Photo: NPS Photo / D.J. Reiser
Though a short distance from the urban areas of Cleveland and Akron, Cuyahoga Valley National Park seems worlds away.
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The park is a refuge for native plants and wildlife, and provides routes of discovery for visitors. The winding Cuyahoga River gives way to deep forests, rolling hills, and open farmlands.
Walk or ride the Towpath Trail to follow the historic route of the Ohio & Erie Canal.
The following parking lots will be closed for short periods this week for maintenance work: Station Road Bridge Trailhead 10/13-14 and Lock 39 Trailhead 10/15-16. Scheduled dates and times are subject to change due to weather conditions.
Closed from Boston Trailhead to Lock 29, August 24–November 20, 2026 and March 29–April 21, 2027.
Do not leave valuables in your car. As a last resort, lock items in your trunk before arriving. Thieves target parking lots and break-ins can occur.
As of Wednesday, September 16, 2026, the East Rim Trail System remains open. For more information, visit the website linked below. In good conditions the mountain bike trails are open 6 am-11 pm for bikers and as posted for other trail users. In wet or hazardous conditions, the trail will close to all users to prevent damage. Be flexible; conditions may change throughout the day.
Parking lots and popular destinations are crowded especially on weekends and days with warm weather between 10 am and 3 pm.
18 experiences from the National Park Service. Check details on NPS.gov before you go.
Snowshoeing is a great way to explore and exercise in Cuyahoga Valley National Park when the conditions are right. We recommend waiting for there to be at least four inches of packed snow on the…
Learn more about Go Snowshoeing in the Cuyahoga Valley on NPS.gov (opens in a new tab)Showing 1 of 1
Pick one to find other parks that offer it.
1 campground listed on Recreation.gov. Check availability and current conditions before you go.
Reservable Campground
Cuyahoga Valley National Park is a destination for millions of visitors each year who enjoy hiking, riding the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad , biking and picnicking…
Reserve on Recreation.govFees: Fees are $80.00 to $110.00. Payment in full will be charged to your credit card upon completion of the reservation.
Overview
Cuyahoga Valley National Park is a destination for millions of visitors each year who enjoy hiking, riding the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad , biking and picnicking.
Whether you need an area large enough for a family reunion or just an intimate spot for two, Cuyahoga Valley is an ideal destination. Picnic areas are scattered throughout the park. Two rustic shelters, Ledges and Octagon, are available for reservation in the Virginia Kendall Unit of Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
Recreation
With many different facilities and attractions in the park, there is something to interest everyone. Most shelter areas have open fields for games and nearby hiking trails.Visitors enjoy riding the scenic railroad, exploring the visitor centers, catching one of the summer concerts, attending one of the ranger-guided programs, biking the Towpath Trail or picnicking in one of the park's picnic shelters.Facilities
Cuyahoga Valley's two shelters are fully-accessible. The Civilian Conservation Corps constructed them with American chestnut and locally quarried sandstone. The shelters are located near Ritchie Ledges, an area with approximately 2 miles of Sharon conglomerate stone cliffs about 30 feet (9m) tall. A large play field and hiking trails are available near each shelter.
Ledges Shelter accommodates up to 75 people. It has two fireplaces and eight picnic tables inside, as well as eight tables in the outside pavilion and a large grill.
Octagon Shelter accommodates up to 50 people. During the summer months its walls are removed; they are in place from October 15 to May 14. Seven indoor picnic tables, two fireplaces and an outdoor grill are provided.
Both shelters have electricity for normal two-pronged household appliances such as coffee pots and crock pots. Drinking water is available at a drinking fountain from May 1 to September 15. Restrooms with flush toilets are available year-round.
Natural Features
The Cuyahoga River flows through the park for 22 miles (35 km), fed by more than 190 miles (306 km) of perennial (permanent) and ephemeral (temporary) streams. The Beaver Marsh and other wetlands, many lined with cattails and dense patches of duckweed, provide a home for many of the park's reptiles and amphibians and help filter pollutants from the water.
Nearby Attractions
Visit Brandywine Falls, the historic Boston Store Visitor Center, Ritchie Ledges, the Beaver Marsh and the Everett Road Covered Bridge. These are some of the more popular attractions in the park.Charges & Cancellations
Cancellations more that 14 days before arrival will receive a refund minus a $10 cancellation fee. Cancellations less than 14 days out will forfeit the entire fee.
Find visitor services available in the park. Check current hours and availability before you go.
Facility
Start your visit to Cuyahoga Valley National Park at Boston Mill Visitor Center. Meet park staff, get questions answered, and learn about the park and places to visit…
6947 Riverview Road, Peninsula, OH (440) 717-3890 Directions
Facility
Discover the Ohio & Erie Canal in the storied Canal Exploration Center that was once used as a tavern, a general store, a residence, and a park visitor center. Find out…
7104 Canal Road, Valley View, OH (440) 717-3825 Directions
Facility
Hunt House offers child-friendly nature exhibits, a rest area along the Towpath Trail, and information about nearby attractions. Hunt House is open seasonally as…
2054 Bolanz Road, Peninsula, OH (440) 717-3890 Directions
Open 24 hours, daily · Cuyahoga Valley National Park
Cuyahoga Valley National Park is open everyday, 24 hours a day with the following exceptions: Brandywine Falls, Ledges, Octagon, Kendall Lake, and Kendall Hills close from dusk until morning opening.
No entrance fees listed.
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Spring's rain and warming temperatures bring new leaves on trees, blooming wildflowers, and visitors anxious to get out on the trail. Summer temperatures range from 49 to 95 degrees F and can be humid. Dressing in layers is advisable. Fall temperatures can range from low 70s during the day to freezing during the night. Fall foliage often peaks in mid-October. Winter weather conditions can rapidly change due to the lake effect snow from Lake Erie. Temperatures vary from mid-30s to below zero.
Adopt-a-Trail volunteers help park staff maintain safe and well-groomed trails. They participate in trail "sweeps" by picking up litter, trimming branches, clearing culverts, and reporting trail conditions on their adopted trails. For more information about the program, contact the Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park at volunteer@forcvnp.org.
Please contact Boston Run Adopt-a-Trail leader Pete Snyder at 330-297-9180 ahead of time to inform them if you will be attending a trail sweep.
Experience the Cuyahoga Valley at its most vibrant aboard the Fall Scenic Excursion. Just like the popular National Park Scenic rides, this seasonal favorite features additional Friday and Saturday departures, giving you even more opportunities to enjoy Northeast Ohio's spectacular autumn display.
Guests may choose from two ride options to best fit their schedule and interests. The Classic 24-mile, round-trip ride departs from either the Rockside Depot or the Akron Northside Depot and lasts approximately 3 hours and 40 minutes. For guests seeking a shorter adventure, the Express rides depart from the Peninsula Depot and travel round trip either north to Rockside Depot and back or south to Akron Northside Depot and back. These rides last approximately 2 hours.
A variety of seating options are available. Wheelchair accessible seating is available in the Karen C. Cooper car. Call 330-439-5708 for more information and to purchase tickets for this car.
Visit the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad website for ticket information and the full train schedule.
Are you looking for a way to get involved at Cuyahoga Valley National Park? Join us for our Habitat Restoration Drop-in to improve habitat for native plants and wildlife. Your efforts will help improve soil quality, restore native plants, and create better habitat for native wildlife. Drop-ins are a great opportunity for both first-time and veteran volunteers to get involved in their national park.
Suitable for ages 10 and up. Volunteers who are 10-15 years of age must have parent or guardian supervision at the project site. Volunteers who are 16-17 years of age are only required to have a parent or guardian sign their Volunteer Agreement form.
**Advanced registration is required for all individuals. Group sizes are small, and have a strict attendance cap. Only volunteers who pre-registered will be permitted to participate. We will have a water cooler, please bring a refillable water bottle.
***This event is open to the public. If you are a corporate/school group looking to volunteer, please contact volunteer@forcvnp.org
The Low Power Happy Hour speaker series features local professionals working toward a more sustainable future for Northeast Ohio.
This month: River Otters of the Cuyahoga River WatershedJoin us for an exciting presentation about everyone’s favorite river mammal!
Akron Zoo will lead an informative deep dive on the history of river otters in Northeast Ohio and the Cuyahoga River Watershed. Learn about their habitats, and current conservation efforts in our region.
As part of the free Art After Hours event at Summit Artspace, Ranger Arrye Rosser will moderate an artist panel to discuss themes from the Nature Includes You exhibition currently on view. Join us on Thursday, October 15 from 6-7 pm. Anika Wild, Antwoine Washington, Marlys Rambeau-General, and Ryan Harris will share how they became involved in the project and how they connect to nature both personally and professionally.
Summit ArtSpace will be open for Art After Hours from 5-8 pm. It is located at 140 East Market Street in downtown Akron. To learn more, visit https://www.summitartspace.org/art-after-hours/.
Adopt-a-Trail volunteers help park staff maintain safe and well-groomed trails. They participate in trail "sweeps" by picking up litter, trimming branches, clearing culverts, and reporting trail conditions on their adopted trails. For more information about the program, contact the Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park at volunteer@forcvnp.org.
Please contact Tree Farm Adopt-a-Trail leader Jessica Franks at 216-217-4591 ahead of time to inform them if you will be attending a trail sweep.
Join Cuyahoga Valley Farmers Market to support your favorite vendors and meet all the new folks! They have an amazing lineup of local farms, food producers, artists, and makers this season - over 70 northeast Ohio businesses. There is also live music every week, cooking demonstrations, tastings of what’s in season, and other activities for all ages.
Be sure to plan ahead and be aware of market policies such as the "dog-free hour," 9 - 10 am. Visit the market's website for more information.
Slow down and explore Cuyahoga Valley National Park through the lens of a camera! Join NPS volunteer photographer Rick Santich for a photo scavenger hunt on the Kendall Lake Trail during peak fall colors.
Discover how to tell stories with your photos and learn some photography basics while exploring this area of the park. After the scavenger hunt, participants will have the chance to share their photos to see each other's unique point of view.
Dig deeper into the history and nature of Cuyahoga Valley with a 10-minute presentation in the outdoor pavilion next to Boston Mill Visitor Center. Topics vary. Will move inside for inclement weather.
The Boston Gallery is a flagship initiative of the Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park’s Arts in the Park program, enriching visitor experiences and strengthening community connections through visual, cultural, and performing arts programming in partnership with artists across Northeast Ohio. Curated in partnership with the Museum of Creative Human Art (MoCHA), the Boston Gallery features rotating exhibitions of nature‑centric artwork, refreshed several times each year.
On Exhibit: Wild Order: Studies in Natural FormNature has long served as a source of observation, but Wild Order looks beyond representation to explore the systems, rhythms, and material intelligence that shape the living world. Bringing together five contemporary artists working across printmaking, mixed media, drawing, and painting study, the exhibition examines how organic forms are translated, reconstructed, and reimagined through distinct artistic practices.
Rather than depicting nature directly, the works engage with its underlying logic growth, repetition, adaptation, and balance. Botanical studies, layered compositions, relief surfaces, and three-dimensional painted forms reveal how natural structures can become visual languages, where observation gives way to interpretation.
Moving between order and unpredictability, the exhibition embraces the tension between careful construction and organic evolution. Nature emerges not simply as subject matter, but as a catalyst for making, shaping process, material, and imagination. Wild Order invites viewers to slow down and consider how the patterns of the natural world continue to influence the ways artists see, build, and transform their surroundings.
Curated by Yana Mikho-Misho, this exhibition features works from artists Yasmeen Kwan, Pavla Margo, Christopher Owen Smith, Juliette Thimmig, and Rebekah Wilhelm.
The park is easily accessible by car from all directions. A good place to start your visit is at Boston Mill Visitor Center: 6947 Riverview Road, Peninsula, 44264.
Cleveland Hopkins International Airport and Akron-Canton Regional Airport offer many daily flights to the area. Car rentals are available at both airports. Bus stations are located in downtown Cleveland and Akron. Some local bus routes including RTA's 19A, 54, 77, and 90 routes stop near the park. There is an Amtrak station in downtown Cleveland.
Mailing address: 15610 Vaughn Road, Brecksville, OH 44141
Ask about trails, fees, weather, events, or planning your visit.
AI answers can be wrong. Check official NPS info before you go.
