Cuyahoga Valley National Park in the Fall: Our 2-Day Trip

Hannah | August 2026

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Golden leaves, blue skies and panoramic views of Cuyahoga Valley National Park from the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad—that’s exactly what we were hoping for when we started planning our late October trip in early September 2023. We knew it was considered one of the less exciting national parks, so we strategically planned our trip around our chances of catching the fall foliage—and boy, did it pay off! We enjoyed the golden, Hundred Acre Wood-like forests of Cuyahoga Valley in late October 2023 and are still raving about our trip today.

We went into it with realistic expectations. We knew we weren’t going to soak in views like Yosemite or Zion, so we went for the leaves! We spent one full day and one half day in the park and felt like that was the perfect amount of time for our trip.

We spent our first day hiking and our second day riding the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad in the Dome car. This was one of those activities I am VERY glad I planned ahead for. I booked Dylan and me window seats across from each other toward the back of the train to maximize the panoramic views around us, and I was so glad I did.

Itinerary:

October 23 — Travel Day: Virginia to Ohio
October 24 — Brandywine Falls + Brandywine Gorge Loop + Ledges Trail + Beaver Marsh + B&B
October 25 — Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad + Drive Home

Travel Day + Shady Oaks Farm Bed and Breakfast

We started our trip on October 23 after work. At the time, we were living in Virginia, which made Cuyahoga Valley National Park close enough for a road trip and an easy way to check another national park off our list.

We took turns driving, and by the time we arrived in Ohio it was already dark. We checked into Shady Oaks Farm Bed and Breakfast, and even pulling up at night, we were impressed by the grandeur. The property was an old mansion converted into a bed-and-breakfast and felt like the perfect place to stay for a cozy fall trip.

We spoke with the couple running the bed-and-breakfast over the course of our stay and learned that they had recently taken over the property. They were so kind, and we really enjoyed staying there. I would absolutely recommend it!

Between the beautiful property, breakfasts and the outdoor fire pit we would enjoy the following night, Shady Oaks Farm ended up being a memorable part of the trip itself.

Day 1: Exploring Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Brandywine Falls + Brandywine Gorge Loop Trail

After a homemade breakfast at our B&B, we started our trek at 9:30 a.m. at Brandywine Falls and the Brandywine Gorge Loop Trail. We walked down the boardwalk through thousands of golden leaves. It was so beautiful and the exact reminder of why we chose to visit this park during such a special time of year!

Once we arrived at the waterfall, we took in the roaring falls and snapped a few photos. From there, we continued onto the trail! Brandywine Gorge Loop Trail is a 1.5-mile loop and there wasn’t anything specific we were hiking to see other than the fall foliage, so we took our time and soaked it all in.

Ledges Trail

We started the 1.8-mile Ledges Trail loop around 11:30 a.m. I remember thinking how cool all of the large rock formations were along the way.

Once we made it to the overlook, it was a little more crowded than we expected, but we were still able to take in the view of the fall foliage and snap a few photos before continuing on to finish the hike.

The only way I can describe this hike is with one word: yellow. The foliage put on its best show that day, that’s for sure! We made it back to the car around 1:30 p.m., ready for lunch. We ate a very quick lunch and made our way to the Towpath Trail for our last stop of the day.

Towpath Trail + Beaver Marsh

After lunch, we made our way to the Towpath Trail around 2 p.m. for our last stop of the day. We walked along the trail until it transitioned onto the boardwalk through Beaver Marsh.

This was a completely different experience from our first two hikes of the day. Instead of waterfalls, rock formations and endless yellow leaves, we were walking over the marsh and stopping at the different overlooks along the boardwalk. We spotted ducks, lily pads and turtles in the water, and it was such a peaceful way to end our day in the park.

We didn’t have a specific distance we were trying to hike here. We checked out a few of the overlooks along the marsh and eventually turned around once the boardwalk transitioned back into the trail.

If we went back to Cuyahoga Valley National Park, this is actually one area I would want to experience differently. I would love to rent bikes and explore more of the Towpath Trail! We learned even more about biking through the park during our train ride the following morning, and it immediately went on my list for a future visit.

A Cozy Night at Shady Oaks Farm

After a full day of exploring, we picked up takeout and made our way back to Shady Oaks Farm Bed and Breakfast for the night. They had a beautiful outdoor fire pit, so Dylan and I spent part of the evening sitting outside and relaxing by the fire.

I had recently handmade a blanket that I brought along for the trip, and wrapping up in it beside the fire after a day of hiking through the fall foliage was about as cozy as it gets. It was such a simple part of the trip, but it’s still one of the moments I remember most.

Day 2: Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad

Our Experience with Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad

After another great breakfast at the bed-and-breakfast, we checked out and headed to Akron Northside Station. We arrived early, parking was easy and plentiful, and we waited for a bit before the train pulled into the station.

Once we boarded the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad train, Dylan and I climbed the few stairs to the Dome seating and found our seats. I remember a few passengers trying to head upstairs to the Dome who didn’t have tickets for that section, but there were employees checking tickets and directing everyone to their assigned seating.

We had our booth to ourselves at the beginning of the ride, but the train gradually filled as we stopped to pick up more passengers along the route. Eventually, two other passengers joined our booth.

About halfway through the ride, we offered to switch seats with one of them so they could have one of our window seats for a while. Dylan and I sat together along the back while they got a chance to enjoy the window and take some photos. They thanked us for switching, and we were happy to share the view!

Now for the not-so-perfect part: some of the glass was a little dirty and harder to see through in certain spots, and the morning started out pretty gray and cloudy. Thankfully, it brightened up as the morning went on. Even with those little imperfections, riding through the park surrounded by fall foliage under the panoramic glass roof was such a cool experience—and something completely different from anything we had done at another national park.

Is the Dome Car Worth It?

In our opinion, yes! We booked our tickets almost seven weeks ahead of our trip to make sure we were able to secure two seats in the glass-top train car—the Dome seating. As mentioned, we wanted to make our visit to Cuyahoga Valley National Park special by seeing the fall foliage, so what better way to do that than with a train ride through the park and panoramic views of the leaves? If we could do the train all over again, we wouldn’t change a thing!

At one point, we walked through the train to find the snack car and saw some of the other seating options along the way. The lounge seating looked like a fun option, especially if I were traveling with a larger group, but for the two of us, I was really glad we chose the Dome. The coach seating didn’t appear to offer a comparable view.

If riding the train during fall foliage season is one of the main reasons you’re visiting Cuyahoga Valley National Park, I would choose the Dome seating option again without hesitation. 10/10.

Exploring Cuyahoga Valley by Bike + Train

One thing we wish we had added to our trip was biking part of the Towpath Trail. While planning our visit, we learned that the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad (CVSR) offered options for cyclists to combine biking and riding the train, which sounded like such a fun way to experience more of the park. If we make it back to Cuyahoga Valley, renting bikes and exploring more of the Towpath Trail is definitely on our list! Also to note, the CVSR offers events throughout the year for visitors to enjoy an extra special train ride through the park.

Absolutely—especially in the fall!

We went into this trip knowing Cuyahoga Valley National Park wasn’t going to give us the dramatic views we’d experienced at other major parks out west. Instead of expecting it to be something it wasn’t, we planned our trip around what we thought could make this park really special: the fall foliage.

And it worked!

Between hiking through what felt like a golden forest, seeing Brandywine Falls surrounded by fall colors and riding through the park beneath the glass roof of the Dome car, Cuyahoga Valley completely exceeded our expectations.

We also felt like a day and a half was the perfect amount of time for our first visit. If we went back, I’d love to bike part of the Towpath Trail, but that’s the only change to the itinerary that I would make.

Whether you’re trying to visit all 63 national parks like we are or you’re just looking for a fun fall weekend getaway, Cuyahoga Valley National Park should definitely be on your list for a fall leaf-peeping trip!