No other season reminds us to stop and take in the great outdoors quite like autumn—and brisk fall mornings and evenings make for perfect hiking conditions. If you’re looking to escape the rush of the city or need to clear your head, Cleveland has you covered with hundreds of miles of hiking trails. Check out The Daily on Thursdays in November for the inside scoop on some of Northeast Ohio’s outdoor attractions.
A day trip to Cuyahoga Valley National Park will have you feeling worlds away from city life. Situated between Cleveland and Akron, Ohio’s only national park follows the winding Cuyahoga River, which gives way to deep forests, rolling hills and open farmlands.
More than 125 miles of hiking trails exist in the park—ranging from nearly flat to more challenging—and pass through various habitats, including woodlands, wetlands and fields. You’ll cross streams with stepping stones or log bridges on some trails, while others require just a short amble to a scenic overlook.
A bulk of the trail mileage in the park is home to part of the —a 19.5 mile crushed limestone hiking and biking trail that you can access through 10 trailheads. But, the trail extends far beyond the Cuyahoga Valley National Park—it has trailheads in Stark, Cuyahoga and Tuscarawas counties. In total, there are more than 87 miles of Towpath Trail in Ohio currently completed, and more than 50 trailheads.
Ready to try an easy hike? Check out one of these:
- —A 4.4 mile loop trail near Peninsula.
- —A 4.4 mile out and back trail near Brecksville.
- —A 1.5 mile loop trail near Peninsula.
- —A 4.9 mile out and back trail near Peninsula.
Looking for a moderate hike? Try one of these:
- —A 2.3 mile loop trail located near Peninsula.
- —A 1.4 mile loop trail near Hudson. (Bonus: Beautiful waterfalls!)
- —A 3.9 mile loop trail near Peninsula.
- —A 4.1 mile loop trail near Peninsula.
Make sure to visit the , where you can explore all of the trails, download trail maps and stay in the know about park happenings. Or, to sort hikes by difficulty, length, elevation gain and their user ratings.
