With the park celebrating its 50th anniversary and Valentine’s Day just around the corner, let’s show our love for Ohio’s national park. How, you ask? Visit, learn, volunteer, support, share and wear your park pride to help spread the word about this national treasure in our community.
Check out these 5 ways to show Cuyahoga Valley National Park (CVNP) some love!
1. Visit and Get to Know the Trails
The park offers visitors over 140 miles of hiking, bicycling, and horseback riding trails. Check the calendar for upcoming events or if you like a challenge, join the virtual Full On CVNP Challenge.
In honor of the park’s anniversary, we partnered with Western Reserve Racing on its Full On CVNP 5. For this challenge you’ll have until June to hike, run, and explore every trail in CVNP! Western Reserve Racing will provide the maps, the ability to log your progress, and route guides. The guides provide history, folklore, trivia, and other information to help you enjoy the trails and learn more about your national park. And 10% of the $40 registration fee will be donated to the Conservancy for CVNP’s mission to enrich people’s lives and enhance our region by inspiring use, preservation and support of Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
2. Learn About the Park
Attend a Cuyahoga Valley Lyceum Series lecture to learn about topics related to CVNP’s history or a Low Power Happy Hour to learn from local professionals working toward a more sustainable future. In addition, read more on the making of CVNP and other articles from the park service.
Feb. 10: What’s New with Green Book Cleveland?
Green Book Cleveland is a restorative history project to document stories of Black recreation and resistance in Northeast Ohio. The partners’ collaborative work is already having an impact. Join us for drinks and a lively panel discussion moderated by Ranger Arrye Rosser. Find out what’s new and what’s next from Mordecai Cargill of ThirdSpace Action Lab, Mark Souther and Bali White of Cleveland State University, Michelle Camou of Akron Zoo, and Hazim Abdullah-Smith of Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
Feb. 18: Imagining CVNP 100
Join us for a fun evening of reflection and dreaming. We will use a rapid, PechaKucha-style slideshow of Cuyahoga Valley National Park’s history as a springboard for imagining the park in 2074. Participants will brainstorm what key moments and ideas might define the next 50 years. Then, a panel of community leaders will share their thoughts on our national park and our region’s future. Don’t miss this special park anniversary extravaganza!
Read Park Articles:
- Why a National Park? Highlights from the 1974 Hearings to Designate Cuyahoga Valley NRA
- Creating Cuyahoga Valley National Park: 50 Moments That Tell the Story
- Discovering Hidden Treasures: A Rare Plant Inventory at Cuyahoga Valley National Park
- Stream by Stream: Researching and Protecting Cuyahoga Valley National Park’s Vital Waterways
3. Volunteer
There is a place for everyone in the Volunteers-in-Parks (VIP) Program, from done-in-a-day events for individuals and groups to ongoing opportunities to make a difference. And we can provide unique opportunities for company, school, scout, and youth groups too.
Join us at the upcoming Volunteers-In-Parks Open House on Feb. 8 from 1:00pm – 3:30pm at Happy Days Lodge. Stop in anytime to talk to current volunteers and organizations supporting the park.
4. Show Your CVNP Pride with New Stickers, Shirts and More
Shop at Trail Mix Peninsula or online to find cozy CVNP fleece, sweatshirts and t-shirts as well as the best park stickers. Look for items highlighting the 50th anniversary or the established in 1974 date!
5. Show Your Support for CVNP
Join the Conservancy for CVNP’s nearly 4,000 members. Members are the driving force behind the projects that maintain CVNP’s timeless landscapes and precious resources. Or pick a cause special to your heart such as supporting Trails, Environmental Education, CVNP Towpath Trail Fund or Cultural Arts.
While flowers and candy are nice, this Valentine’s Day share your love for CVNP by helping spread the word and connecting others to this national treasure right here in Ohio.
