Autumn in Ohio was meant to be spent in the great outdoors.
Yeah, sometimes it may be a little rainy or chilly, but it’s still the best season in Ohio. That’s especially true once the leaves start to change. There are some fantastic adventures you can take around the state this fall. You can keep it lowkey and local by visiting pumpkin patches and corn mazes, or you can embrace your inner adventure geek and head out for some unique hikes and beautiful vistas.
But if you want to see the best Ohio has to offer, Cuyahoga Valley National Park absolutely has to be on your fall bucket list. There are so many fantastic hikes to enjoy and views to take in around the park, that a one-day visit probably won’t feel like enough.
Cuyahoga Valley National Park is legitimately gorgeous no matter what time of year you visit, but it’s downright spectacular in the fall. The park counted more than 3 million recreation visits in 2025, which made it the 11th most visited national park in the country, according to the National Park Service.
Peak color usually comes in the third week of October, according to the National Park Service. Different trees turn at different times, so there’s color somewhere in the park for most of the month. The maples go first and the oaks follow. If you want the falls and the overlooks without a line, go on a weekday.
| Stop | What you get | Address |
| Brandywine Falls | 60-foot waterfall, boardwalk to the upper deck, 80 steps to the lower one | 8176 Brandywine Road, Sagamore Hills |
| The Ledges | 1.8-mile loop over sandstone cliffs with an overlook | 701 Truxell Road, Peninsula |
| Beaver Marsh | Flat boardwalk over a wetland, stroller and wheelchair friendly | Ira Trailhead, 3801 Riverview Road, Peninsula |
| Everett Covered Bridge | The park’s covered bridge, a short walk from the lot | 2370 Everett Road, Peninsula |
| Blue Hen Falls | 15-foot waterfall, 3 miles round trip on the Buckeye Trail | Boston Mill Visitor Center, 6947 Riverview Road, Peninsula |
| Fall Scenic train | Two-hour Express or 3 hour 40 minute Classic, $26 to $39 | Peninsula Depot, 1630 Mill Street, Peninsula |
If you only have time to see one thing in CVNP, it should definitely be Brandywine Falls. It’s one of the park’s main attractions, for good reason: it’s jaw-dropping.
The waterfall is 60 feet tall and the top of the falls is surrounded by a tree canopy of fall foliage. A boardwalk will lead visitors to an upper, accessible viewing area for the falls. A lower viewing deck requires visitors to walk down approximately 80 steps. The trailhead is at 8176 Brandywine Road in Sagamore Hills, and the Brandywine Gorge Loop, about a mile and a half through the ravine, starts from the same lot if you want more than the boardwalk.
There are over 125 miles of hiking trails in the park. The trails in the park range from flat to challenging and pass through a variety of habitats like wetlands, woodlands, and fields. The National Park Service has great suggestions for family hikes and for hikes for all ability levels.
The Ledges Trail is a 1.8-mile loop around a plateau of sandstone cliffs in the park’s Virginia Kendall area, and the National Park Service points people to the overlook on the loop for sunset. Park at the Ledges Trailhead, 701 Truxell Road in Peninsula. The trail isn’t wheelchair accessible.
The Towpath Trail turns into a boardwalk over the Beaver Marsh, which the National Park Service calls one of the most diverse natural communities in the park. In fall the beavers stack willow and aspen branches in front of the lodge for winter, and the southbound waterfowl migration peaks in late October. It’s flat and works with a wheelchair or a stroller. Start at the Ira Trailhead, 3801 Riverview Road in Peninsula.
Summit County has one covered bridge left, and this is it. The original washed off its abutments in a 1975 flood, and the park service finished a historically accurate rebuild in 1986. It’s at 2370 Everett Road in Peninsula, a half mile west of Riverview Road, and the walk from the lot is short enough to add to any of the other stops.
Blue Hen Falls is a 15-foot waterfall at the end of a hilly 3-mile round trip on the Buckeye Trail from the Boston Mill Visitor Center, 6947 Riverview Road in Peninsula. The route climbs 200 feet right away, then takes a 100-foot staircase down to the ravine floor and a footbridge, so plan on real hiking shoes.
One of the best experiences to splurge on while visiting the park is the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad. A ride on the train will take you through the most scenic views of the park.
The railroad sells its October ride as the Fall Scenic. The Express leaves from the Peninsula Depot, 1630 Mill Street in Peninsula, and runs about two hours round trip. The Classic leaves from Rockside Depot in Independence or Akron Northside Depot in Akron and takes about 3 hours and 40 minutes. Tickets are $26 to $39 per person, and one of the seat options is the dome car with its panoramic views, which is so worth it. Prices and ride lengths come from the railroad’s own pages as of October 2026.
For more information about planning the perfect trip to Cuyahoga Valley National Park, be sure to visit the official Cuyahoga Valley National Park website or download the National Park Service app.
READ MORE:
The post Cuyahoga Valley National Park Belongs On Your Fall Bucket List appeared first on Columbus Navigator.
