Cuyahoga(means Crooked river) is about 30 minutes south of Cleveland and easily accessible. The park has a ton of scenic hiking and biking trails and waterfalls.
Brandywine Falls – is a 65-foot waterfall and is the busiest spot in the park. If you have plans to visit on the weekend, it might be challenging to get a parking space. There are two different ways to see Brandywine Falls. The quickest option is to walk out on the boardwalk trails to the viewpoint, snap your photo, and then head back to your car. Or, hike the 1.5 mile Brandywine Gorge Trail. This trail loops through the deciduous forest, crosses over top of the falls, and then you end on the boardwalk trail and overlook, before returning to your car (if you do this in a clockwise direction). The Brandywine Gorge Trail is nice, but if you are short on time, or not all that into hiking, you don’t miss anything by skipping it. The highlight is the view from the boardwalk platform, just be prepared to walk down, and then back up, quite a few stairs.
The Ledges Trail – This is a 2.6 mile loop that is moderately difficult and follows right along massive walls of moss-covered sandstone, aka the Ledges. As the trail loops around these massive rock walls, the view is always changing, which helps keep things interesting. You can park at the Ledges Trailhead parking lot and to do this hike. The hike also includes the Ledges Overlook. If you don’t want to hike the entire loop, you can still get here. Park at the Ledges Trailhead parking lot and walk southwest across the grassy field. At the southwest corner of the field there is a trail leading into the woods. Follow this trail to the overlook. It is a 200 yard walk from the parking lot to the overlook.
Tinker Creek Gorge Scenic Overlook – This is one of the most accessible viewpoints in Cuyahoga Valley National Park and is listed on the Registry of National Landmarks, so we didn’t want to miss seeing it. Since this is located a short drive from the Canal Exploration Center, you can easily combine the overlook with the Canal Exploration Center.
Everett Covered Bridge – In the 1800’s, Ohio had over 2,000 covered bridges. The Everett Covered Bridge is the only remaining covered bridge in Summit County. you can park at the Everett Road Covered Bridge Parking Lot on Everett Road. It is a short walk on a paved path to get to the bridge.
Bridal Veil Falls – is near Tinkers Gorge Overlook. To get to the falls, it’s a short walk on boardwalk trails and stairs. Then follow the dirt path next to the creek. Parking is at the Bridal Veil Falls Parking lot, cross the street, and follow the boardwalk trails to the waterfall. It is a 0.25 mile walk from the parking lot to the viewing platform.
Deer Lick Cave and Bridal Loop Trail – a 3.6 mile loop which is moderately difficult. The entire hike is under the shade of the deciduous forest, so it is a great hike even during the warmer months. The highlight of the hike is Deer Lick Cave, a small cave that is tucked away in a large cliff. If you want to visit Deer Lick Cave without doing the full loop, you can park on Meadows Road and hike the Bridle Trail out-and-back to the cave.
Canal Exploration Center – For those with an interest in history, you can learn about what life was like for those who lived and worked along the canal from 1825 to 1876. There is also a fully operation lock (Lock 38) where you can learn about how a lock works. Lock demonstrations take place on weekends during the summer months. The Canal Exploration Center is located near Tinkers Creek and the center has its own railway station.
Ride on Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad – The Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad runs from Rockside Station (in the north) to Akron (in the south). You can ride the train round trip, which takes three and a half hours. If you want to hike or bike along the towpath point-to-point, you can use the train to return to your starting point. This ticket is called the Hike Aboard or Bike Aboard.
There are also quite a few themed rides. Take your pick from Murder Mystery Rides to Ales on Rails to Superhero themed rides (great for kids!), Dinner on the Train, and more.
The Ohio and Erie Towpath Trail – is an 87-mile graded gravel path that runs alongside the Cuyahoga River. On this path from 1827 to 1913, mules pulled boats up and down the Ohio and Erie Canal. This trail follows that same historical route. As a visitor, you can walk a short stretch of the towpath, as an out and back walk. You can also rent bikes and cycle part of the towpath.