When your state only has one national park, you’d better hope it’s a good one. Luckily for Cleveland hikers, the Cuyahoga Valley National Park is well-worth the trip. The name is Mohawk for “crooked river,” and the park follows the winding river from Cleveland to Akron over a 51-square-mile area.The park itself is a hidden sanctuary for Cleveland’s natural history, encompassing a landscape and diversity that you wouldn’t expect so close to the city. Among other species, the endangered Indiana bat makes its home in the floodplains and forests of the Cuyahoga Valley. Other bats and birds also make their home within the park, which has been disturbed in recent times by a number of invasive plants. The National Park Service is currently working on combating these species, which can crowd out animals’ natural habitats and food.In addition to plants and animals, the Cuyahoga Valley has historically provided a resting place for Ohio settlers. During the 1870s, people traveled from the cities for carriage rides and boat trips in the canal, which led to the construction of the Valley Railroad in 1880. Prominent businessman Hayward Kendall donated 430 acres in the valley, which became the foundations of today’s nationally protected site. Read the rest of this entry »

Founded in 1919 by Esther McCarty and Edna Wooley, the Cleveland Hiking Club (originally the Cleveland Hiker’s Club) was modeled after a group in Baltimore that Esther had run into. The original premise was simply to organize a local walking group. With the introduction of a clubhouse in 1939, the group began to grow slowly but surely into a full social club. Today, members take part in potlucks, speaking events, and cookouts, and keep in touch with a monthly newsletter and club directory. Read the rest of this entry »