Start Your Journey Here!
If you are planning a trip to Cuyahoga Valley National Park check out our list of fun events below happening this year! Also visit our calendar for a list of all park events.
If you're doing research for a project check out the links below for more information! Keep your eyes peeled for over 70 special videos where local students got their questions answered by park experts. Under Park Fun, look for interviews with real kids about what they enjoy doing in the park. Under People of the Past, you will find writings by people who lived in and near the Cuyahoga Valley, describing their personal experiences. How did we do it all? Check out Behind the Scenes!
Junior Ranger Events
Cost for all events is $6 per child, $4 for Conservancy members. Adults are free unless other wise stated.
A parent or guardian is required to attend the programs with participating children.
Registration is required for all events and location will be given upon registration.
Come explore the wonders of the woods through art, story, hiking, and nature play. We'll search for clues to uncover what animals live among the trees.
All Aboard for Fun
Tuesday, July 18 from 9:50- 11:35 am
Take a fun-filled ride through your national park on the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad. Along the route we will learn about local wildlife. Join us as we share stories, sings songs, and investigate animal skin and bones. Pack a lunch.
Fee: $15 per child, $12 for Conservancy member , $6 for additional passengers.
Sunlight and Shadows
Monday, August 21 from 9:30 - 11:30 am
Discover more about the biggest star in our solar system. Explore the sun and the shadow it creates. This adventure will include experiments, art, a story, and a hike.
Junior Ranger - For ages 7-12
Rambling Along the River
Tuesday, July 11 from 9:30 - 11:30 am
Become a water quality scientist and get to know the crooked river. Take a walk along the towpath, put on goggles and gloves, and test the water.
Fossil Fun
Saturday, July 15 from 9:30 - 11:30 am
Have you ever seen a rock that looks like a strange creature? Maybe it's a fossil from when warm, shallow seas covered Ohio millions of years ago!
American Indian Ways
Monday, July 17 from 9:30 - 11:30 am
Come explore the ways American Indians lived and learned in and around the Cuyahoga Valley. Analyze artifacts, play games, and craft your own creation to take home.
Nature Expressions; Weaving
Thursday, July 20 from 9:30 - 11:30 am
Take a closer look at weaving in the natural world and then try your hand at creating your own master piece.
Rambling Along the River
Friday, July 28 from 9:30 - 11:30 am
Become a water quality scientist and get to know the crooked river. Take a walk along the towpath, put on goggles and gloves, and test the water.
Tracks, Scat, and Fur
Tuesday, August 1 from 9:30 - 11:30 am
Get the lowdown on mammals and the clues they leave behind. Try out your detective skills on the trail while using your "animal" senses to play some creative games.
American Indian Ways
Friday, August 4 from 9:30 - 11:30 am
Come explore the ways American Indians lived and learned in and around the Cuyahoga Valley. Analyze artifacts, play games, and craft your own creation to take home.
Leave it to Beavers
Monday, August 7 from 9:30 - 11:30 am
Take a closer look at the life of a beaver. Discover how these animals can change a habitat to create a new one.
Pond Pursuits
Thursday, August 10 from 9:30 - 11:30 am
Park ponds are teeming with life, both above and below the water's surface. Join a ranger to learn which animals make ponds their home.
Nature Expressions; Weaving
Saturday, August 12 from 9:30 - 11:30 am
Take a closer look at weaving in the natural world and then try your hand at creating your own master piece.
Junior Ranger Teen: Kayaking Basics
Have fun mastering basic paddling skills on a calm lake. Classes are led by rangers and certified instructors from Crooked River Adventures. For ages 12-16. $12 per teen.
Fourth graders can earn a free pass to visit public lands with their families! Complete a fun activity to get your pass and start exploring. Visit Every Kid in a Park for more information.
Get Up, Get Out & Go!
Get Up, Get Out & Go! (GGG) is a FREE outdoor recreational program for kids ages 11 to 14 and their families to get out into their national park, Summit Metro Parks, and Cleveland Metroparks. Click here to learn what's happening this summer!
Let's Move Outside
Regular exercise in nature is proven to improve children's physical and mental health. Outdoor activity helps kids maintain a healthy weight, boosts their immunity and bone health, and lowers stress.
Let's Move Outside, administered by the Department of Interior, was created to get kids and families to take advantage of America's great outdoors. Kids need at least 60 minutes of active and vigorous play each day to stay healthy, and one of the easiest and most enjoyable ways to meet this goal is by playing outside.
