Octagon Shelter Loop

The Octagon Shelter Loop explores the heart of the Virginia Kendall section of Cuyahoga Valley National Park, circling through the famous Ledges area of fractured Sharon conglomerate rock and past the historic Octagon Shelter, a striking eight-sided stone picnic structure built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1937. The CCC constructed numerous facilities in what was then the Akron Metropolitan Park District, and the Octagon Shelter stands as one of the finest remaining examples of the rustic architecture style they promoted throughout the park system during the Great Depression. The loop traverses the distinctive sandstone ledges and overhangs that form the most dramatic rock scenery in the park - narrow passageways between towering boulders, shallow caves used by local inhabitants for centuries, and broad sandstone platforms overlooking forested ravines. The Sharon conglomerate here is among the oldest exposed rock in the region, laid down as riverine sands and gravels during the Pennsylvanian period roughly 320 million years ago. Hemlock trees drape the sheltered cliff faces, keeping the ravines cool even in summer. Eastern box turtles and five-lined skinks inhabit the rocky sunny exposures. The trail connects seamlessly to the larger Ledges Trail network, allowing hikers to extend the experience. The Octagon Shelter Loop is a beautiful combination of natural geology and Depression-era craftsmanship.