Cuyahoga Valley National Park visit-planning guide for seasonal Ohio conditions

Ohio's only national park, protecting a river valley of forests, waterfalls, and canal history between Cleveland and Akron

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Cuyahoga Valley National Park occupies a distinctive place among American national parks as Ohio's sole national park and a model for protecting natural and cultural landscapes within a heavily developed urban corridor. The park reclaims and preserves the industrial, commercial, and rural landscape along the Cuyahoga River between Akron and Cleveland, spanning 32,783 acres across Summit and Cuyahoga Counties. What makes Cuyahoga Valley particularly unusual is its collaborative management structure: while the National Park Service administers the park, the boundaries encompass areas independently managed as county parks, Cleveland Metroparks reservations, Summit Metro Parks facilities, and numerous public and private attractions. This integrated conservation approach demonstrates how protected areas can function within metropolitan regions while maintaining ecological integrity and providing recreational opportunities for millions of nearby residents. The park's creation story reflects decades of community advocacy in response to threats of urban sprawl and environmental degradation, including notable pollution problems that plagued the Cuyahoga River through the mid-twentieth century.