Expedition Team: Rosie Miller, Dave Miller
Expedition Date: May 2017
Cuyahoga Valley NP in northeast differs from other national parks in that it is located between two large cities (Akron & Cleveland) and includes a dense road network, a railroad, small towns public and private attractions. One component is the Towpath Trail, a 20-mile bike path originally the tow path for the Ohio & Erie Canal. The canal was built from 1825 to 1832. Parallel to the bike path is the canal and in some places the Cuyahoga River. Over 75% of the canal still holds water and seven locks still exist in good condition along with a few historical houses. The park has over 125 miles of trails. We hiked one of park trails and saw a nice waterfall.
In the summer a train will run from south of the park north towards Cleveland. People biking can bike the 20 miles and then hop the train with the bicycle and ride back to their starting point. In the southern part of the Towpath Trail is a beautiful wetlands area with turtles, birds and other scenery. In addition, three visitor centers and several historical houses are along the trail.
I am glad Ohio has a “national park” and it is a nice place to visit but it does not seem anywhere as majestic as the large national parks that are in the western United States. If I had my choice for a National Park in Ohio it would be Hocking Hills State Park, as it has great hiking trails and beautiful rock structures and waterfalls.
