As the last Pleistocene glacier, the Wisconsin, retreated into Canada, some 14,000 years ago, the Cuyahoga River and its tributaries began to erode a scenic valley in northeast Ohio. Protected as a National Recreation Area in 1974, this 33,000 acre wonderland, rich in human and geologic history, is now a National Park. Access to the preserve is via I-271 (Exit 12) or eastward from I-77 via S.R. 82 or Pleasant Valley Road (the Independence Exit).
Erosion along the walls of the Valley has uncovered 60 million years of geologic history; outcrops of Sharon Conglomerate, Pennsylvanian in age, dot the ridge tops while cliffs of Devonian shale rise along the river. Middle layers of the gorge are composed of Mississippian sediments, including Bedford Shale and Berea Sandstone. Groves of Canadian hemlock, relics of a periglacial ecosystem, cover shaded slopes of the valley, adding diversity to the rich, deciduous forest.
Numerous trails wind through the Park, taking visitors to secluded waterfalls, rock ledges, recessed caves and scenic side canyons; hikers can also follow the abandoned towpath of the Ohio and Erie Canal, with runs along the east side of the Cuyahoga River, just north of the S.R. 82 bridge. A fabulous destination throughout the year, the Park is especially scenic in late September and October, when autumn colors paint the landscape.
