Free parking as this national park is imbedded in a ton of private properties right off the side of…read morethe roads. This fall has ample amt of parking at the visitor center area. Follow the signs and the blue paint mark on the trees. The path was clear and easy to do. Not stroller friendly though. It's about a total of 1.25 each way. Absolutely beautiful waterfall and easy to get down to.

Gorgeous waterfall within Cuyahoga Valley Nat.Park, second most photographed (after Brandywine)…read morecan be reached by steep Buckeye Trail from Boston Mill Visitor Center. Pictured in a late summer..

A favorite is the three-mile walk/hike, or shorter, through the former estate of inventor James…read moreKirby. We saw his home and several inventions, having nearly 200 patents. Plaques tell the history. Cleveland is where the Kirby Company is headquartered. On the property is the Neil House being renovated for weekend and special occasion rentals. Country Maid ice cream nearby was our go-to afterward.

This was a beautiful park! There are 336 acres of trails…read moreand bridle paths! You can follow the Buckeye Trail! Lakes, trails and streams. It's open dusk to dawn. This is also on the National Registry of Historic Places - it is the former home of Jim Kirby - the inventor of Kirby Vacuums!! So much to see and beautiful!! We thoroughly enjoy our LONG hike!!!

Having done another hike at Hinckley Reservation I realized I had not posted a review for one of…read morethe gems of the Cleveland Metroparks system. Hinckley offers as diverse a range of activities and some of the best view as any other park in the area. Most people know Hinckley from the annual Buzzard festival, the nice lake and the awesome ledges, but that is just scratching the surface. With the newly renovated dam and the lake refilled Hinckley Reservation is once again at its peak. I have often hiked at Hinckley, my most recent hike started at the Top of the Ledges picnic area, went down through the Ledges, along the North side of the Hinckley Lake Loop, on the Bridal Trails and then the Buckeye Trail back through the Ledges. If you are looking for some interesting hiking the Bridal Trails provide some nice variety from open fields, stream crossings, hills and narrow winding trails. Whipp's Ledges are some of the most impressive you will see; they provide multiple routes and views, plus there is actual rock climbing allowed. Less well known are Worden's Ledges on the other side of the park which while smaller still are lots of fun and they have some interesting carvings that are well worth visiting. The Lake provides the opportunity for kayaking, canoeing, and fishing. There is a nice boathouse where you can rent a boat at reasonable rate, and while not terribly challenging, the lake is picturesque and getting out on the water is always a great time. Although I have never taken advantage at the bottom of the dam there is a nice beach and swimming area. Hinckley Reservation is a wonderful asset and a great way to get outside and enjoy yourself. This is a large park with plenty to do and see. Never been disappointed with a visit here.

I love that this park is never boring. I start my visit at the park store. The employees are…read moreexceptionally nice, I think they love when people stop by and say hello. They had so many t-shirts and sweatshirts with the Cleveland Metro Park logos and scenery. I bought one months ago in pink with a squirrel on it. I also like their selection of plush toys, kids gifts, socks, etc. Please go in and have a cup of coffee and support the park. The trail is definitely an adventure as you walk around the park, and now IT's FULL OF WATER AGAIN!! As you walk look at the color of the trees, the trees that are barely hanging on, and the trees that became part of the waterscape! Beauty! As you get to the beach are and new dam you can appreciate all of the work put into getting this back and better than it was. So get your FITBIT, Apple Watch or any pedometer type technology and start steppin'. Say hello to my friends at the store. Let them know Cee Cee sent you! Lol

Once, Horseshoe Pond belonged to a man who built a fine home on its shores. Now, decades later, it…read morebelongs to me. Oh, and you, too. It belongs to everyone, now that it is a part of the Cuyahoga National Park. What a glorious setting: sitting high above the valley, above the quarries where the canal stones were hewn, nearly two centuries ago. Surrounded by trees, but with a few large, grassy areas carved out it is perfect for hiking, picnics, bird-watching, fishing. Barred owls sit in the pines, small-mouth bass and bluegill rise to a #18 Parachute Adams and a hiking trail connects you with the rest of the park. I can stand at the south-east edge, casting into the algae-covered waters, and imagine I am high in the Rockies, or perhaps at a private preserve in Scotland. Yet another fine and free benefit afforded by this, our great democracy.

Although we did not go inside the nature center we did walk the trails. I feel it's a great walk…read more So much to see and the terrain was ever changing and can be a great workout. Walking in snow was fun and the views were amazing. Really nice picture opportunities. My favorite images being the trees that have roots exposed. The different patterns and shading make the pictures interesting.

This past weekend my boyfriend and I made the trip to the Brecksville Nature Center to feed…read morechickadees. It was honestly one of the most amazing experiences of my life. I grew up on a large piece of land and always loved watching the small creatures who lived near my house. I feed the animals who live in my backyard now, and I love watching various forms of wildlife frolic in my trees. I've always jokingly said that it would be cool to be able to feed birds from my hand (Cinderella style) but I never knew that would be actually possible. It's a pretty simple process. You go into the nature center, they give you sunflower seeds, and then you patiently and quietly wait with your hand outstretched and full of seeds. I was skeptical at first, but...the chickadees and other birds were quick to scope me out. They'd fly close enough to look at me, briefly make eye contact, and then swoop in for some food. They are so light! And beautiful! And amazingly brave, I think. I know I had a hand full of food, but...I'm a heck of a lot bigger than a chickadee. I had about a dozen birds land on me while I was outside. (and I wasn't out there very long - it was coooollllldd) The highlight was having a bird land on my head! This is a super fun (and free) wintertime thing to do. Chickadee feeding is held from late December through February (weather permitting). It's such a cool experience and totally worth the drive, no matter where you live. (and it's especially fun for the little ones! they can warm up inside by the fire afterwards)

We stopped here to do some work on photo development at one of their picnic benches. It was a nice…read morequiet spot with some trails.

So pretty. Love the sound of the waterfalls. The upper path is cool too with a stone stairway…read morethat's enclosed on both sides. It can get muddy since it's not paved. Hike back up is worse than the hike down especially after the stone cavern. Moderate difficulty.

We took the trail down to the dam, which it turns out they are actually preparing to remove. There…read moreis also a nearby little cave/recess which we hiked up to see. It's very pleasant in the trees. Restroom facilities and a parking lot are available near the trailhead.

Brecksville Reservation is the jewel of the Metroparks Emerald Necklace. It is the largest of the…read moreMetroparks, it is the park that links the East and West Sides. It anchors the North end of the National Park. It is a key station of the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad. It provides access to the Cuyahoga River Water Trail. It has a stable and an extensive system of bridal trails. It is home to 2 golf course including one of the best public golf course in the area. It has one of the key junctions on the Buckeye Trail. It also has some backcountry overnight camping sites. I enjoy hiking at Brecksville Reservation, it provides trails of all levels, from mellow to some of the most challenging in Northeast Ohio. My most frequent hike here is from the Station Road Bridge to Jaite on the Buckeye Trail and back on the Towpath Trail. This is a 10 mile hike with about 10,000 feet of vertical, plenty of scenery and variety and usually a nice mix of flora and fauna. There are also some very nice hikes within the park itself. You can hike along the river, along the creek, through the woods, up and down the gorges. Trails are easy to follow with clear signage and blazes. Among the sights are a waterfall at the Chippewa Gorge overlook, Deer Lick Cave a small overhang cave, My Mountain Overlook, the Brecksville Nature Center and the Station Road Bridge. The Buckeye Trail runs through the park, connecting to the North with Bedford Reservation, to the South with CVNP and to the Southwest with Hinckley Reservation. There is also the parkway that connects to Mill Stream Reservation and then the Rocky River Reservation. Brecksville Reservation offers reservable overnight backwoods camping sites off of the Buckeye Trail near the Ottawa Point Reservable Picnic Area; these sites are well set up and feel very remote; there is a kitchen area and each site overlooks the gorge. For those who love Horses there is Brecksville Stables and an extensive network of bridal trails, including the North end of the Valley Bridal Trail. The bridal trails also provide a great opportunity for challenging hiking. There are a number of picnic areas, playgrounds, and the nature center that provide opportunities to picnic, relax, learn and have some fun. Chippewa Creek flows through the park, with a cool gorge to the West; there is a path that allows you to get to the creek level among the large boulders; at the East end there is access to wade in the creek. The Station Road Bridge area is a stop on the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, access to the Towpath Trail and is a put in and take out for the Cuyahoga River Water Trail. You can put into the river at Peninsula or Boston and have a really fun paddle to Brecksville or you can put in at Brecksville and to Rockside Road or even all the way to the Flats Downtown. If you want to get outdoors and have some fun, get some exercise, enjoy nature or just mellow out Brecksville Reservation is well worth a visit. Get out and experience what Cleveland Metroparks has to offer.

Beautiful park. Lots of hills that go down and meet up with CVNP. It's one of my favorite spots to…read morebring a lunch and eat. They have a nature center, stables, fields and woods to choose from.

My friend and I thoroughly enjoyed this very short and easy hike. We loved looking for the…read morecarvings in the various rock formations and didn't even manage to locate them all. From reading online, apparently the carvings were done back in the 1940's. Aside from the carvings, the rock formations were filled with color and truly stunning while a light snowfall was landing on them.

Very interesting hike. The carvings are cool to see. I wouldn't call the hike easy necessarily…read morewhich is why I gave it four stars. There is one area to walk over rocks that was pretty steep. Other than that it was a fun afternoon adventure.

Interesting park for kiddos! All wooden playsets & things!…read more They have a wooden tractor (why we went there) my son loved it! A big tire swing. A turf hill you can slide or roll down. A climbing net going back up that hill. & a slide going down that same hill. Along with steps, mommas lol Picnic tables under a cool roof. Dog walking park also! Saw lots of people walking their dogs. Looks like a lot of pretty trails, but we didn't experience those. All play areas are visible from closest picnic area, except the bottom of the turf slide hill. 4 stars due to it being on the smaller side, but my kids really enjoyed it. Mostly stayed at the turf hill though & the tractor. Wouldn't make a long trip here as kiddos might get bored after awhile. But def nice if close for picnics, short play, or dog walks!

Amazing park! Has a picnic area that's covered, very dog friendly. Has paved trails but the nature…read moretrails are the main attraction. (My review from Google Map)