More of Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Hunt Farm Visitor Center

Next we stopped at the Hunt Farm Visitor Center.  The center is a converted farm house that was typical of the small family farms that dotted the Cuyahoga Valley in the late 19th century.  The woman in the center was very helpful with tips on where to go and what to do in the area and we ended up with a truckload of brochures that will keep me busy figuring out what we want to do in the future.  

Bever Marsh

Our first stop was the Beaver Marsh which is along the Towpath Trail that follows the historic route of the Ohio and Erie Canal. Before the canal was built, Ohio was a sparsely settled wilderness where travel was difficult.  The canal was built between 1825 and 1832 and helped get crops to market in a sparsely settled wilderness.   Some of the remains of the old canals are still present in Cuyahoga Valley National Park and it seems the beavers love them.  However, since the beavers come out at night, we didn't see any but the pond is really pretty. 

Lock 26 of the Ohio andErie Canal

Flower About to Bloom

Lily Blooming

We followed the trail for a short while and then decided to go find the herony that the woman in the Visitor Center told us about.  It is actually outside the park along a busy street, Bath Road, which has an Akron address.  The parking for the herony is on the other side of the road which is in the park!  Sometimes you have to wonder why birds would choose to be in a such a busy place with all the traffic noise.  You have to watch your step crossing the street to get close enough to get decent pictures.  Of course, my camera is of no use for bird shots, but Lee has a better zoom and he had some pretty decent pictures of them.  We've never seen a herony before and were surprised that these huge herons build their nests in the tops of trees.  They also seem to nest in a condo like fashion with many nests in just one trees.  I think that about six of the trees in this enclosed and fenced off area were loaded with nests and the rest of the trees didn't even have one nest!  

Herony - Can you See Them All!

Area Around the Herony

More of the Area Around The Herony

We next turned around and went back into the park and back up into the Hunt Farm Area to see the Everett Road Covered Bridge. 

Info Sign Re The Everett Road Covered Bridge

Everett Road Covered Bridge

Then we decided we should hike the trail to Blue Hen Falls so we drove back to the Boston Store Visitor Center Area.  We parked in an area close to the trailhead for the falls.  Then we just started hiking.  It was all downhill for a long time.

Trail to Blue Hen Falls

We had hiked quite awhile when we came to this bridge that was out.  There was a detour around it but you had to traverse a small stream which we managed to do without getting wet!

Blue Hen Falls

Finally, we arrived at the falls.  There wasn't a lot of water running over these falls either but then it has been dry.  They were still worth seeing.  

Blue Hen Falls

Upper Portion of Blue Hen Falls

Trail Back to the Truck

The trail back was almost all an uphill trek so our legs were feeling it by the time we reached the truck.  It was good to be sitting down for awhile and it was good timing because it was time to head for home!