Yogi Bear to the Rescue

After that first snow, I decided I needed help. I needed a trusty ranger.

And so, yesterday, which would be the third Saturday in January, after a big event on my calendar was canceled, and I realized I had a full day stretched out in front of me, I went to the Valley in search of a ranger dude who could help me find my way. I took my camera and my notebook with me.

This is the back of the van I drive when I go to the Valley.

I have never found an unhelpful park ranger. Surrounded by beavers and pond fronds, they are usually eager beavers themselves to talk to a human being. Such was the case with Ranger Judson, a big Santa Claus of a happy man with longish white hair, a turquoise ring and bracelet, sitting at the front desk of the Visitor's Center in Boston Mills, who turned out to be not only a naturalist but a font of history knowledge.

The Visitor's Center wasn't too busy on this chilly, gray Saturday, but several couples came in and out while I was there, including a couple who'd driven up from Cincinnati and another, from Michigan. Apparently, so Ranger Judson told me, people come from all over the state, all over the country and even all over the world to visit this 10th most visited national park in the country. I will hear and read this stat a lot.

I told Mr. Judson I was from Kent, I'd visited the Valley dozens of times, but I didn't really know my way around. He asked me what I wanted to do in the Valley. "Take photos," I said. "But other things too."

Along Riverview Road

Much-photographed bridge over the Valley Cuyahoga.

Brandywine icicles

Brandywine

Beautiful old barn on Riverview Road.  Black and white?

Or color?

First things first: Mr. Judson directed me upstairs to an 18-minute movie, which promptly put me to sleep. No offense to the movie. I'd been up all night starting this blog. I stayed awake for most of the film, though truly, and I'm glad I did, because it taught me, first of all, that the Cuyahoga Valley is defined by the Cuyahoga River that runs through it.  Duh? I couldn't believe I didn't know that before.

I learned that the Valley was once a bustling commerce area because of the river and because of  the Ohio & Erie Canal that carried freight into and through Ohio. It was so bustling that it helped shape Ohio into status as the third most prosperous state in the country at one time. The canal started losing business in the mid-1860s when the railroad took over freight-moving, and the deal was clinched 50 years later when a major storm flooded the canal. (The deal was not "cinched," BTW. I looked it up. "Cinched" is to fasten tightly. "Clinched" is settled.) At the same time as commerce had been developing around the area, recreation had also been developing. Cleveland residents escaping city life took to the area for boating and leisure. In the mid-1900s, as urban sprawl began to threaten the Valley, residents took up the cry to preserve and conserve the beautiful and diverse area. It was designated a national recreation area in 1974 and a national park in 2000.

So that was the movie, after which I went back to Mr. Judson. I told him what I already knew --about  the places I'd already visited but I needed to know where they were in proximity with each other. I told him I wanted good sunset photos and sunrise photos. I wanted to know where the high spots were for vista shots.

The second step: Mr. Judson took out a map to show me the areas I already knew, which really helped me get my grounding. He also told me about the main trail (there are 150 miles of trail throughout the Valley) -- the Towpath Trail. This is the world-renowned hike-and-bike path that follows the length of the canal -- and beyond, 100 miles from Lake Erie to the north to New Philadelphia to the south. Ranger Judson told me the Towpath Trail is the reason the Cuyahoga Valley National Park is the 10th most visited park in the country. (There's that proud stat again.) Mr. Judson also told me about the nearby hike-and-bike trail that roughly parallels the canal for part of the way, which also follows the railroad though the Valley. Because railroads can't incline more than 3 degrees, he told me, this makes this trail relatively flat, which makes it especially attractive to hiker/bikers. Glad to know this as I hate riding my bike up trails. Not so much down. I don't mind down.

The third step:  Ranger Judson pointed the way to a display of one-page, photographically enhanced information sheets that were very well-done and to the point. All these little brochures are online in their entirety and can be found at http://www.nps.gov/cuva/planyourvisit/brochures.htm

Some of the titles include : "Monarchs on the Move":  "Bald Eagles Return"; "Great Blue Herons"; "Bird Watching At Its Best"; "Beaver Marsh." I sat with the brochures and made notes and then took my questions back to Mr. Judson so he could help me find stuff on the map. Ranger Judson showed me the best place for butterfly watching, two places in the CVNP where butterfly-attracting plants have been planted. He showed me the two spots where herons show up,  also where the bald eagle nest is and how to get to the beaver marsh, which is clearly marked on the map. He told me that beaver and other critters, including muskrats and otters, often show up at sunset, because they're nocturnal. I didn't know that. He also showed me where the other cross-country ski trails are. One of the best is that flat bike-hike trail along the railroad.

Two important notes: Kendall Lake rents cross-country skis when snow is at depths of six inches or more, and snow shoes when snow is at depths of four inches or more!http://www.nps.gov/cuva/planyourvisit/winter-sports.htm I knew about the skis, but I didn't know about the snow shoes, which I've always wanted to try! Can't wait for four inches of snow!

Also, one title that's not on the web site page is about the farms in the area -- about 10 of them. I asked if they were organic. "Oh, they're all organic," he said. What! I'm not so sure about this, no offense, Ranger Judson; I couldn't find anything in the materials that support this, and will be trying to get the definitive word on this. Apparently, meanwhile, farmers do for sure sell their local produce during the warm months at a Farmer's Market near Howe Meadow on Saturdays. They also have a market http://www.cvcountryside.orgr on limited Saturdays during the winter.

I left the Visitor's Center and tooled around a bit that day, a lot more grounded and confident that I knew where I was going or at least where I would want to go. I ended up shooting at Brandywine Falls and along Riverview Road. (See photos above.)

Next step: I'd like to synthesize the information I gathered or color-code with Sharpies on the map the things I found most interesting and kind of stake out a plan for what's next.

Thanks for reading. Happy new year!

-DLH