Cuyahoga Valley

The words

1. Beaver Marsh

   Open water, water lilies and wetland plants support frogs, turtles, waterfowl and mammals at Beaver Marsh. Its resident beavers remain active in winter rather than hibernating.

   Park Service: Beaver Marsh wildlife (opens a new tab)

2. Blue Heron

   Great blue herons stalk fish, frogs and other small animals along the valley’s waterways. They nest in groups called heronries, usually high in trees near water.

   Did you know?

   At nest-building time, the male gathers a stick and presents it to the female, who adds it to the nest.

   Park Service: Great blue heron life (opens a new tab)

3. Boston Store

   Boston Store served the Boston Land and Manufacturing Company in a busy canal town. Boatyards, a brickyard and mills nearby show how waterborne trade supported local industry.

   Park Service: Boston Store history (opens a new tab)

4. Brandywine

   Brandywine Falls drops over hard Berea Sandstone above softer shale layers. Brandywine Creek carved the waterfall and gorge, exposing a sequence of rocks formed from ancient sediment.

   Park Service: Brandywine Falls geology (opens a new tab)

5. Burning River

   In Cleveland, north of the park, oil and debris on the Cuyahoga burned on June 22, 1969. The fire became an environmental symbol, while cleanup efforts were already underway.

   Park Service: The 1969 river fire (opens a new tab)

6. Covered Bridge

   Everett Covered Bridge spans Furnace Run, linking farm roads with the valley’s former canal economy. The crossing seen here is the National Park Service’s historically accurate 1986 reconstruction.

   Park Service: Everett Covered Bridge (opens a new tab)

7. Cuyahoga

   The Cuyahoga follows a U-shaped course, flowing south before turning north toward Lake Erie at Cleveland. Meltwater from retreating glaciers helped shape the route through the park’s valley.

   Park Service: The Cuyahoga’s course (opens a new tab)

8. Hale Farm

   Jonathan Hale began farming here after arriving in 1810. The brick farmhouse and recreated village at Hale Farm & Village interpret the valley’s agricultural life, including the work of hired families.

   Did you know?

   A recorded farm recollection describes neighbors gathering on threshing day, with wagons bringing grain to a machine at the barn.

   Park Service: Hale Farm work and life (opens a new tab)

9. Ice Box Cave

   Ice Box Cave lies at the Ledges. When checked on October 25, 2026, NPS listed it closed to limit white-nose syndrome, a disease affecting hibernating bats.

   Park Service: Ice Box Cave and bats (opens a new tab)

10. Kendall Lake

    Civilian Conservation Corps crews dammed Salt Run in 1934 and 1935 to create Kendall Lake. Built during the Great Depression, it gave nearby city residents a place for outdoor recreation.

    Did you know?

    The lake once had a swimming beach, while winter recreation included a toboggan run and ice skating.

    Park Service: Kendall Lake history (opens a new tab)

11. Lock Tender

    A canal worker who operated locks, changing water levels to move boats uphill or downhill.

    Charles Carter, who lived near Lock 26, was both a locktender and a canal boat captain. His family combined canal work with farming and a local dairy trade.

    Park Service: Lock 26 and the Carters (opens a new tab) · Park Service: How canal locks work (opens a new tab)

12. Ohio and Erie

    The Ohio & Erie Canal linked Lake Erie at Cleveland with the Ohio River at Portsmouth. Through the valley, its boats carried farm produce and other goods to markets beyond the region.

    Park Service: Canal and towpath history (opens a new tab)

13. Ritchie Ledges

    The Ritchie Ledges expose rock made from ancient sand and pebbles. Erosion shaped their cliffs and crevices, while stored rainwater helps create a cool, moist habitat nearby.

    Park Service: Ritchie Ledges geology (opens a new tab)

14. Towpath Trail

    The Towpath Trail follows the route where mules once pulled canal boats loaded with goods and passengers, linking valley communities to a wider transportation network.

    Park Service: Canal and towpath history (opens a new tab)

15. Valley Railway

    The Valley Railway began service in 1880, carrying coal, stone and agricultural goods toward Cleveland. Its depots also brought passenger travel, mail and telegraph news to valley communities.

    Did you know?

    Faster rail transport changed farm trade: milk could reach city markets fresh, rather than first being made into cheese.

    Park Service: Valley Railway history (opens a new tab)