Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath - Peninsula Section

The Peninsula Section of the Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail passes through the most historically layered and scenically varied stretch of the 101-mile Towpath corridor, connecting the charming nineteenth-century village of Peninsula with a rich sequence of canal remnants, wetlands, river views, and kayak launch points along the Cuyahoga River. Peninsula itself is a designated historic district whose Main Street storefronts, churches, and mill buildings have changed little since the canal era, when the town served as a bustling transshipment hub for goods moving between Cleveland and the Ohio River. The flat towpath surface makes this section accessible to hikers, cyclists, and families with strollers year-round. Interpretive signs along the route explain how the canal system worked, including lock operation, mule teams, and the economic transformation that the canal brought to the Ohio frontier in the 1830s and 1840s. The Cuyahoga River runs alongside much of the trail, and a kayak launch at the Peninsula trailhead allows paddlers to combine a water and trail experience. Great blue herons, belted kingfishers, and river otters are regularly observed from the trail. The Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad crosses the towpath at several points, and spotting a vintage excursion train steaming through the valley is a common and memorable experience. The Peninsula Section showcases everything that makes Cuyahoga Valley distinctive among national parks.