We've been trying to visit more National Parks in our recent travels, so on our short trip to the Midwest we decided to check out Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
We began our hike at Kendall Lake early in the morning to avoid the mid-day heat and crowds. We were combining the Pine Grove and Ledges trails for one long loop.
You don’t have to worry too much about sun exposure. Once you get into the trail, the trees block out most of the sunlight.
The trails are very easy to follow. Very little chance of getting lost.
We loved to look at the trees clinging to the cliff walls. It reminded us a little of the temples in Cambodia.
The ledges!
The famous lookout. Nice view but not much to see except for the treetops.
The top portion of the trail runs parallel and looks down on the bottom portion making a nice loop.
There are a couple of shortcuts that connect the upper and lower trails.
These trails are a little odd in that they cross several country roads that run through the park.
Kendall Lake. The perfect end to a wonderful hike.
After hiking we decided to stop at a local market for lunch. Everyone was out enjoying the nice sunny day.
This area was once destroyed by local industry, until the beavers took over. They came in, dammed up the valley, and returned the marsh to its natural state. Go beavers!!
Brandywine Falls.
Everett Covered Bridge. Our last stop in Cuyahoga National Park.
A Christmas Story house.
Before leaving Cleveland, we had to stop and visit the Christmas Story house. Someone bought it and turned it into an AirB&B. We were hoping to stay here, but unfortunately it was booked.
Indiana Dunes National Park
On our drive to Wisconsin we took a side trip to Indiana Dunes National Park.
A very interesting place for a National Park.
We stopped in two different areas of Indiana Dunes. This part had a nice walk up into the woods, and at the viewpoint you could see Chicago across Lake Michigan.