The Brandywine Gorge Loop in Cuyahoga Valley National Park is a wooded trail with large elevation changes, a bit of mud, and a big payoff! We visited the park this spring and took several hikes, but this one was a stunner. It included the park’s most recognizable landmark: Brandywine Falls.
Brandywine Falls is a 60-foot waterfall of Brandywine Creek, a tributary of the Cuyahoga River. If you’ve seen any Cuyahoga Valley National Park merchandise, it probably featured this waterfall.
I was shocked at how easily accessible the falls were! We’d barely left the parking lot on the wooded platform before encountering the sound of rushing water. A couple hundred feet later, we saw it!
We’d planned to hike the 1.5-mile Brandywine Gorge Loop, thinking the falls would be somewhere around the halfway mark. We decided to stick to our plan and continue the hike, planning to view the falls from the lower platforms when we returned.
Brandywine Gorge Loop
We circled behind Brandywine Falls, passing the ruins of a former gristmill. On the other side, we passed a home and wondered aloud about what it must be like, living so close to this beautiful landscape. Then we began our descent.
The first portion of the trail has a fairly steep downhill grade with some roots and rocks. It’s also fairly close to the edge, which leads to a very steep drop all the way down to the river. I wasn’t worried about slipping and falling over, but I was worried about my youngest explorer. Keeping him on the trail as he zigzags requires constant attention!
When we reached the bottom, we were delighted to see that a good portion of the loop, which overlaps the Stanford Trail, follows the path of the river.
While parts of the path were muddy, at least a portion of each walkway was clear enough for us to stay on the trail and keep our feet dry.
At the advice of the NPS, we’d waited until later in the day to visit the park to avoid crowds. While we still saw several people on the trail, the timing worked out beautifully when it came to the sun over the river!
Around the midpoint of the trail, we crossed a bridge over the river and began to circle back.
This marked a distinct change in the trail, which began to climb steeply. When we descended, our path had been dirt and roots, but this side had wooden staircase built into the mountainside.
I was relieved we’d come this way, thinking stairs are a bit more forgiving than steep hills. The staircase was very challenging, though, and I felt like Rocky by the time I’d made it to the top!
From there, it was just a short walk back to the falls. This time, we went down to the lower platform, sat on a built-in bench, and breathed in the moment.
I’d hike this trail again in a heartbeat! Even without a waterfall, the views were remarkable and the forest was serene. It’s definitely more challenging than the other trails we hiked here and families with younger children may find it a true challenge.
Plan Your Visit
Cuyahoga Valley National Park
Brandywine Falls Trailhead
8176 Brandywine Road
Sagamore Hills, Ohio 44067
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