The Martin's Blog

Cuyahoga Valley National Park – OH

October 15, 2014 – Arrived at the Inn at Brandywine Falls about 5pm to check-in.  The house was built in 1848 by James Wallace who owned the mills (now gone) at the falls.

It was a short walk from the B & B to Brandywine Falls – note Helen at the gate

Brandywine Falls – 67 ft

October 16, 2014 – 9am candlelight breakfast – the Inn at Brandywine Falls was one of the best B & B’s we have stayed at

We met Dick and Jan at the Botzum RR Station parking lot to start our 20 mile bike ride.  We chose to ride north on the trail from Botzum Station to Rockside Station because it is generally downhill!  The Cuyahoga River empties into Lake Erie.

In 1974 Congress created Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area as an urban park.  It became a National Park in 2000

Though we had some light rain, overall, it was a beautiful Fall day

“Ka-ih-oogh-ha” is the Indian word for crooked – the river runs 90 miles from Akron to Cleveland where it enters Lake Erie but the distance is only 30 miles as the crow flies.

Many interesting stops along the way

Much of the trail is along the Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath – this location is Deep Lock Quarry

We stopped at the Boston Store National Park Visitor Center

Museum view of canal at this point

Canal boats were made here as well

“On the Trail Again”

Beautiful Fall colors!

Snapping turtle

Great Blue Heron

Most of the trail was crushed stone and very smooth.  However, it did rain a bit so we had some puddles to contend with resulting in water being tossed up on bikes and clothes – see Dick’s back.  This is an example of one of the asphalt sections of the trail, which were OK but tended to be bumpier than the crushed stone sections.

Canal Visitor Center – they sometimes demonstrate lock operation here

“Hell’s Half Acre” – this structure, at Lock 38, was built in the 1820’s and served at various times as a tavern, general store and residence.  It obviously acquired a colorful reputation among canal travelers.

This shows the 308 mile path of the canal from Cleveland to Portsmouth on the Ohio River

Boats were raised 395 vertical feet by 44 locks between Cleveland and Akron

The National Park has a great cooperative program with the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad which runs from Summit County Metro Parks in Akron, to Rockside Station in the northern end of the National Park.

There are a total of eight stations along the route.

Bicyclists can get on at any stop with their bikes and ride the train as long as they like in one direction for only $3!

We rode our bikes from Botzum Station to Rockside Station (20miles) along the Canal Towpath Trail and then took the train back