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Cuyahoga Valley National Park

A crooked river and an open space

By Scott Richardson

June 19^th, 2020

I’m a firm believer in the power of nature, open space, and the need for room to stretch out and explore. Cuyahoga Valley National Park was literally built on these ideas.

Situated between the urban centers of Cleveland and Akron, the park’s roots dig back to the late 1800s when people came by canal boats and leisure trains to escape city life. Local philanthropists planted the seeds for conservation and recreation when they granted land for the exclusive purpose of building parks.

By the mid-20th century, urban sprawl threatened the peaceful valley. Short-sighted development brought people and traffic and filled open fields with monstrous buildings. The locals feared the sprawl would never stop and lobbied for the preservation of open space.

Eventually, the citizens won and a portion of the valley was designated as a national recreation area, which led to the cleanup and restoration of open space, wetlands and a trail system to ensure that we all have a place to escape to.

Prior to our visit, we had been quarantined for three months due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We were in need of open space and wanted to explore an area slightly further away from our usual trails in the suburbs of Philadelphia. As soon as we felt it was safe for us, and with plenty of precautions in mind to limit our exposure to others, we made the six-hour trip to Ohio to explore the Cuyahoga Valley.

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Experience Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Experience Cuyahoga Valley National Park just like we did. Use your mouse or phone to rotate the frame, or use a VR headset to feel like you’re there.

The Beaver Marsh is a success story in wetland reclamation after 150 years of industrial abuse and fur hunting. When the land was slated for protection, volunteers pulled trash and car parts from the site. Beavers returned and dammed the area which led to the revival of native wetland plants, which in turn led to the return of a multitude of wildlife.

We made the marsh our first stop after a long day of driving from Philadelphia. From the boardwalk, we admired the lush scene as the sun dipped lower in the sky. As dusk approached, we watch as ducks bathed in the water, and found a heron hiding deep within the pattern of the marsh.

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

The Everett Covered Bridge is just one reminder of how the valley has depended and responded to water since its development. The covered bridge is a design relic from the mid-19th century when covered bridges were in fashion and helped residents safely navigate over the valley’s creeks.

The park’s other water attractions are man-made and man-altered. The Ohio and Erie Canal was dug through the valley in the early 1800s to aid the shipping of goods via Lake Erie to Buffalo, New York City and beyond.

Meanwhile, the crooked Cuyahoga River weaves its way through the valley and has served as a catalyst for industrial innovation and a path for its waste. But, perhaps its legacy is cemented as the river that has caught fire. An incident that ignited oil floating on the water in 1969 led the public to demand action which resulted in the Clean Water Act and formation of the EPA.

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Behind the park’s visitors center sits the M.D. Garage, a restored 1940s era gas station complete with vintage pumps and a working air compressor. When the park was established, properties were bought and demolished to clear the way for open space. However, decades-long delays left many buildings abandoned to rot and attract their own folklore. The empty houses spurred tales of murders, industrial accidents, and haunting figures. While none of those stories are true, a ranger took the time to show us evidence of his own paranormal hunts which have resulted in ghostly images of figures in windows of old properties.

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Beyond a few backcountry sites accessed via the trail network, there are no campsites in the park, so we stayed forty-minutes north at the tranquil Punderson State Park. Since we were traveling during the COVID-19 pandemic, we aimed to be self-sufficient to eliminate the need for unnecessary stops. This included packing almost all of our meals.

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

The Ritchie Ledges are visible evidence of the history of the landscape. The sand of pebbles of ancient streams compacted into rock, which eroded to create the towering and fragile ledges that we see today. Delicate moss lines its surface while fragile roots seek to hold on to the eroding soil.

This area more than any other in the park reminded me of landscapes through Allegheny State Park in western New York where my family camped while I was growing up.

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Among National Parks enthusiasts, Cuyahoga Valley doesn’t attract a lot of praise. It lacks the grandeur of the Yosemite valley, or the sweeping views of the Grand Canyon. It sits between two urban centers which make their presence known through a constant hum or road noise. However, the park offers its own crown jewels through a collection of waterfalls that are beautiful in their own right. Blue Hen Falls drops a short distance into a shallow pool below, while Brandywine Falls cascades with a bridal veil shape over shale on its 60-foot drop to the creekbed below.

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

We spent our final morning in the park exploring the Oak Hill and Plateau trails. Our Monday morning visit meant that we had the area almost completely to ourselves. Deep forests turned into a rolling meadow as ponds dotted the landscape. We paused for a while to explore the lilypad lined Meadow Pond while a chorus of frogs let us know we weren’t actually alone.

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Not every National Park needs to have the splendor of park service’s western crown jewels. Instead, maybe we need to adjust our thinking. While it is impossible to ignore the sounds (and sometimes sights) of the highways that pass through Cuyahoga Valley National Park, and in turn remind you of its location perched between two giant industrial and population centers, it is worth reflecting on the citizens that spoke up for the conservation of open land to create an accessible location for recreation and for wildlife to thrive.

Cuyahoga Valley was the 35th National Park I’ve visited on my personal challenge to visit all of the designated US National Parks.

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

© 2026 Scott Richardson

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