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Hiking The Ledges At Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Cleveland, Outdoors

Man walking a trail along moss covered rocks

Hiking the ledges at Cuyahoga Valley is one of my favorite hikes to do in Ohio’s only National Park. One of the more unique National Parks out there, you can be hiking through the forest, rocky ledges, and waterfalls one moment and then the next you’ll be walking by a railroad, a farm, or even the city.

While the park doesn’t have majestic mountain ranges, huge bodies of sparkling water, or surreal alien-like cacti, there is still a lot to love about this modest but beautiful park. In a state known for being on the flatter side, the geologically fascinating sandstone ledges make you feel like you’re in another area altogether.

Hiking The Ledges

Tree growing between moss covered rocks
Trail between moss covered rocks

The Ritchie Ledges

The Ritchie Ledges is part of the Virginia Kendal area. You’ll probably also hear it called “The Ledges”, “the Virginia Kendal Ledges”. There are four trails in the ledges area but I usually stick to The Ledges Trail. The Ledges Trail is a 2.2-mile loop trail that takes you through a lower area of the trail and an upper park with an overlook.

There’s a Ledges Shelter that splits through the middle of the trail where you can just visit parts of the park instead of visiting the full trail if you’d like, this is great if you’ve been here before and know what you want to go see. 

Moss covered rocks

Love National Parks? Me, too! Check out my posts on National Parks we’ve visited. 

Moss covered rocks
Man standing between moss covered rock formations
Woman standing between moss covered rock formations
Moss covered rocks with holes

Get some close-up shots of all the incredible textures throughout the park

Trees growing between moss covered rocks

Cuyahoga Valley National Park looked similar to our Hike to Marymere Falls in Olympic National Park

Trees growing between moss covered rocks
Hiking the Ledges

Carved In Time

Petroglyph faces in moss covered rocks

200-Year-Old Petroglyphs

About 200 years ago the owner of large sections of land, William Goeppert, carved petroglyphs into part of the rocky ledges. You can still see the horse and face shapes today hiking in between the ledges in Cuyahoga Valley along the trail. 

Woman hiking through moss covered rocks
Trees growing between moss covered rocks
Trees growing between moss covered rocks
Moss covered rocky staircase

This staircase connects the upper and lower portions of the Ledges Trail and is a perfect location for a portrait photo session or that perfect Instagram shot.

Mushrooms growing on side of moss covered tree
Burnt tree trunk

Destination Details

The Ledges Trail

Distance: 2.2 Mile Loop
Time: 1.5-2 hours
Rating: Moderate
Elevation: 105 ft. 

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Website

Fees: No fees
Hours: Most destinations 24 hours. Exceptions: Brandywine Falls, Virginia Kendall Ledges, Octagon, and Lake close from dusk until morning opening
Parking: Several lots throughout the park

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Hiking the Ledges in Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Find more content like this under: Cleveland, Outdoors, Hiking, National Parks, Ohio

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Hi there, I’m Jen. Cleveland-based photographer and designer with an eye for well-designed spaces and places. Local Love & Wanderlust is a travel and lifestyle blog that shares photo-focused guides and content with a focus on life in Cleveland, the outdoors, and postcard-worthy destinations across the US.

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Have you seen these Pop Art gems in Cleveland? To Have you seen these Pop Art gems in Cleveland?

To celebrate #popartday I wanted to share a few great pieces you can see in Cleveland museums from one of my favorite artists and someone I share a birthday with, Andy Warhol 🤍

1-3 Andy Warhol’s Endangered Species exhibit currently going on at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History @gocmnh 

4-6 Two Warhol pieces currently hanging at the Cleveland Museum of Art: Marilyn x 100 in the Contemporary Art wing, and Jaqueline Kennedy II in the Photographs in Ink exhibit.

That’s just a preview, there’s more great Pop and other art to discover in Cleveland. Do you have a favorite piece or artist?
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#andywarhol #popart #clevelandmuseumofart #museumsoftheworld #thisiscle #ohiofindithere @ohio.findithere
4 Exciting Ways to Celebrate Mardi Gras in Clevela 4 Exciting Ways to Celebrate Mardi Gras in Cleveland on the blog now!

You’re going to want to save this one.

Visit localloveandwanderlust.com

Of course there is the New Orleans style revelry, but did you know Cleveland celebrated 3 other cultural festivities with ties to Mardi Gras?

PLUS Did you know Cleveland is also going to have a Mardi Gras parade and big celebration downtown?

We even have a New Orleans-themed restaurant!

It doesn’t end there- I also reviewed menus from so many local restaurants, bakeries and other shops to find who is making Beignets, King Cakes, Paczki, New Orleans cocktails, and delicious Cajun & Creole food.

If you love this, please share! If you learned something new or feel I forgot somewhere, let me know in the comments 💜💚💛
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#mardigrascleveland #mardigras #thisiscle #paczkiday #clevelandkurentovanje #ohiofindithere #clevelandfattuesday
I need your help! What other Ohio winter hikes sh I need your help!

What other Ohio winter hikes should I add to this wishlist??

Tell me in the comments
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#hikeohio #winterhiking #ohiohikers #clevelandblogger #clevelandmetroparks #summitmetroparks #lakemetroparks #ohiofindithere #thisiscle #hike24in23 
Winter hike in Ohio, snowy hikes, Ohio Parks
Love hiking that first fresh snowfall! The vivid Love hiking that first fresh snowfall! 

The vivid green pops of the hemlock trees truly made the views something special.
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#lakemetroparks #remarkablelakecountyoh #hogbackridgepark #snowyhike #instanature #exploremore #hike24in23
This is my new favorite Ohio winter hike! Our sec This is my new favorite Ohio winter hike!

Our second hike on our goal of hiking 24 new-to-us trails this year was also our first snowy hike of the year.

@lakemetroparks feed influenced me to add this park to our list. The vivid hemlock trees really pop against the snowy and leafless tree landscape. It was so worth the drive to get there.

What I liked most was how much visual and trail surface variety this park has. It’s a new favorite and I hope to return in the spring when an abundance of wildflowers are said to be in bloom. 

You’ve got to see this place, it’s dreamy.

📍Hogback Ridge Park part of Lake Metroparks
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#hike24in23 #ohiofindithere #lakemetroparks #hikeohio #hogbackridgepark #ohioblogger #beautiful_ohio_scenes #thisiscle #remarkablelakecountyoh #bestofthebuckeyestate #ne_ohio_parks #snowyhike

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