July 2, 2012 -- Solitude and Ledge

After a leisurely greeting to the day, we fixed our lunch pb+j's (of course), slathered oursleves with sunscreen, put on our sneakers and set out to explore Cuyahoga. Ready for the sunny, hot day to come, we headed out to the park with a plan suggested to us by the ranger we spoke to last evening. He recommended that we start at Brandywine Falls, then check out the Brecksville Station, a Towpath area where eagles were nesting, then head over to a trail called  The Ledges.

Brandywine Falls, one of the most popular places in the park, is, during times of more rainfall, a sight to behold. But this part of Ohio is in drought, and the falls are a fraction of their springtime volume.

Brandywine Falls in late spring.

Brandywine Falls as we saw them

A combination of boardwalk and steps brings you into the waterfall's gorge and lets you view the waterfall head-on (a boardwalk option without stairs is also available). The trail was pleasant and an easy walk.

Arched concrete bridge

From here we headed to Brecksville Station, for a stroll down the towpath, along the Cuyahoga River, and under a beautiful arched concrete bridge (that's posted to the National Register of Historic Places). The day was very warm (temps in the 90s), and a slow stroll made it easier to check out the trees and bushes, listen to the cardinals and thrushes, and look for the eagle's nest we were told could be seen along the trail. Not only did we find the nest (at quite a distance), but we saw the eagle perching, and then take off from a tree not too far away. Pretty cool.

We drove over to the Canal Visitor Center where we sat in the shade and ate lunch, then stopped into the center. There we perused its display explaining the growth of civilization in the Cuyahoga Valley. The display made me think about how easy it is for us to forget all the human development it has taken to bring us to our lives today. It prompted me to wonder where, in the scheme of history, our own chapter will fit.

On the ledges trail

After lunch, we took a very roundabout route to arrive at a spot in the park called The Ledges. The trail winds around an area of 30-40 foot high banks of rock. About 320 million years ago, there were fast moving streams that flowed into this area from the north and east, into what is now Ohio, and what was then an inland sea. Sand, gravel and quartz pebbles were carried by the water and deposited in a wide delta. After millions of years, these materials compacted to form this conglomerate rock. Over the years much of it eroded, but these rock ledges remain. In the midst of the forest, these rock sentinels are striking. The shade of the trees was a welcome respite from the heat of the day, and we thoroughly enjoyed our stroll among the rocks.

We headed back to our air-conditioned room, and a couple of cold beers.