Discover New Spaces
Brandywine Falls - Hike over to the magnificent, 65-foot Brandywine Falls, located about a mile west of the Towpath. (8176 Brandywine Rd., Sagamore Hills Township) While summer construction limits vehicular access to this popular National Park spot - you can still get there on foot.
Questing - Turn your walk/run into an adventure with a Quest - many starting along the Towpath Trail.
Birdwatching & Wildlife - Canalway park partners offer ranger-led walks, or conduct your own with visits to great Key Viewing sites highlighted in Birdwatching.
Give Your Outing a Soundtrack - Download audio tours: http://www.913thesummit.com/podcast/ - This 91.3 FM/MPSSC partnership offers podcasts to accompany your Metro Parks walk/hike/run - including four in the Canalway - Deep Lock Quarry, Furnace Run, Goodyear Heights & Munroe Falls.
Did You Know?
Eight Metro Parks, Serving Summit County (MPSSC) Metro Parks fall within the Ohio & Erie Canalway National Heritage Area borders.
Towpath Adventures
Setting your course for the Towpath can make any walk/hike/run feel like a mini-vacation.
Getting There - Trailheads offer entrances to the Towpath. And all but Portage Path offer parking.
In the National Park, Summit County section, you can pick up the Towpath Trail starting in Boston - one of Summit County’s oldest settlements, celebrating its bicentennial in 2011! A stop at the CVNP Boston Store and refreshments from Trail Mix add to the fun. Continue South on the trail to the charming village of Peninsula — where hungry hikers can grab a bite, tour the town, or hop aboard the Scenic Railroad. Back on the Towpath, you’ll find historic Deep Lock Quarry, followed by beautiful Indigo Lake (with a connecting path to Hale Farm & Village). Up next - popular Beaver Marsh - designated an Ohio Watchable Wildlife Area. You’ll find it just north of the Ira Road Trailhead as you head towards the southern boundaries of the National Park.
Cuyahoga Valley National Park — Towpath Fast Facts
Number of Towpath miles: 20 (In Cuyahoga & Summit Counties)
Number of Trailheads: 13 (Seven in Summit County)
Surface: Level, Hard-Packed, Crushed Limestone
Key Visitor Centers: Boston Store Visitor Center (at the Boston Store Trailhead)
In Metro Parks, Serving Summit County (MPSSC): At Botzum, the Towpath seamlessly changes hands from the National Park Service to MPSSC. You can visit the scenic, historic Conrad Botzum Farm, then continue your Towpath journey south to Old Portage and Cascade Locks — where you’ll see five of 15 “staircase” locks, once used to lift canal boats up a very steep escarpment.
On summer weekends, stop in and see canal-era exhibits on display at the restored 1850s Mustill Store Visitor Center (managed by the Cascade Locks Park Association - CLPA). Then continue south into the heart of Akron and the historical summit - or high point - of the canal. While in Akron, the Akron Art Museum, Canal Park Baseball Stadium and the Richard Howe House all make for terrific side trips, showcasing Akron’s culture, athletics and history. South of Downtown Akron, voyage across “The Divide” and an amazing floating portion of the Towpath Trail located at the southern tip of Summit Lake.
Metro Parks, Serving Summit County — Towpath Fast Facts
Number of Towpath miles: 21.5
Number of Trailheads: 16 (MPSSC - 14)
Surface: Hard Packed, Crushed Limestone
Key Visitor Centers: F.A. Seiberling Nature Realm (MPSSC); Mustill Store Visitor Center (CLPA)
Visitor’s Tip: You’ll find small breaks in the trail at Bartges Street and again at Snyder Avenue. Call MPSSC for directions.
Towpath Traveling Tips
- Bring water, snacks, and sunscreen
- Map It!
- Check which Trailheads have water & note distances between Trailheads
- Plan according to your fitness level - especially if little ones are in tow
- Be aware of weather conditions
- Canalway Alerts - check for park trail closures - especially after heavy rains
- Caution - Boardwalks/Wooden Sections - get slippery when wet or covered with frost
- Navigating a Shared Use Trail - simple rules for pets & sharing the trail...
- Note: Eight ft. leashes in the County Parks; Six ft. in the National Park
- Visiting a Preserve - from leaves to berries - take only photo souvenirs - and more....
Runners
Train for the Towpath Marathon in October - and help celebrate its 20th year! Described as “one of the most beautiful race courses in America” by Runner’s World magazine.
Join a Running Club - Here’s a starter list of clubs that frequently use the Canalway.
Fun to Know
In Akron, you’re crossing a Continental Water Divide. According to nps.gov/cuva:
Rivers north of the divide flow to Lake Erie and the Atlantic Ocean.
Rivers south of the divide flow to the Ohio River and the Gulf of Mexico.
Learn more: http://www.nps.gov/cuva/planyourvisit/upload/geology.pdf