These 9 Cleveland Hiking Trails Lead To Some Incredible Pieces Of History
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Nikki Rhoades
Author
There’s nothing like exploring the lovely landscape that makes Northeast Ohio so iconic. Locals love the region that they call home, and hiking offers a much-needed escape from the hustle and bustle of city life. Many of our prettiest natural spaces in and around Cleveland actually offer a glimpse into our local history. Lace up your hiking boots, because you’ll definitely want to explore some of these dreamy destinations:
Rocky River Reservation made history as the first park to be established in the Cleveland Metroparks. Long before that moment in history, a group of pre-Columbian peoples constructed earthwork walls on this site. You can explore the ruins today via the Fort Hill Loop Trail. For more information, check out the full article here.
While a piece of the former Ohio & Erie Canal can be found at this charming park, its most unusual features come from its former life as the State Quarry. Remnants of quarrying can be seen across exposed ledges of Berea sandstone. The 1.4-mile Quarry Trail trail can be accessed from 5779 Riverview Road in Peninsula.
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The 13-acre lake at this dreamy park was made in the late 1930s by John Renner and his family after they realized that their natural lake attracted swimmers in the summer. He called the newly-formed lake Renner Park, and many locals took advantage of warm summer days in this delightful landscape. Today, the acidic soil of the park allows many unusual specimens of flora to flourish. You can see the gorgeous selection of flowers and plants as well as the beauty of the lake via the 2.2-mile Indian Spring Trail. You can access the trail at 521 S. River Road in Munroe Falls.
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From 1827 to 1913, the path that you hike here was traveled primarily by mules pulling boats along the Ohio & Erie Canal. Though the canal is largely gone, remnants of its historic influence can still be spotted. Whether you're exploring a local Canal Lock or a remnant of an old structure, you'll love exploring local history through the Towpath Trail. For more information, click here.
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This picture-perfect schoolhouse was erected in 1894, and it is as quaint and dreamy today as it has always been. While the grounds surrounding the building teach reverence for the natural world, the building itself opens to the public to educate about a variety of different topics. You can find upcoming events here. Until then, you'll probably want to take advantage of the gorgeous hiking trails at this park. Creekside Loop Trail is only a quarter-mile in length, and it's endlessly beautiful. You can access this trail from the parking lot at 9045 Baldwin Road, Kirtland Hills.
North Chagrin Reservation is gorgeous, and it has entertained locals since the 1920s. Today, one of its most unusual attractions is the shell of a castle that was constructed in the 1890s by Standard Oil Company executive Feargus B. Squire. While nobody ever lived in the castle, its grounds have delighted visitors since the Cleveland Metroparks acquired the site in 1925. This dreamy destination is an absolute fairy tale, and you can enjoy a casual 2.2-mile hike along the loop trailhead at 2794 River Road.
This lovely landscape hides one of the oldest architectural works in the region, and you've got to check it out. Located at 12951 Seeley Road in Leroy Township, Indian Point Park hides earthwork ridges from the Whittlesey Culture. You'll love a hike along the Point Overlook
Loop Trail — it's just over a mile — which offers a glimpse back in time that will delight seasoned and newbie hikers alike.
While a cemetery may not seem like a dreamy hiking spot, there are few places in The Land as beautiful as Lake View. Over 107,000 monuments and headstones can be found across the cemetery's 285 acres, and some of those monuments are the final resting places of famous locals. The James A. Garfield Memorial, which locals know as the resting place of the 20th U.S. President, is one of the cemetery's must-see sites. No matter where you go in this lovely man-made garden, you'll find a bit of local history and a whole lot of beauty.
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The natural features of Gully Brook Park have delighted nature-loving locals for over a century. Beginning in 1916, this region became a favorite of naturalists like the Burroughs Nature Club. By the 1920s, locals were pointing to the natural space and declaring that it should be a public park. In 2011, their wish came true when Gully Brook Park opened. The Lake Metroparks Openspace Opportunities Master Plan had identified the space as deserving of conservation, so its historic beauty is now preserved for generation after generation to enjoy. You can access this park at 2100 River Road in Willoughby Hills. Its main path, Gully Brook
Valley Trail, offers an easy hike that's just under two miles.
There is so much to love in Greater Cleveland, but locals especially enjoy celebrating the region’s history. Tales of local history are preserved in these lovely landscapes, and there’s no better time to experience them than in early spring!
Do you have a favorite trail among those listed here? Are there other excellent historic hikes in the area that you’d reccommend? Share your suggestions and photos from your outdoor adventures in the comments below!
Love Cleveland history? You’ll adore this iconic restaurant that’s delighted locals for over a century.
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