Roll Along The Cuyahoga Valley

Hold those handlebars tight, intermediate mountain bikers. The new 2.3-mile East Rim Trail at the Cuyahoga Valley National Park is for those who like a twisty, bumpy ride and a healthy challenge. The trail’s sporadic rocky areas, made using rock from a nearby quarry, pedal up the intensity. Stephen Metzler, a trail steward, found his favorite route. “I personally prefer counterclockwise. The hills are fast,” he says. “It allows you to go downhill and the way the trail is laid out, there are curves and you can just let your bike flow through it.” Fans of this trail can look for construction of a 7-mile continuation set to start this fall. For Metzler, conquering the trail’s difficulties brings a sense of accomplishment. “I remember walking on it before it was open last year and seeing some of the rocky areas thinking there is no way I am going to be able to ride up on that,” he recalls. “The first time I was able to ride up on these rocks, it was a great feeling.” 15610 Vaughn Road, Brecksville, 440-546-5991, nps.gov