CVNP-Blue Hen Falls

We hiked another trail at Cuyahoga Valley National Park on Sunday. We hiked the Blue Hen Falls, which is supposed to be a 3-mile hike, round trip. According to my watch, it is less than that. According to my body, it was way more than that 😂.

The Blue Hen Falls trail is NOT for the faint of heart, or anyone with mobility issues. It is a difficult hike and I knew that going in, but I was still surprised at how hard it was. There is a 580-foot change in elevation. Also, be sure and use the restroom at the visitor center, because there are not facilities on this hike.

From the CVNP website: "The trail climbs and descends two steep ridges along its route to the falls. The hike begins with an immediate 200-foot climb. This is followed by a 100-foot staircase down to the ravine floor to cross a footbridge. After crossing the creek, the trail climbs a second hill and skirts around a maintenance yard at the top. Carefully cross Boston Mills Road at the top of the hill and stay alert for oncoming traffic. Follow the trail as it zigzags through the forest and down to the waterfall. Return to Boston along the same route."

One of the things that made this hike harder for us than last week's Brandywine trail (even though it was longer), is that there was so much road noise, so it wasn't quite as peaceful. At one point in the trail you could see interstate and hear the noise from it. Obviously, the other thing that made it difficult was all the stairs and climbing, LOL! While we did enjoy the hike, and the waterfall, it is not a hike that we will do multiple times. For the amount of work and effort to get to the falls and back, it might be worth it to see in the fall as well, but other than that, I wouldn't do this one very often.

The trails were marked with the wooden signs, but also with the blue paint on the trees, like pictured above.

There was a nice sitting area at the end of the hike (you turn around to go back to your car), and you can sit here and watch the falls. 

Matt went even further down to investigate. It had been such a nice hike, I decided not to risk a fall by going closer, LOL!

Pictured below are five pictures Matt took from the bottom of the falls. 

Find Cindy. I am in the picture above, Matt took it from the falls, can you see me?

Now we have to go back the opposite way, look at all those stairs!🠟

During the hike I completed one of my August goals-to walk for 15 hours! This is another situation where we can say we made it, LOL!

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." James 1:17 

"Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord! Psalm150:6