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
- The Ledges Trail
- Tinker Creek Gorge Scenic Overlook
- Bridal Veil Falls
- Canal Exploration Center
- Everett Covered Bridge
- Deer Lick Cave and Bridal Loop Trail
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. From the parking lot it is a short walk on the boardwalk to the viewpoint.
You can continue walking a little further on the boardwalk to get a view of the top of the falls
Brandywine Gorge Trail – If you are into hiking, you can hike the 1.5 mile Brandywine Gorge Trail which loops through the deciduous forest, crosses over the 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 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. This is one of the most scenic hikes in Cuyahoga National Park.
Tinker Creek Gorge Scenic Overlook – This is one of the most accessible viewpoints in Cuyahoga Valley National Park. In 1967, the National Park Service included this portion of the gorge on the Registry of National Landmarks. The creek drops a dramatic 220 feet over a course of two miles carving out a steep, walled gorge.
This overlook is located a short drive from the Canal Exploration Center, you can easily combine the overlook with the Canal Exploration Center.
Bridal Veil Falls – From the parking lot, a 0.25 mile walk on the boardwalk will take you to the viewing platform. The water flow here is heavily dependent on rainfall. During periods of low precipitation, the falls can appear less dramatic, with water trickling over the rocks rather than cascading.
Canal Exploration Center – You can learn about what life was like for those who lived and worked along the canal from 1825 to 1876. Canal Exploration Center was once a rest stop on the Ohio & Erie Canal. The Gleasons ran a tavern and a store in this building in the mid-1800s. Gleasons served neighbors and canal boat passengers alike. While canal boats lined up outside to lock through, people crowded inside to eat, rest, and catch up on the news. The Gleasons sold supplies such as needles, thread, razors, clay, pipes, tobacco, sugar, and coffee. They were just one of the many businesses that appeared along the canal to take advantage of the new transportation corridor. The canal set the stage for Ohio to become an Industrial Powerhouse.
Inside the exploration center, visitors can explore Ohio and Erie history through hands-on exhibits and learn more about how Canals brought changes in immigration, jobs, communications, and home life.
The center is located at Lock 38 which is fully operational. Lock demonstrations take place on weekends during the summer months.
The Ohio and Erie Towpath Trail – The trail is about 90 miles long and largely follows the route of the original Ohio & Erie Canal. The Canal Exploration Center is in the path of this trail. On this path, from 1827 to 1913, mules pulled boats up and down the Ohio and Erie Canal. 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.
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. From the Everett Road Covered Bridge Parking Lot, the bridge is less than a quarter mile walk on a paved path.
Deer Lick Cave and Bridal Loop Trail – is a 4 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 trail out-and-back to the cave.
Brecksville Nature Center – We stopped by this center as it was in the path of the Deer Lick Trail. This Nature Center opened its doors in 1939 as a trailside Museum. It remains to this day the last of Cleveland Metroparks original trailside museums. It serves as an educational center and attraction that introduces visitors to wilderness, natural treasures, and the Cuyahoga Valley region. Some interactive exhibits inside the center, introduce you to the region’s wildlife, including snake and frog exhibits and taxidermy coyotes and owls.
We rented a 4-bedroom Airbnb for 2 nights when we visited the park in July of 2025. The Airbnb was about 20 minutes driving distance from the park.
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.