Happy Trails!

The nice thing about living near a national park is the availability of nice walking trails. We are fortunate to live near the Cuyahoga Valley National Park which, by the way, has no fee for entry. We have a beautiful tow path to walk along the canal and river that runs through it. And now we have a trail even closer to home.

Our community along with several other organizations have put in a trail from near our recreational area down to the tow path a little less than two miles away. The path is paved so it can be used by bike riders as well. And it is beautiful! It begins at the corner of Selig and Brecksville Roads in Independence and goes east.

This past Saturday was the official opening and dedication. We joined a lot of neighbors in celebrating in the morning but instead of waiting for the official ceremony, we took off down the path ahead of the crowds. I'm glad we did. It was a perfect morning and the walk was picturesque. The only problem was that there is a 8-9% grade for a good portion and the walk back was a little more than we bargained for. Today I have noticed muscles that I didn't know I had that are sore.

Along the way the path follows and crosses over Hemlock Creek and there are several historic sites. The old haydite mine being one. Haydite was mined in the valley until 2018. Haydite is used to make cement lighter for use in bridges.

Along the way are several benches (resting places for those of us puffing uphill) and one or two picnic tables. I'm looking forward sometime to a walk and a lunch. It's the perfect place. Thank you to everyone who helped make this possible.