26 May 2018
I have very mixed feelings about Cuyahoga Valley National Park. On the one hand, when you actually get to a trail and walk it, it’s quite. beautiful, tranquil, and much like the area in and around Tishomingo State Park in northeast Mississippi where I did my graduate work.
The air was perfumed with the scent of Black Locust. It’s the largest stand of these trees I’ve seen and they were all in bloom at once.
Then there is the mishmash of towns and private land intersecting and interweaving the park. There’s Garfield Heights, Sagamore Hills, Bedford, Macedonia, Northfield Center, Cuyahoga Falls, and Richfield. I think I passed through every one of these communities while trying to find bits and pieces of the park scattered among them.
Add to that the very touristy train through the park (a fake engine pulls Pullman’s through the park albeit pushed by diesels) and you have ready made traffic jams along a major artery of the park.
When I did get to get on a trail, it was great. I got some great wildflower shots and got to see some interesting waterfalls.
My first stop was the visitor center. Or I tried to stop at the visitor center. The website says it is open – it is not – it is under renovation. I did find a temporary visitor center (not labeled so as you could tell – just a building sitting off the side of the road. I picked up a map and The Valley Guide (each park names their guide).
There was a parking lot for the train and it was almost filled. I would suspect this is one of the busiest parks in the National Park Service. There were park personnel, police, and volunteers all directing traffic and there was a huge concession area for while you waited for the train.
My first hiking stop was Brandywine Falls. I did the short 0.5 mile hike down to the falls which was a mostly boardwalk and steps down. After that, I decided to do the 1.4 mile loop called Brandywine Gorge which takes you by the falls again. It was a great trail and I enjoyed it tremendously.
Make viagra samples no prescription sure the medicine is used under the supervision of a medical professional. This Oral Jelly is the first ever generic medicine in best cialis price the beginning. For instance, if a man is having ED due to high blood pressure, he needs antihypertensive medicines first to control blood pressure. viagra pfizer 25mg The mechanism of Kamagra is very similar to the reputed cialis de prescription and kamagra.
Next up was Blue Hen Falls. The sign points you to a parking lot (already full by mid-morning) which is actually the overflow for the falls parking lot across the road (and unmarked). I found a place down the hill from the falls to park the jeep, walked back to the parking lot and walked a short section of trail (unmarked) that turned out to not be the trail to the falls.
Backtracking along the road, I finally noticed the across-the-road drive that led to the falls. It was a 0.5 mile roundtrip to a very attractive little falls. I’m not sure why it is called Blue Hen, but there were more people there and on the trail than could have possibly parked in one of four locations near the falls. I have no idea from where those people came.
Lastly, I decided to head to Bridal Veil Falls – listed as a falls within the park but is actually a Cleveland MetroPark. The park suggests the best time to visit is after a rain storm but I didn’t have time to wait for one, so I headed to see it anyway. Once you park, you again wonder where is the trail? It is across the road from the parking lot. These were not spectacular falls but were attractive enough for the short 0.5 mile round trip hike.
With the loop, the falls, and incidental walking, I think I must have made 3 1/2 miles today. I noticed my ankle warning me so I called it quits and headed back to the comfort of the Comfort Inn in Independence.
There is a trail I would like to hike tomorrow (2.2 miles) called The Ledges with some spectacular overlooks of the valley below. It is also supposed to be excellent for wildflowers.
