ohio's national park
We ventured to northeastern Ohio where we stumbled upon Cuyahoga Valley National Park. CVNP is Ohio's only national park and was just established as such in 2000! When hiking, kayaking or bicycling through the Cuyahoga Valley, you would never say "Oh, wow, I must be in Ohio," as this 33,000 acre park looks as if it were plucked from a storybook and gently placed between two major cities: Akron and Cleveland. It is a great getaway and provides a multitude of activities for adventurers, photographers and families! All of the trails at CVNP are also dog-friendly! For more information about the park, check out National Geographic's feature on it.
bring fido
Don't be afraid to travel with your pups! They will love the journey just as much as you do. We decided to bring Nadia along for this adventure; she was definitely exhausted at the end of each day but loved every second of it! For great tips and tricks on where you are permitted to bring your companion, visit bringfido.com.
blue hen falls
One of our first hikes landed us at Blue Hen Falls. The trailhead only has 3 parking spots available, so definitely opt for the first spot you see in the overflow parking lot located across the main road from the trailhead. The first portion of the path will take you down a small hill that is partially paved, although not wheelchair accessible. After the decent, you'll make your way across a footbridge that overlooks a beautiful creek. From there, the trail winds around to the right and before you know it, you're standing at the overlook to the falls. If you decide to venture past the barrier, be careful as the rocks are slick and it can be a long ways down.
the ledges
The trailhead for "The Ledges" is located at 405 Truxell Road- we recommend an early start to avoid the masses of people that begin arriving by 9:00am. The loop is less than two miles and will guide you through tremendous cut outs in the earth; you'll begin to wonder if you're actually staring in the next Tomb Raider movie as you pull yourself over large moss covered boulders and slide your way through ancient crevices. A great sight along the path is Ice Box Cave- you can't enter this cave as the bats are highly protected however, you can stand at the entrance and appreciate the beauty of the cave, how it was made and all that it stands for. The flora that is accentuated in vibrant colors throughout the ledges is beautifully rendered on a rocky backdrop.