What was once an auto salvage yard littered with old car parts and debris is now one of the most serene spots in Cuyahoga Valley National Park: the Beaver Marsh. Nestled within the 33,000 acres of restored parkland, the marsh is a testament to the valley’s remarkable transformation over the past five decades. And don’t forget a tip of your cap to the beavers.
“The Park Service thought we would make it into parking for a special event site,” says Jennie Vasarhelyi, chief of interpretation, education and visitor services for CVNP. “But between human efforts to clean out the junkyard and beavers returning to the area, we ended up with this wonderful wetland.”
This story of natural recovery is just one of many that make CVNP a unique example of environmental restoration and community dedication as the park celebrates its 50th anniversary.
“As the Park Service, our goal is to allow natural processes to occur kind of unimpeded,” she says. “The fact that beavers came back and dammed up the wetland was really lovely.”
The evolution of CVNP turned a once-polluted landscape — marred by garbage dumps, abandoned structures and heavy land use areas — into a thriving green space. Now a regional treasure, the park attracts a growing number of visitors to Akron, Brecksville, Cleveland, Cuyahoga Falls, Peninsula and more.
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“This is something our region should be proud of,” Vasarhelyi says. Despite decades of progress, she emphasizes that the park’s evolution is not finished.There are several key milestones in the park’s “back to nature” transformation.
“Almost every acre of this park has a restoration story associated with it,” she says. “A lot aren’t as visible because they’re outside of where visitors go.”
One milestone came in 1999 when the Gund family and the Trust for Public Land made a deal to repurpose the vacant Richfield Coliseum land.
After the Cleveland Cavaliers relocated Downtown, the coliseum sat empty for five years. After its demolition, 80 acres of asphalt were removed, and the land was transferred to the park. Today, the former industrial site is a thriving 60-acre grassland, home to rare bird species like the bobolink, Savannah sparrow and eastern meadowlark.
In 2021, the National Park Service completed the decades-long cleanup of the Krejci Dump, a former salvage yard and waste disposal site in Boston Township. The restoration of this once-toxic landscape garnered national attention that praised the recovery of vital natural areas.
The park’s journey began with Congress passing a bill in December 1974 that established the Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area the following June.
“One of the things people see as a big evolution is our name change to a national park in 2000, but that really wasn’t that big of a change. Other than our name, we were already a national park in function,” Vasarhelyi says.
She credits the name change to former U.S. Rep. Ralph Regula, who “slipped it into the appropriations bill” while serving on the House Appropriations Committee.
“When we became a national park, this area already had pre-existing parks, ski areas, Blossom Music Center and other recreational amenities,” Vasarhelyi says. “But on the other hand, the area had been heavily used — mining, logging, paper mills and dumping. So, there were park-like elements and others that were the opposite. One of the first steps was for Congress to establish boundaries for the park and begin acquiring federal lands to stitch these recreational areas together.”
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The land acquisition phase of the park’s history has incurred its bumps and bruises.
“The local community really felt forced to sell and felt it left their communities at a disadvantage,” Vasarhelyi says.
After the land acquisitions, the park shifted into a development phase.
“Our economic impact through tourism has really increased,” she says.
Vasarhelyi cited Park Service studies showing that in 2005, about 90% of CVNP’s visitors were from Ohio. A decade later, that figure dropped to 80%. By 2023, only 68% were Ohioans.
“We’re seeing more and more visitors from outside the area,” she says. “Tourism brings a positive economic impact to the local community. At the same time, we help people in the community who come here. Having green space as part of your daily life is really healthy, both physically and mentally.”
Rebecca Jones Macko, a CVNP ranger for 25 years who previously worked at five other parks, knows CVNP is unlike other national parks.
“Of all the parks that I’ve worked at, this park is the least afraid to try new things,” she says. “This park celebrates the songs of everyday people like you and me making decisions about life, making decisions about the environment and preserving those stories.”
Yes, landmarks like Wyoming’s Old Faithful and Arizona’s Grand Canyon are highlights at other national parks. But don’t hold them against CVNP.
“Our icon is this tiny, little shallow river that has a really big story,” Macko says. “We have this incredible history and these remarkable stories that make it worth a visit. We have the story of this recovery. We are a park for all people.”
Discover Three hidden gems in Cuyahoga Valley National Park
Canal Exploration
Center: Rebecca Jones Macko, a CVNP ranger who describes herself as a blend of a Lorax and a “history geek,” recommends the center for those interested in learning about the region’s rich history and the valley’s transformation. “This building tells the story of the Ohio and Erie Canal, its importance to Ohio and the country, and what was happening in 1825 when they started building it.”
Everett Covered Bridge: It is the last remaining covered bridge in Summit County. Built in the mid- to late-1800s, the bridge is located in the southern part of the park and crosses Furnace Run. It offers a picturesque scene, particularly in autumn.
Waterfalls along
Hemlock Creek Trail: The park’s hidden waterfalls are a treasure. “We are a valley,” Macko says. “Every drop of rain that falls wants to get down to the river, so we have waterfalls hidden throughout the park.” One of her favorite places is Hemlock Creek Trail, a paved path starting in Independence. “Part of it used to be an estate for one of Cleveland’s former industrialists,” Macko says. “He developed his own personal trail through the land. There are lots of waterfalls along the way.”
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