Indiana Dunes and Cuyahoga Valley National Parks

They are not parks you’ll spend days exploring but Indiana Dunes and Cuyahoga Valley National Parks each have much to offer visitors. Our visit to these parks was part of our summer Heartland of America Road Trip. The journey took us through Missouri, Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana. Paving the way for pit stops at these two lesser-visited national parks.

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Admittedly, we did little research before visiting Cuyahoga Valley National Park, so our first stop was the Boston Mill Visitor Center. Based on the advice of the park rangers there, we set out to hike at Brandywine Falls and the Ledges.

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The hike to the 65 foot Brandywine Falls is entirely boardwalk and quick. From the parking lot, follow the boardwalk to the falls area (this does involve a few steps). The out and back trail was about a half-mile. We opted not to do the Brandywine Loop trail hike and instead made our way to the Ledges Area next.

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At the Ledges Area, we hiked the dirt-packed trail to Ice Box Cave. Along the way, the boys enjoyed climbing the boulders and slithering through crevices in the rock. The total hike was just about one mile in length.

Indiana Dunes National Park

Here again, we had done little research before arriving. Here too a visit to the visitor’s center led to two suggested stops in the park for just a taste of what the park has to offer. Our first stop was the Dune Ridge Trail. The trail is less than a mile and takes about 30 minutes but is a bit tougher than it sounds because it’s mostly, well, sand. This loop trail offers an overlook of Lake Michigan’s adjacent wetlands.

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After our hike, we walked to Kemil Beach to dip a toe in the lake. The weather and water conditions were not ideal for swimming. We opted instead to watch and often times outrun the crashing waves.

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Though brief, our family really enjoyed our time at Indiana Dunes and Cuyahoga Valley National Parks. To read more about our Heartland of America Road Trip, see posts on stops in Springfield, IL, Gateway Arch National Park, Hocking Hills State Park and Mammoth Cave National Park.

Happy Adventuring, Rochelle