview Rd from the Cuyahoga Falls line north to the Peninsula line will be re-paved, beginning the week of April 22. Expect delays. Flaggers will direct traffic. Work is expected to be completed by Memorial Day weekend.

  • Towpath Trail Closure

    NPS has closed the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail from Hillside Road to Stone Road in Valley View. A section of the trail is not passable due to hazardous conditions caused by erosion. Towpath is expected to be open by Memorial Day, May 27.

  • Bald Eagle Closure in Effect

    RR tracks, and 30 foot right of way on either side, are closed to all foot traffic from the Rt. 82 Bridge at Station Rd, north to the RR tracks at. The Cuyahoga R. downstream of the Brecksville Dam to the Fitzwater Rd Bridge is closed to water activities.

Accessibility

Visitor rides on the Towpath Trail.

A visitor rides his wheelchair on the accessible Towpath Trail.

©ARRYE ROSSER

Cuyahoga Valley National Park is here to remove barriers and build enjoyable experiences for everyone.

If You Have Mobility Needs

  • All visitor centers are accessible. Our park map shows exact locations and specific features.
  • Many of the park's most popular attractions are fully accessible: the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail (including the Beaver Marsh near Ira Trailhead-the exception is a steep incline over Lock 29), the Everett Road Covered Bridge, Brandywine Falls, and the heronry along Bath Road.
  • Cuyahoga Valley National Park is a partner in Spree for All, a universally accessible hiking series organized by Metro Parks, Serving Summit County.
  • Horseshoe Pond has an accessible fishing pier.
  • Wheelchair access is available on Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad.
  • The reservable picnic shelters and the Ralph Regula Room at Boston Store Visitor Center are accessible rental facilities.
  • Cuyahoga Valley National Park and its partners offer a series of Canalway Quests, treasure hunts with rhyming clues that tell how a place is special. Each quest includes a description of mobility considerations; several are wheelchair accessible.

 
CVSR Audio Tour 2009_Lynette Sprague-Falk_200 size

Audio tour headphones are fully compatible with hearing aids.

©Lynette Sprague-Falk

If You Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing

  • Cuyahoga Valley National Park can provide an interpreter for people with hearing needs. A minimum of two weeks is required to obtain an interpreter. To use this service, contact us at 800-433-1986 ext. 5991 or e-mail us.
  • Boston Store Visitor Center provides a subtitled video about the national park. New, fully accessible exhibits are planned for Canal Visitor Center, opening in late 2013.
  • Rather than calling, e-mail us for park information at e-mail us.
  • Assisted listening devices and a captioned version of the Voices of the Valley audio tour are available aboard Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad.
 
Sight Center Cyclists on tandem bike.

Cleveland Sight Center cyclists on tandem bike enjoy a ride on the Towpath Trail.

©Sara Guren

If You Have Visual Needs

  • Large-print versions of this bulletin, the park's quarterly Schedule of Events, and the Valley Volunteer newsletter are available upon request by calling 800-433-1986 ext. 5991.
  • Winter activities and tandem bike programs are offered in conjunction with the Cleveland Sight Center throughout the year.
  • Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad's audio tour, Voices of the Valley, allows you to experience the national park through storytelling.
  • Boston Store Visitor Center provides an audio description of its video about the national park. Request a listening device at the front desk.
  • Audio stations with four educational messages are available at the Beaver Marsh and Station Road Bridge Trailhead.
  • We are piloting the use of tactile elements in various park exhibits. New, fully accessible exhibits are planned for Canal Visitor Center, opening in late 2013.
 
Ohio Winter Special Olympics Cross-Country Skiers

Winter Special Olympics cross-country skiers gather before the race.

NPS/Ted Toth

If You Have a Cognitive Disability

  • Ohio Winter Special Olympics are held annually in the national park.
  • Cuyahoga Valley Environmental Education Center and Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad can accommodate groups of children or adults with special needs.
  • Volunteer opportunities are available for groups of adults and/or teens with cognitive disabilities. For example, the BraVo! group from United Disability Services has assisted with preparing bells for The Polar Express™ train program and with Adopt-a-Trail. To learn more, contact the volunteer office at 330-657-2296 or volunteer@forcvnp.org.
 

If you or your organization have suggestions for programming that makes the national park more accessible to visitors with special needs, call 216-524-1497 ext. 225 or e-mail e-mail us. We would love to partner with a variety of groups concerned with accessibility issues.

Download our Meeting Your Special Needs site bulletin.

Did You Know?

Historic photo of canal boats along the Ohio & Erie Canal.

The Ohio & Erie Canal, which runs through Cuyahoga Valley National Park, was a 308-mile waterway connecting Lake Erie to the Ohio River. This transportation route, which influenced local and national prosperity, was dug entirely by hand by mostly German and Irish immigrants.