The city of Cleveland grew up on an unprotected cliff of sand and clay on top of Lake Erie. Beginning in 1865, land began to be reserved on the lake shore for parks. In 1977, Cleveland’s four lakefront parks were leased to the state of Ohio. Edgewater Park on Lakeshore Boulevard is a fusion of lower and upper sections connected by a multi-use road. You’ll find most of the paths in the park paved and many shaded, with beautiful views of the playful waves on Lake Erie and the Cleveland skyline.

Just 15 minutes south of Cleveland is the dog-friendly Cuyahoga Valley National

Park. For the first people who came here 12,000 years ago, the Cuyahoga was the

“crooked river”. Its steep valley walls inhibited settlement when the Easterners loomed

the region at the end of the 18th century.

But a navigable water link between Lake Erie and the Ohio River was a priority in the

at the beginning of the American Canal Era and in 1832 the Ohio and Erie Canal became a reality. Ohio

it rumbled and settlers filled the area. The canal was closed by the

The Great Flood of 1913 and the Cuyahoga Valley were left for recreational purposes.

Once a national recreation area, the 33,000 acres of protected land along the shores

of the Cuyahoga River became America’s first national park of this century in 2000.

As befits its history as a recreation destination, Cuyahoga is a national park that

allows dogs on their trails.

The main trail for walking your dog through the park is the nearly 20 miles of

Towpath along the historic canal route. Ten trails facilitate

Walk the limestone path crushed into cookie-sized chunks. The trail is a mix of

meadows and forests and the remains of locks and villages.

Another long-distance trail through the park is the Buckeye Trail that circles the

the entire state of Ohio for over 1200 miles. About 33 miles of blazing trail

roam the ravines and ridges of the valley.

Some of the best canine day hikes in the park are found at the northern end of Cuyahoga.

Valley, on the Bradford reservation. A five-mile multi-purpose trail runs through the

Tinkers Creek Gorge area, exploring Ohio’s most spectacular canyon. Throat is

a National Natural Monument, known for its pristine hemlock forests. Short detours

main trail includes an easy hike to Bridal Veil Falls and Hemlock Creek Loop

Path.

To get to the Canal Visitor Center from Cleveland, take Exit I-77 at Rockside Road. Go 1 mile

east to Canal Road; Turn right. The visitor center is approximately 1.5 miles in the

right.

copyright 2006