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Tick Alert
Multiple tick exposures have been reported by visitors to the park. Please be aware that proper shoes, clothing, use of repellent spray, and checking the body for ticks following a visit to the park are the best way to prevent transmission of disease. More »
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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.
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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.
Half Day Visit
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If you only have a few hours to spend at Cuyahoga Valley National Park, you have ample to visit these popular attractions. 
Brandywine Falls ©Ralph Casale Brandywine Falls (Boardwalk opposite parking lot; 30 minutes) Parking located in lot off 8176 Brandywine Road in Sagamore Hills 44067 (81° 32.264' W) (41° 16.580' N). Brandywine Falls, a 65-foot high falls, is the second highest falls in Ohio and one of the most popular attractions in the park. A boardwalk takes you to upper and lower observation platforms, which overlook the falls head on. It is open daily from dawn to dusk. If you have an extra hour, you can also take a 1.5-mile hike around the Brandywine Gorge Trail starting from the upper observation platform. This trail lets you explore the deep gorge cut by Brandywine Falls. 
Boston Store Visitor Center ©Tom Jones Boston Store Visitor Center (View exhibits; 30 minutes) Parking lot is behind the store at 1550 Boston Mills Road, Peninsula 44264 (81° 33.512' W) (41° 15.803' N). 
Ritchie Ledges ©Tom Jones Ritchie Ledges (1 mile Ice Box Cave hike; 1.0 hour) Parking located in lot off Truxell Road/Kendall Park Road, 1 mile west of Akron Cleveland Road, Peninsula 44264 (81° 30.652' W) (41° 13.137' N). The cool, moist hemlock and yellow birch forests along the towering sandstone Ritchie Ledges benefit from a microenvironment formed near the over 300-million-year-old rock formations. Enormous blocks of the orange and yellow rock have broken off and make you feel like you're walking in the rock garden of a giant. It is open daily from dawn to dusk. Note: Ice Box Cave is closed on the trail in an effort to slow the spread of a disease to our bat population. 
Beaver Marsh & Boardwalk ©Ralph Casale Beaver Marsh (1.5 miles; 1 hour) Parking located at Ira Trailhead, 3801 Riverview Road, Peninsula 44264 (81° 35.001' W) (41° 11.075' N). Look for beavers, otters, muskrats, and water fowl along the wetland boardwalk. The Beaver Marsh is designated as an Ohio Watchable Wildlife Area, so bringing a camera is a must. It is a short, 10-minute walk north on the Towpath from the Ira Trailhead. This is an accessible trail, suitable for strollers and wheelchairs. 
Everett Road Covered Bridge ©Tom Jones Everett Road Covered Bridge (.5 mile; 30 minutes) Parking located at 2370 Everett Road, Peninsula 44264 (81° 34.865' W) (41° 12.265' N). Everett Road Covered Bridge, which crosses Furnace Run, is the only remaining covered bridge in Summit County. Built in the 19th century, the original was destroyed by the great flood of 1913. Although repaired, it was destroyed during a spring storm in 1975. This historically accurate replication was finished in 1986. |
Did You Know?
Dragonflies and damselflies look almost alike while flying. However, if you wait until they land, dragonflies lay their wings to the side while damselflies lay them back and above their bodies.