Although Ohio is home to a variety of people who are interested and invested in nature year round, the typical person would prefer to spend their winter months in their homes. Many are drawn to stay inside as the cold consumes the outside world, but Ohio’s National Park proves to be a great place during the winter months for everyone, even the not-so-outdoorsy. Cuyahoga Valley National Park, a place home to many different hiking trails and beautiful nature aspects is a great place not just in summer months.
The outside world during winter in general can be looked at negatively because of the cold air and ambiguous snow. These two factors are common to keeping people cooped up in their homes when really they should be factors driving people away from them and towards nature. In the cold seasons, CVNP is filled with beautiful, rewarding scenes. Snow-covered and frozen waterways in the valley allow for a new perspective on the park different from the typical sights in warmer months. Being outside in nature during colder weather also provides for much more fulfilling time inside as it is more common for people to feel better about being stuck in their homes after spending time outside.
The National Park is also a great place to bring pets, specifically dogs who need to let out energy in the winter. Pets are permitted on the trails in CVNP while on their leashes, making the park a perfect spot to go. Along with this, the trails are easy to hike but still allow the animals to get much exercise done.
Apart from the gorgeous sights, being in nature, particularly in winter, has many health benefits. Just being outside, in fresh air, vitamin D levels are prone to increasing. Along with that, immune systems are boosted when exposed to colder air. This helps limit and lessen the effects of sickness, which in today’s world is a large problem. CVNP is a great place to live a healthy life that still provides for enjoyment.
Year-round, CVNP plans many events and activities to enjoy there. For indoor events, there are many nature lectures held at the nature center and buildings there. For outside events, there are commonly weekly planned hikes, but there are many other unique activities too. Every Saturday morning from December 16 to April 28, there is a Winter Farmers Market. Lantern walks are also popular events that the park offers during this season.
For the people who prefer staying inside, CVNP offers indoors, or “in-train” attractions. The Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, which in typical months offers rides through the valley, spends time from November 8th to December 21st offering rides similar to the Polar Express. The rides last 90 minutes and have ticket prices ranging anywhere from $45 to $92 depending on seating and the day of the week. On this 26-mile journey through the CVNP, riders can meet Santa, admire the outside nature and see festive decorations. This trip is usually enjoyed by families and younger children but it is an attraction fit for everyone.
One of the most popular attractions that are in CVNP are the skiing and snowboarding resorts Boston Mills and Brandywine. These two places are some of the most popular places for adventure-seekers during wintertime. The two resorts have many hills for skiing and snowboarding along with a resort for snow tubing. Both places have rentable materials for getting down the slopes, but all guests are welcome to bring their own equipment. The slopes have a wide variety of skill-level hills, making the resorts great places for everyone of all ages. The hills open as soon as the weather permits them to, usually after it begins snowing for the first or second few times.
The Cuyahoga Valley National Park is a top place of enjoyment all year long. The pretty sights, health benefits and different offered events make Ohio’s National Park a great place to be this winter.
