First Impressions: Cuyahoga Valley National Park is the most confusing National Park I have ever been to. I am up for our beautiful country taking a special plot of land, putting it in the National Park System, and preserving and protecting it for years to come (especially one so accessible, close to I-90 and the city). But after visiting at least 10 National Parks in the last few years, ranging from the amazing canyons of Zion in Utah to the rocky shoreline of Acadia in Maine, I was just confused about this park in the middle of the two in Ohio.
For starters, the National Park kind of blends in with the town. There was no grand "National Park" entrance sign that I love to pose with, commemorating my trip to another National Park. There weren't even signs within the town directing you to the park. It kind of felt like, wait, there is a National Park here? Oh, I guess this is it?
The visitors center was not this grand building at the entrance of the park, but instead, in an old historic house. While I love the history of the building and its location in the park, it wasn't that inviting COME ON IN and learn about how beautiful our park is. The park boundary lines are not well defined, instead following the Cuyahoga in patchy sections that mark traveling through the park confusing and difficult. I went in with low hopes after hearing a few people's opinion of Cuyahoga (well, from a few Ohio natives now living in SLC). They said its pretty and all, but it really should just be a state park. And after spending time in Utah's Mighty Five, I could see their point.