Johnny's Backpacking Info Site

FIRST AID
Always bring one of those little first aid kits in case you get injured.

SLEEPING BAG
Normally I don't like to spend too much money on hiking equipment, mostly you just pay for the brand name. But in the case of sleeping bags it may be worth it to spend a few extra bucks. Get a good one, not a very cheap one.

POT
You need to have a cooking pot with you to boil drinking water, killing any parasites and bacteria that might be in it. A lot of people including myself carry a water filter to take care of this problem but water filters have moving parts and a ceramic filter element that could easily break. It's better to carry a light cooking pot, you will probably not need it but if your water filter breaks the cooking pot will save your life.

BACK PACK
Backpacks are very fashion sensitive items, lots of people get a new backpack because their old one isn't cool any more, if you're one of those people I can't help you, sorry. Buying a backpack is like buying shoes, you've got to try a bunch of different ones, and just like a good shoe it gets more and more comfortable the more you wear it. It adapts to your back over the years, so if you have a good old backpack that fits you well, keep it until it falls apart.

TOOL
Such as a Swiss army knife or a Leatherman tool. You will need this to fix broken equipment, cut branches for a shelter, cut wood for a fire. This item will always be used and if you don't have at least a knife you might not make it.

BACKPACKING STOVE
For 50,000 years Homo Sapiens used burning wood to cook food and boil water when he went out in the woods, after all the woods were full of wood. Then some time about 50 years ago someone came up with the idea to make a portable gas stove, and bring fuel with him when he went to the woods. Maybe the dumbest idea of all time but it didn't stop every one else from doing the same. It's time for this insanity to stop, it's time to go back to wood. Throw away your gas stove and get a Stratus Trailstove, it burns wood, just like our ancestors stoves. It's made of modern materials using modern manufacturing methods so it's a lot smaller, lighter, and more durable than our ancestors stoves (the Trailstove weighs 14 ounces) but it works in exactly the same way as stoves used to cook mammoth meat worked.

Pu the branches together into a pyramid with the longer branch towards the wind, make sure that they're securely joined, tie something around the top if you need to.

Line the two long walls with ribs consisting of branches resting against the long branch.

If you want to and you have plenty of time you can prepare the ground under the shelter ahead of time by digging down a few inches and burning a fire on the ground for a few hours and then covering the coals with the dirt from the dig. This way the ground in your shelter will be warm and dry all night long.

Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area

Cuyahoga Valley National Park, located between Cleveland and Akron, features a wide variety of natural, cultural, and historical resources. Visitors enjoy picnicking, hiking, bike trails, bridle trails, winter sports, golf, fishing, and ranger-guided programs.

Phone
Visitor Information - (216) 524-1497
Visitor Information - (330) 650-4636

TRAVEL BASICS

Operating Hours, Seasons
Cuyahoga Valley National Park is open daily, dawn to dusk; All visitor centers are closed Thanksgiving Day, December 25, and January 1.

FEES/PERMITS

Entrance Fee
ENTRANCE FEE
Free!
While there is no official entrance fee at Cuyahoga Valley National Park, we do encourage all visitors to support the park through the Towpath Tag Donation Program.

Activity Fee
PROGRAM FEE

Cuyahoga Valley National Park charges admission to concerts, winter lecture series programs, and some additional programs.

Permits
RESEARCH PERMITS

If you plan to do research in Cuyahoga Valley National Park, please review the following page.

CAMPING

none available in the park
Area campground listing:

LODGING

Inn at Brandywine Falls
Open All Year
The Inn at Brandywine Falls overlooks Brandywine Falls (a 67-foot natural wonder) in Cuyahoga Valley National Park. The six-room bed and breakfast, built in 1848, is on the National Register of Historic Places. It has been luxuriously renovated and modernized but keeps its historic Greek Revival appearance and character. It is furnished in Ohio Antiques and features quality amenities and gourmet foods.
For More Information on this lodging please call (330) 467-1812

Stanford House - Hostelling International
Open All Year
The Stanford House is located in Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Built in 1843 by George Stanford, this Greek Revival farmhouse is on the National Register of Historic Places.
For More Information on this lodging please call (330) 467-8711

FACILITIES

Museums
BOSTON STORE
Open All Year
Memorial Day to October 31, Daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
November 1 through February 28, Weekends only, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
March 1 through Memorial Day weekend, Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Phone - (216) 524-1497
Location - The Boston Store is located 0.1 of a mile east of Riverview Road on Boston Mills Road in Boston, Ohio.
Closures - All Cuyahoga Valley National Park visitor centers are closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day.
Exhibits - The building that housed the Boston Land and Manufacturing Company Store was constructed circa 1836. It has been used as a warehouse, store, post office, and gathering place. The building is now a canal boatbuilding museum featuring exhibits on all aspects of that business.

FRAZEE HOUSE
Open From April 1 through October 31 Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Phone - 216-524-1497
Location - Frazee House is located on Canal Road, 3.5 miles south of Rockside Road in Valley View, Ohio.
Closures - Closed November through March.
Exhibits - The Frazee House was constructed in 1825 and 1826, the same years the northern section of the Ohio & Erie Canal was built. It is a fine example of an early Federal-style Western Reserve home and features exhibits relating to architectural styles, construction techniques, and the Frazee family.

Visitor Centers
CANAL VISITOR CENTER
Open All Year
Memorial Day to Labor Day, Sun.-Thurs. 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 8 a.m.-7 p.m.
day after Labor Day to day before Memorial Day, Daily 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Phone - (216) 524-1497
Location - The Canal Visitor Center is located in Valley View, Ohio. It is 1.5 miles south of Rockside Road on Canal Road where Canal and Hillside roads intersect.
Closures - All Cuyahoga Valley National Park visitor centers are closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day.
Exhibits - The Canal Visitor Center serves as both information center and museum. Located in the northern end of Cuyahoga Valley National Park, it is an ideal stop for maps and other information about the park. Permanent exhibits illustrate 12,000 years of history in the valley, including the history of the Ohio & Erie Canal. This canal-era building once served canal boat passengers waiting to pass through Lock 38. Canal lock demonstrations are conducted seasonally on weekends by National Park Service staff and by volunteers wearing period costume. A 20-minute slide show about the park and three 30-minute videos about the Ohio & Erie Canal are shown on request.

HAPPY DAYS VISITOR CENTER
Open All Year
May 1 through October 31, Daily, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
November 1 through April 30, Wed. - Sun., 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., closed Mon. - Tues.
Phone - 330-650-4636
Location - Happy Days Visitor Center is located on State Route 303 in Boston Heights, Ohio. The center is two miles east of Peninsula and 0.5 miles west of State Route 8.
Closures - All Cuyahoga Valley National Park visitor centers are closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day.
Exhibits - Happy Days Visitor Center offers information and a variety of activities. Here you can attend concerts, lectures, plays, and ranger-led special events. This building also houses the park's Travel Planning Center where you are welcome to use the files and free internet connection to plan your National Park vacations. Hiking trails are also nearby. A 20-minute slide program about the park is shown on request. The Happy Days building was constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps. in 1938 and 1939 as a day camp for Akron children.

HUNT FARM VISITOR INFORMATION CENTER
Open All Year
Memorial Day through October 31, Mon. - Fri. 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., Sat. - Sun. 9 - 5
Open from November 1 through March 31, Sat. - Sun. 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Open from April 1 through Memorial Day, Thurs. - Fri. 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., Sat. - Sun. 9 - 5
Phone - 216-524-1497
Location - Hunt Farm Visitor Information Center is located on Bolanz Road between Riverview and Akron-Peninsula roads in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio.
Closures - All Cuyahoga Valley National Park Visitor Centers are closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day.
Exhibits - The Hunt Farm property is typical of the small family farms that dotted the Cuyahoga Valley in the late 19th century. Here you can get information about park activities and see exhibits about the area's agricultural history. Next to the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail, it is an ideal starting point for a hike or a bicycle ride.

PENINSULA DEPOT
October, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday
November and December, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekends
Location - It can be found from the intersection of Akron-Peninsula Road and State Route 303 by following signs for the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad. It is the boarding site for CVSR train rides.
Closures - All Cuyahoga Valley National Park visitor centers are closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day.
Available Facilities - The Peninsula Depot, originally the Boston Mills Depot, was moved to Peninsula in the early 1970s. It currently stands on property where there historically was a train depot. The National Park Service is working in conjunction with its partner CVSR to restore that function of this building. It will be used as an information and orientation center for people on foot, bike, and rail.

FIRST AID	Always bring one of those little first aid kits in case you get injured.
SLEEPING BAG	Normally I don't like to spend too much money on hiking equipment, mostly you just pay for the brand name. But in the case of sleeping bags it may be worth it to spend a few extra bucks. Get a good one, not a very cheap one.
POT	You need to have a cooking pot with you to boil drinking water, killing any parasites and bacteria that might be in it. A lot of people including myself carry a water filter to take care of this problem but water filters have moving parts and a ceramic filter element that could easily break. It's better to carry a light cooking pot, you will probably not need it but if your water filter breaks the cooking pot will save your life.
BACK PACK	Backpacks are very fashion sensitive items, lots of people get a new backpack because their old one isn't cool any more, if you're one of those people I can't help you, sorry. Buying a backpack is like buying shoes, you've got to try a bunch of different ones, and just like a good shoe it gets more and more comfortable the more you wear it. It adapts to your back over the years, so if you have a good old backpack that fits you well, keep it until it falls apart.
TOOL	Such as a Swiss army knife or a Leatherman tool. You will need this to fix broken equipment, cut branches for a shelter, cut wood for a fire. This item will always be used and if you don't have at least a knife you might not make it.
BACKPACKING STOVE	For 50,000 years Homo Sapiens used burning wood to cook food and boil water when he went out in the woods, after all the woods were full of wood. Then some time about 50 years ago someone came up with the idea to make a portable gas stove, and bring fuel with him when he went to the woods. Maybe the dumbest idea of all time but it didn't stop every one else from doing the same. It's time for this insanity to stop, it's time to go back to wood. Throw away your gas stove and get a Stratus Trailstove, it burns wood, just like our ancestors stoves. It's made of modern materials using modern manufacturing methods so it's a lot smaller, lighter, and more durable than our ancestors stoves (the Trailstove weighs 14 ounces) but it works in exactly the same way as stoves used to cook mammoth meat worked.