Oak Hill Trailhead

The loop trail network starts and ends on either side of the bulletin board and restroom area.

NPS / Arrye Rosser

Quick Facts

Location:

3901 Oak Hill Road, Peninsula, Ohio 44264

Significance:

Oak Hill is one of the largest sections of roadless land within Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

Designation:

Lake Erie Birding Trail; Ohio and Erie Canalway National Heritage Area

Amenities

10 listed

Audio Description, Benches/Seating, Information Kiosk/Bulletin Board, Parking - Auto, Parking - Bus/RV, Picnic Table, Restroom, Toilet - Vault/Composting, Trailhead, Trash/Litter Receptacles

Like other areas in the park, the Oak Hill area was once farmland. Today it is one of the largest roadless tracts in the national park. As you hike along the trails here, look for clues to the former farm fields, with fencerow edges, old farm lanes, and planted trees.

Farmers had built ponds and cleared fields. Today those cleared fields have reverted to meadows. The ponds remain today, and attract wildlife and anglers. Wildness is slowly returning to the area.

Two trails intertwine here, the shorter 1.8-mile Oak Hill Trail and the longer 5-mile Plateau Trail. They are popular for hiking, running, cross country skiing, and snow shoeing. The longer trail declines down to the valley floor, which means a hill back up to the parking lot level. The Cuyahoga Valley Environmental Education Center is near here; please respect trail closures to this area. Do be aware, trails can become muddy during spring or times of rain.