Cuyahoga Valley National Park stretches along the river's lower valley, just south of Metro Cleveland. The Valley Railroad, established in 1880, carried industrial materials to Akron and Canton until the 1960s. Taking advantage of its abandoned rails, the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad began operation in 1975, offering a unique experience for Park visitors and convenient access for hikers and bikers.
Having visited the Park many times in the past, my wife and I took the train for the first time today. Currently limited to the stretch between Akron and Peninsula (due to reinforcement construction along the Cuyahoga's banks), the train offers views of the more western sections of the Park, characterized mostly by tracts of forest. Though some marsh and small lakes are encountered, the river remains unseen until the train approaches Peninsula. Knowing that more scenic landscapes are found across the Valley (especially along its eastern wall), we were somewhat disappointed by the two-hour round trip.
As a naturalist who supports the exposure of others (especially children) to the sights, sounds and smells of nature, I recommend that the train be converted to open-air cars in which visitors will be more closely exposed to the Park's ecosystems and wildlife. Transportation should be secondary to education by immersing riders in the Valley's riparian landscape; of course, stops along the route could be used to offer brief introductions to the natural and historic features of the Cuyahoga Valley.
