- State: OH
- NPCA Region: Midwest
- Est. Date: 1975
Air Quality Conditions
View the Polluted Parks ReportVisibility
Unsatisfactory
Health
Unsatisfactory
Nature
Significant Concern
This park preserves 22 miles of the Cuyahoga River and the mosaic of natural and man-made features surrounding it, including lush forests, rolling hills, wetlands, waterfalls, farm fields, historic buildings and dramatic rock ledges. Decades before this Midwestern site officially became a national park, severe pollution in the river outraged and embarrassed the country, helping to spur the creation of the Clean Water Act, the Environmental Protection Agency and Earth Day. Now the health of the river has improved significantly, and the park offers numerous recreational opportunities and even a scenic railroad for its millions of visitors each year.
Cuyahoga Valley: What's in a Name?
Cuyahoga is the Mohawk word meaning “crooked river.”
More about Cuyahoga Valley
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Read more about Reflections on the Clean Water Act
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Read more about Free Flowing
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