Cuyahoga Valley National Park
Cuyahoga Valley National Park is located in northeastern Ohio, a swath of preserved nature stretching from Cleveland to Akron. Established in 1974, it is the only national park in Ohio and thus a popular destination for those in the surrounding area. The park features a variety of landscapes, including rolling hills, dense forests, rocky cliffs, all surrounding the winding Cuyahoga River.
The Cuyahoga River, which runs through the heart of the park and is known for its recreational opportunities, including fishing, canoeing, and kayaking. Visitors can also enjoy hiking and biking along the scenic trails that traverse the park, or explore the historic sites and cultural landmarks within its boundaries. These include the Everett Covered Bridge, a historic covered bridge that spans the Cuyahoga River, and the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail which runs along the length of the river.
VISIT Cuyahoga Valley National Park:
Park Details
Cuyahoga Valley National Park was established on June 26, 1975, and has a total area of 32,572 acres (51 square miles, or 132 square kilometers).
| Address | 6947 Riverview Road, Peninsula, OH, 44264 |
|---|---|
| Phone | 440-717-3890 |
| Hours | Open 365 days a year, 24 hours a day |
| Entrance Fee | Free |
| Learn More | Official Website |
When to Visit: Weather vs. Peak Visitation
Cuyahoga Valley National Park is the 30th most visited park in the country.
In the winter, temperatures are usually cold, with occasional snow and ice storms. Spring is characterized by mild temperatures, with occasional showers and a transition to the warmer weather of summer. Summer temperatures are typically warm and humid, with frequent thunderstorms. In the fall, temperatures are often cool and crisp, with beautiful autumn foliage and ideal conditions for hiking and exploring the park's natural beauty.
Using Historical Data to Predict
We crunched 30 years of historical weather and/or park service data to find the best months to visit Cuyahoga Valley National Park. We looked for the optimal temperatures, the least amount of snow and rain, and stayed away from peak visitation months if we could help it. All this data then helped us paint a picture as to what the absolute best time to visit Cuyahoga Valley National Park is.
Our data shows the best months to visit Cuyahoga Valley National Park are October, September, July & August.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Park Visits | 86,000 | 91,737 | 182,618 | 224,619 | 241,897 | 307,110 | 300,798 | 317,417 | 266,356 | 264,264 | 177,927 | 114,532 |
| Precipitation | 74 | 72 | 85 | 106 | 109 | 99 | 82 | 70 | 80 | 71 | 84 | 77 |
| Avg Temp | 35 | 37 | 47 | 60 | 70 | 78 | 82 | 81 | 74 | 63 | 51 | 39 |
| Max Temp | 56 | 57 | 70 | 79 | 84 | 90 | 93 | 92 | 88 | 80 | 69 | 57 |
| Avg Temp | 22 | 22 | 29 | 40 | 50 | 59 | 64 | 62 | 55 | 44 | 35 | 26 |
| Min Temp | 5 | 4 | 10 | 23 | 35 | 44 | 52 | 50 | 40 | 28 | 20 | 10 |
Cuyahoga Valley National Park Road Trips
Many family vacations consist of stringing one or more national parks together during a week-long trip. Creating these types of trips is our specialty! Here are the road trips we've created where Cuyahoga Valley National Park is visited.
| Trip Name | Trip Miles | Trip Days |
|---|---|---|
| Indiana Dunes, Cuyahoga Valley to Niagara Falls | 609 | 8 |
| Cuyahoga Valley, Flight 93, Gettysburg to DC | 408 | 7 |
Other Nearby National Park Sites
From national monuments, to historic sites to seashores and more, here are the other parks closest to Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
| Name | Distance |
|---|---|
| James A. Garfield National Historic Site | 31 mi |
| First Ladies National Historic Site | 32 mi |
| Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial | 71 mi |
| Point Pelee National Park | 86 mi |
| River Raisin National Battlefield Park | 105 mi |
| Friendship Hill National Historic Site | 132 mi |
| Fort Necessity National Battlefield | 142 mi |
| Hopewell Culture National Historical Park | 150 mi |
| Johnstown Flood National Memorial | 158 mi |
| Flight 93 National Memorial | 161 mi |
Nearby Campsites & RV Parks
If you are looking to pitch a tent or park an RV at a campsite near Cuyahoga Valley National Park, here is a list of the closest campsites in the surrounding area. They all have slightly different amenitites, so its best to check them all out instead of just chosing the first on the list.
| Name | Details | Miles Away |
|---|---|---|
| Silver Springs - Stow | Stow, OH more | 8 miles |
| Middle Ridge/Vermilion Valley Rest Area | Amherst, OH more | 18 miles |
| Portage Lakes State Park | Akron, OH more | 19 miles |
| Punderson State Park | Newbury, OH more | 23 miles |
| West Branch State Park | Ravenna, OH more | 23 miles |
| Mill Creek - Berlin Reservoir | Berlin Center, OH more | 33 miles |
| Findley State Park | Wellington, OH more | 36 miles |
| Perry Township Park | Perry, OH more | 43 miles |
| Guilford Lake State Park | Lisbon, OH more | 46 miles |
| Lake Wapusun | Shreve, OH more | 47 miles |
Nearest Ski Resorts
For those of you who are the diehard outdoors type, visiting a national park on a ski trip can be quite the adventure. Here are the ski resorts within 100 miles of Cuyahoga Valley National Park:
| Name | Location | Summit | Difficulty Score™ | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston Mills | Peninsula, OH | 885 ft | 45% | 2 mi |
| Brandywine | Northfield, OH | 885 ft | 34% | 3 mi |
| Snow Trails | Mansfield, OH | 1,475 ft | 32% | 64 mi |
Nearest Airports
When visiting a National park, many people are faced with either a very long drive across country, or a much shorter flight. For those of you looking to fly into Cuyahoga Valley National Park, we've listed the closest airports in the area.
Large Airports
A large airport has scheduled major airline service with millions of passengers per year. This type of airport always accepts international flights. Here are the closest large airports to Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
| Name | Code | City | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland Hopkins International Airport | CLE | Cleveland, OH | 19 mi |
| Pittsburgh International Airport | PIT | Pittsburgh, PA | 86 mi |
| John Glenn Columbus International Airport | CMH | Columbus, OH | 111 mi |
| Detroit Metropolitan Airport | DTW | Detroit, MI | 115 mi |
| Buffalo Niagara International Airport | BUF | Buffalo, NY | 186 mi |
| Lester B. Pearson International Airport | YYZ | Toronto, ON | 194 mi |
| Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport | CVG | Cincinnati / Covington, KY | 224 mi |
Medium Airports
A medium-sized airport has scheduled regional airline service. This type of airport may or may not accept international flights. Here are the closest medium-sized airports to Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
| Name | Code | City | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Akron Canton Regional Airport | CAK | Akron, OH | 23 mi |
| Erie International Tom Ridge Field | ERI | Erie, PA | 92 mi |
| Windsor Airport | YQG | Windsor, ON | 102 mi |
| Eugene F. Kranz Toledo Express Airport | TOL | Toledo, OH | 119 mi |
| Rickenbacker International Airport | LCK | Columbus, OH | 122 mi |
| London Airport | YXU | London, ON | 126 mi |
| Chris Hadfield Airport | YZR | Sarnia, ON | 127 mi |
Credits: Campground data provided by USCampgrounds.info. Map shapes from CartographyVectors. Weather data from NOAA. Airport data from OurAirports.com. Images from Unsplash, Flickr and Parks&Trips. All data has also been updated and augmented by Parks&Trips.