Cuyahoga Valley National Park Camping Weekend

WOW, this park blew my mind. We scheduled a long weekend to head out to Cuyahoga Valley National Park. That meant we had 3 full days to make the 8-hr. drive from St. Louis to Ohio. Spend time exploring and make the drive back. Boy, did we sell ourselves short on this park. I must admit, I did not expect much heading out here. Mainly because you just don’t hear about this park very much. I can honestly say this park is a hidden gem. No crowds, breathtaking views, extremely nice people. It has it all.

If you love to hike, this is the park for you. It truly is a hiking heaven. Driving throughout the park, heading from one area to another, it seemed like there was a trailhead around every corner. Everywhere we looked was another trail head. Each one different from the other. We could have spent a week here jumping from trail to trail and possibly still not hit them all.

I am going to cover in this post the areas we explored. Some of the attractions in the area. Where we stayed. What we loved and a neat little farm that you will want to visit. If we could do it again, I think we easily could have spent a week in Cuyahoga National Park and still not seen it all.

Cuyahoga Valley National Park History

Cuyahoga Valley National Park, meaning crooked river, has beauty around every corner. It is truly a beautiful valley that is full of charm and comfort. Cuyahoga Valley has not always been this way. Back in the 60’s the Cuyahoga River was used heavily for industry use. Leading to high pollution in the river itself. Mainly around the Cleveland Area. In 1969 there was a river fire, that consisted of debris gathering around railroad bridges and high levels of oil in the river. An overpassing train likely caused the ignition of the river. This was a somewhat normal occurrence for the river, to catch fire.

This fire, among other issues, lead to a lot of legislation toward protecting the environment. The Cuyahoga Valley became a National Recreation area in 1974. Later leading to it to become a National Park in 2000. I am incredibly happy we decided to explore this area, and we will be back for a longer stay in the future.

Streetsboro/Cleveland SE KOA Holiday Campsite

We decided to stay at the Streetsboro/Cleveland SE KOA. This put us approximately 20 minutes away from most of the attractions we were wanting to see and do. I do believe this is the perfect campsite for visiting Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

Streetsboro/Cleveland SE KOA offers many accommodations including a maximum of 50 AMP service. Have a big rig? Not a problem here, they can accommodate up to a 95’ rig. There is a clean, attractive pool that is open from 5/28-10/23. Cable TV, Wi-Fi, multiple fishing ponds, propane, and a camp store. For the kids they have a jump pad, playground, gem mine, arcade, and a hay ride that pulls you throughout the campsite.

I recommend the premium back in sites. This had a large concrete pad, enough space for our camper and the jeep. It offered us nice lounging chairs, a picnic table, and a clean Weber gas grill on site. You will pay a premium for these sites. With kids, it’s a no brainer to upgrade to the deluxe site. They can ride their scooters or bike. Even can draw on the concrete with sidewalk chalk. Just make sure to clean it off before you leave.

The entire campsite is very well maintained. The landscaping was noticeably clean, no sticks or leaves on the ground. All the grass was very well maintained. Even the rock roads were filled with extra rock on a regular basis. It gave the impression that they cared about the campsite and that they cared about our experience there.

Peninsula and Hudson Ohio

An added bonus to staying here is you will get to drive through the small towns of Peninsula and Hudson on a regular basis. My wife absolutely fell in love with these towns. They are laid out in a very attractive manner. Super clean towns with large Manors and plenty of historical houses to keep your eyes busy. There is a lot of local breweries and restaurants located in these areas as well. Definitely worth taking a look at everything they have to offer.

 No matter if you are coming here for a week or a weekend. The Streetsboro/Cleveland SE KOA Holiday will be a campsite you will never want to leave.

Cuyahoga Valley National Park Scenic Railroad

No matter if you are visiting Cuyahoga Valley National Park with a family or with friends, one thing you must check out is the railroad. The Cuyahoga Scenic Railroad is operational railroad that will take you through the Cuyahoga National Park. You will snake throughout the park, running along side the Cuyahoga River. This is a great opportunity to see wildlife as well as a lot of the park that cannot be seen by car.

When we booked out trip, we were lucky enough to be able to be pulled by a steam engine. This steam engine is in perfect working order and provided a one of a kind experience for our family. My youngest son is obsessed with trains, so this was a very special moment for him and for us. They even let us dismount the train, so it could do a drive by for pictures.

Normally you would not have a steam engine pulling the cars. It is generally done by a modern diesel engine. During the winter months they convert the train to a magical North Pole train ride. This ride offers hot coca, holiday activities, and cookies. This is the perfect way for your little ones to hand deliver a letter to Santa.

We opted to be on the family car. This car offered board games, art projects, and other family friendly activities to keep the kids entertained. If you are not here with the family, there is a beer car, first class ride, dinner cars, a murder mystery, and they even offer beer tastings from local breweries. No matter what option you choose, they all come with spectacular views. This is a unique way to enjoy a National Park and one I am happy we decided to enjoy

Thirsty Dog Brewery

While was were on the Cuyahoga Scenic Railroad. I did have to travel to the beer car. The gentleman sitting next to me had informed me that they serve some local brews on the train. Local brews are something I must try, no matter the time, occasion, or location.

Heading to the beer car, I was hoping to find a nice dark beer. Something full of flavor and had a little kick to it. Thirsty dog did not disappoint here. Looking into the fridges, there was plenty of IPA, not really my style. Then I came across a black bottle, with a steam engine on the label. Seemed fitting since we were currently riding on a steam engine. I picked up the bottle, it was a smoked black lager by thirsty dog brewery.

Rail dog Smoked Black Lager was the name of this delicious beer. It was a dark smoked lager giving hints of malt and chocolate. The aroma alone was enough to make your mouth water. Diving into this beer there was once thing for sure. I needed more of it! Unfortunately, on the train I could not buy a 6 pack for the road. They all had to be opened on site. 

Thirsty dog brewery has multiple locations throughout Ohio. I suggest finding one that is close to you and stopping in. They offer many different varieties of beer, including some barrel aged sours. Anyone can find something to love here.

Szalay’s Sweet corn and Market

First, let me start off by saying everyone we came across in Ohio was exceptionally nice and helpful. Everyone just wanted to help us explore the park and enjoy their little treasure they had. One thing that kept reoccurring was the recommendation for some sweet corn from Szalay’s. This was strange to me, the first person to recommend was a couple camping next to us at the KOA. They told us it’s the best sweet corn you will ever eat. They also explained that our children will love the ice cream there. The second recommendation came from a passenger on the train. The third recommendation was the host of the train. This all was in our first day visiting Cuyahoga National Park. So, of course we have to go and find this farm. After all I freaking love corn!

Pulling into the parking lot, was a big surprise to me. This place was packed. Like we had to park across the street and walk to enter the building. Entering the market really was nothing special. It’s a market. Plenty of veggies and other foods to stock the camper with. Something to note is everything at Szalay’s is cash only. They do have a ATM on site if you need it.

Sweet corn and Ice Cream, Somehow it just works!!

They are cooking sweet corn in the husk and serving after a butter bath. It truly was the best sweet corn I have ever had. What can be better than butter bath sweet corn, covered in salt and served in a husk!!!! You can make it a meal and pick up a burger, brat, or hotdog as well. After the corn we headed for dessert.

Heading over to the ice cream stand, they offer a fruit sundae. This sundae is offered with either vanilla, chocolate, or twist ice cream. You can get all topping or just want you want. We got twist with all toppings. Toppings included fresh pineapple, strawberries, blueberries, and banana. The sundae is not for the faint of heart. It was huge! Large enough for all 4 of us to eat on. Was the ice cream good? Heck yeah it was. Some of the most creamy, flavorful homemade ice cream I have ever had. Nothing better!!

Hiking in Cuyahoga Valley National Park

As I have mentioned before if you love to hike, this is the National Park for you! There are trails snaking all over the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. We got to experience a few of the more popular hikes in the area. As amazing as these were, it did in fact leave me wanting more. If you have the opportunity and the means, make sure you book more than a weekend here. You will not regret it!

The Ledges

The ledges trail was unlike any trail I have been on to date. It basically is a natural playhouse for hikers to enjoy. You will get to experience some beautiful scenery on this 1.8-mile trail. Narrow rock formations as well as plenty of climbing and bending to get over and around your obstacles are required. Now I am not a small boy, and I did not have any issues climbing or getting stuck in the narrow rock passages or anything like that.

This trail was a lot of awesome! The kids enjoyed it more than anything else we did on the trip. They loved being able to explore narrow passages, climb and slide down the smooth rocks. Swing from the tree branches and just all and all be kids. There was a lot of families out there enjoying the area and I can see why. It was a unique hike that I recommend to all.

The Ledges trail is not an easy trail for somebody that may have a hard time with uneven surfaces. Slick rocks, unpaved trails, and climbing. Also, when you go out. Make sure you take plenty of water, snacks, as well as a map of where you want to end up.

Plan Accordingly and bring plenty of supplies

I say this because we did not do any of this. The Ledges Trail does cross path with many other trails within the area. We ended up going off trial, getting a bit turned around and ended up over a mile from where we were trying to get to. This led my oldest son to have a small break down yelling “Somebody help us, we are lost!” As embarrassing as that was, I am happy he has the understanding that if he is in trouble, to call out for help.

We also only took 1 water bottle for all 4 of us. So, once we got turned around and ended up being out there longer than expected. We ran out of water. Once Killian asked for water and we told him we were out. He asked me “Daddy, are we going to die out here”. As funny as that was, this is a situation that a broken ankle or not being able to retrace your footsteps could turn into a catastrophic incident. Always be prepared for the worst.

Brandywine Falls

My ignorance of the area led me to be very surprised to see a large waterfall inside Cuyahoga National Park. I never would have imagined seeing such a beautiful 60’ waterfall located right off the roadway. This trail is amazing in beauty and character. If you are visiting the Cuyahoga National Park, then Brandywine Falls is a must see.

The Brandywine Gorge Loop is a 1.5-mile boardwalk loop that will take you right to the falls. Along the way you will come across beautiful sandstone and mature evergreen trees along the path are breathtaking in their own right. Once you get to the waterfall there is a large rounded viewing deck allowing for perfect pictures! The tranquility of this area is unmatched. Listening to the water gently cascade down the 60’ fall. Watching the river run swiftly. Listening to the birds chirping.  It was very peaceful.

The Brandywine Gorge Loop, while being a boardwalk does have some steep steps that can be a little tricky if you are not sure footed. Be aware and take you time. There are good handrails along the path so there is no reason to rush or loose balance.

No matter what time of year you visit Brandywine Falls you will be seeing it in a unique matter. In the fall colors explode from this area with all the different tree species lining the river. During the spring, there are pools of water that form and serve as a breeding ground for salamanders. In the summer the large mature trees and mist from the waterfall will give you an oasis, to get out of the summer heat.

Beaver Marsh

I must admit that we did not make it to the Beaver Marsh. Even though we did not get to experience it, I wanted to write about it. This was a hike that was on our list to do, unfortunately, we ran out of time before we were able to make it there.

In the early 80’s this area used to be a auto repair shop, with cars littering the entire landscape. In 1984 thanks to the efforts of Portage trail group of the sierra club started cleaning up the area. The plan was to make it a large parking lot for the National Park. The beavers had other plans. Beavers started to return to the park and started building dams in the area. This resulted in flooding and brought new life to this once dead area. Once the large pools of water returned, so did all the natural plants. This equaled a perfect wetland for frogs, snakes, beavers, birds, and turtles.

Today you can walk a boardwalk trail that is easily accessible for handicap and children. Allowing you to see this amazing wetland that was all brought back to life by the beavers.

Conclusion of the Trip

No matter what time of year you come to visit Cuyahoga National Park. You will not be disappointed. Please make sure you put this park on your list of must-see locations. Its so easy to get caught up in the beauty of Yellowstone and forget about the rest of these amazing parks. They all deserve our love and appreciation. All the parks offer different eco systems that are fascinating!  

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