Hike the Ledges Trail at Cuyahoga Valley National Park

With its towering moss-covered rocks, canopy of eastern hemlock trees and carpet of ferns along the path, The Ledges Trail looks primordial. It’s no surprise that this 1.8-mile loop in Cuyahoga Valley National Park has a long history as a destination for city dwellers.

Once the country retreat of Cleveland industrialist Hayward Kendall, the area was willed to the state upon his death in 1927 and named Virginia Kendall Park. In 1974, it became part of what is today Ohio’s only national park, and it’s still as popular as ever. 

Start your hike by following the gravel path to the right of the shelter at the end of the parking area. Continue on the trail to the right where it descends below the Ritchie Ledges, carved from 245-million-year-old Sharon Conglomerate rock.

The loop — considered a moderately challenging trail for its rockiness and 105-foot elevation change — curves around the bottom of the Ledges, plunging hikers into a microclimate where the temperature is noticeably cooler. 

Soon after the descent, hikers arrive at Ice Box Cave, a 50-foot-deep cave closed to the public to protect its bat population from disease. Next, an opening between two massive rocks leads to carvings of horses and human faces rumored to have been left by a local farmer during the 1800s. The path to the carvings is unmarked, but it’s well worth exploring the labyrinthine area to find it. 

Multiple paths connect to additional trails along the way for visitors who want to lengthen their hike, but we recommend continuing along the bottom of the ledges counterclockwise before ascending again at the far end of the loop. After climbing the hill, hikers arrive at an overlook where the Cuyahoga Valley stretches out for miles. It’s the perfect spot for a picnic or taking in a sunset. 405 Truxell Rd., Peninsula 44264, nps.gov/cuva

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