Map tips: each color represents a different day. Click a marker to learn more about the spot, and click the star in the map header to save the entire map under Your Places in Google Maps.
Day 1
- Brandywine Falls
- Blue Hen Falls
- Ledges Trail
- Country Maid Ice Cream
Brandywine Falls is the largest and most popular waterfall in Cuyahoga Valley National Park (about 30 minutes south of Cleveland, Ohio). There’s a short boardwalk with multiple viewpoints (make sure to check them all out) and a real nice 1.5-mile loop trail that goes into the gorge. You can cover the whole area in 1-2 hours. The parking lot is decent-size but can get full on nice weekends.
Blue Hen Falls is much smaller but very pretty – great in the fall but worth it any time of the year. There is a small parking lot right by the falls but that’s been closed for most of 2020 and 2021. The other way to get there is via a 3-mile RT hike from the Boston Mills Visitor Center. Please note: during the 2021 summer through October, there is no access to Blue Hen Falls at all due to trail reconstruction, unfortunately.
The Ledges Trail is 2.2-miles roundtrip and considered the best hike in the park. Hiking around the ledges is pretty neat, but I think the overlook that most sites talk about is severely overrated. You don’t really get a good view at all because much of it is blocked by same-level trees, and you’re not much higher than the other trees further out. I think the Gorge Scenic Overlook (next day) in the Bedford Reservation is better.
Get some ice cream at Country Maid at the end of the day.
Day 2
- Gorge Scenic Overlook
- Great Falls of Tinkers Creek
- Linda Falls
The overlook here is accessible and right by the parking area – very quick stop. The Great Falls are worth a stop, too, and are viewable from a short paved path just down from the parking lot. You could spend 1-2 hours in this area total. I put Bridal Veil Falls on here because you’ll probably see it mentioned, but I’d say it can be skipped. Short stop, maybe 20 minutes, if you want to do it.
The best “hidden gem” in my opinion is Linda Falls. It’s only flowing after some good rain or snow melt, so you should probably skip it if there isn’t much water. You park at the Alexander Road Trailhead and take the paved path south. After about 1/4 mile there is a sign on the right that says Linda Falls and you head into the woods from there. Trail is easy to follow and maybe 30-40 minute walk. There are several creek crossings, so depending on the amount of water you may want to jump across or have water shoes. You’ll want to cross over the creek right by the falls to get the best view looking back across. The trail keeps going and is actually part of the Sagamore Loop trail so you can keep going or turn around.
There’s also Twin Sisters Falls, which is hands-down the most impressive waterfall in the park. Read more about this one, and other waterfalls in the area, in my Top Ten Waterfalls near Cleveland list.
Traveled in June 2021
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