Cuyahoga Valley National Park - Ride Through Canal History

If you ever want to ride through history, the Cuyahoga Valley National Park has several ways for you to do it.

For motorcycle riders in the Cleveland, Ohio area, this is a relaxing weekend ride that is perfect for a slow Sunday with a passenger. The route travels parallel to the winding Cuyahoga River and nearby Ohio & Erie Canal.

The canal was a pivotal resource in early Ohio history, helping to get people and supplies to destinations along the route. It's claimed that the canal was also used by some slaves as a route on the Underground Railroad to Canada.

The 3 main roads in the route are Canal Road, Riverview Road and Akron Peninsula Road. Speed limits vary from 25 to 45mph, though you'll want to be careful during the weekends, as enforcement tends to heighten. The route is not very technical, and you'll see just about every type of motorcycle and rider along it's length, many with passengers.

Although the route isn't very long, the trip may take some time due to the number of interesting places to stop.

For nature lovers, the Brandywine Falls provides an excellent scenic view, along with a park to take a breather at.

For history lovers, there are plenty of national park educational sites to stop at, including Hale Farm & Village.

For those who prefer self-powered transportation, bike routes follow the Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath's scenic route. If you didn't bring your a bicycle, there are places to rent them along the route as well.

Or if a classic train is more your style, check out the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad and ride one of the oldest scenic tourist excursion railways in the country.