Just a short drive from the major metropolitan areas of Cleveland and Akron is the Cuyahoga Valley National Park that covers a narrow 33,000 acres along 22 miles of the one-time infamous Cuyahoga River.
Cuyahoga Valley National Park offers a diverse array of activities. Whether you prefer attending ranger-guided programs or exploring the park on your own, you can find something to your liking.
The best ways to view the park depend on your degree of involvement. There are many scenic trails and sites located throughout the park. Getting to those special areas can be accomplished by hiking, riding the scenic railroad that traverses the entire park, riding a bicycle along the old Ohio & Erie Canal towpath, or take the Riverview Road which follows the river through most of the park.
The park has a rich cultural legacy as well. Remains of the Ohio & Erie Canal, which traveled through the valley alongside the Cuyahoga River in the 19th and early 20th centuries, have been preserved, Today the towpath trail serves as a walking / biking trail that runs through the entire park. There are also other areas that offer a glimpse into the past.
Canal Visitor Center
7104 Canal Road (at the intersection of Canal and Hillside Roads)
Open daily 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Boston Store Visitor Center
1548 Boston Mills Road (east of Riverview Road)
Open Summer: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Peninsula Depot Visitor Center
1630 Mill Street (off Akron Peninsula Road, north of SR 303)
Summer: Monday - Tuesday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Wednesday - Sunday 9 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Sustainable farming ventures help preserve the valley's agricultural heritage. The fact that the Cuyahoga Valley National Park is the only national park in Ohio gives the spot special attendance.
Waterfalls, rolling hills, and lazy, winding river scenery attract many visitors. Steep narrow ravines, a rolling floodplain, and lush farmland contrast one another throughout the park. Animal life is also plentiful.
The Cuyahoga River was at one time during the 20th Century was one of the most polluted rivers in the country when it caught fire in the 1960s. Today the river is much improved.
The name Cuyahoga is an Iroquois term meaning "crooked river" and that crooked river flows 100 miles from its headwaters in Hamden, Ohio. Two rivers (East Branch Cuyahoga and West Branch Cuyahoga River) join at the confluence in Burton where the Cuyahoga River officially begins and starts its way north to Lake Erie.
See additional Ohio Canal attractions:
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