What Is Cuyahoga Valley National Park?
Cuyahoga Valley National Park protects the wetlands and waterfalls lining the historic Ohio & Erie Canal!
What Makes It Beautiful?
This park is much subtler than some of the western national parks, but the true beauty is in its transformation! In the 1800s, this was a majorly industrial area! Lumber mills, dairy farms, and auto shops lined the canal, dumping so much oil and other pollution into the Cuyahoga River that the river caught fire thirteen times between 1868 and 1969. It was this most recent fire that led to the passing of the National Environmental Policy Act and creation of the EPA!
Starting in 1984, the Sierra Club teamed up with some local beavers to remove the industrial waste and jumpstart the wetlands! Today, a beaver marsh flourishes over an old auto repair shop, and visitors can view Brandywine Falls unobstructed by any mills! What was once an industrial wasteland has been restored to its natural beauty!
How Can I #HelpTheHelpers?
- Pay the entrance fee to help maintain trails, signs, structures, and other visitor services!
- Volunteer at Cuyahoga Valley National Park!
- Donate to Cuyahoga Valley National Park!
- Be a responsible visitor! Remember the old adages: Pack out what you pack in! Take nothing but pictures and leave nothing but footprints!
How Do I Get There?
Boston Store Visitor Center
5793 Boston Mills Rd
Peninsula, OH 44264
(Take Me There!)
When Should I Visit the Park?
Most parts of the park are open from dawn to dusk! If you want comfortable temperatures and wildflowers, visit in the spring or summer! The park also has places where you can ski and sled in winter if you want a chillier experience!
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