I took a hike yesterday with a friend of mine, Glen, in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park (see my sledding post here) and at times, in the Brecksville Reservation (see the trail map).
Best of all, we could walk from our own homes into the park. I took my black labrador retriever, and the three of us had a very relaxing two hour hike.
While I didn't take my camera, I plan to take photos when we go out again. We saw two waterfalls, one small, and one about 20' high. Shale bed creeks, and compressed rock formations that look as if they were pushed up by a south moving from the glacier age, to an abundance of deer, owls and even coyotes all exist. There are formal hiking trails as well as the ability to wander up and down hills, ravines and valleys with various streams makes for a very fun visit.
What is even more amazing is that this underutilized treasure (we hiked for two hours and never ran into one person) is just mere steps from the built-up and mature Brecksville suburb. To be so close to civilization but also being able to take a step back in time where things have not changed in hundreds, or even thousands of years, is just magical, refreshing and rejuvinating, amongst other things.
We even ran into an old Fordson tractor that was nothing bug aged/rusted metal with huge metal tired, and all the metal was intact. It appeared to be 70-80 years old, but who knows.
Hiking in March, with the temperature near 50 and the sun out, was perfect, as one gets warmed up pretty quickly hiking up and down ravines, stepping over fallen trees, navigating creek crossings, and the like.
Between conversation that may not occur in a sometimes more formalized setting, it was an all around great time, except for the last 25% when my muscles let me know I need a tune-up myself.
You can read about another trip my family and I made to the Brecksville Reservation.
The outdoor attractions in Northeast Ohio are endless!
P.S. The dog hasn't moved today and it's owner isn't too far ahead of him! :-)
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