Compare Back to Its Natural State: Ohio’s Cuyahoga Valley National Park by Road Scholar

Day 1
Registration, Orientation, Opening Lecture, Welcome Dinner
Independence, OH D DoubleTree by Hilton Cleveland - Independence
Activity note: Hotel check-in available from 3:00 p.m.

Afternoon: Hotel Check-in: Available from 3:00 p.m. Program Registration: 3:00 p.m.- 4:00 p.m. After you have your room assignment, come over to the Road Scholar table to register with the program staff and get your welcome packet containing your name-tag, up-to-date schedule that reflects any last-minute changes, and other important information. If you arrive late, please ask for your packet when you check in. Orientation: 4:00pm. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the program theme, the up-to-date daily schedule and any changes, discuss safety guidelines, emergency procedures, roles and responsibilities, and answer any questions you may have. At 5:00 p.m. We’ll be joined by a local expert who will discuss topics including the National Park System; Cuyahoga Valley National Park; the Cleveland/area park system, also known as the Emerald Necklace; and the history of the Ohio and Erie Canal.

Dinner: At the hotel, we'll enjoy a buffet. Coffee, hot & iced tea included.

Evening: Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholar participants, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.

Day 2
Cuyahoga Valley National Park Full Day Field Trip
Independence, OH B,L,D DoubleTree by Hilton Cleveland - Independence
Activity note: More than two miles of walking. We will climb more than 75 stairs to view Brandywine Falls, and will hike at least two miles over uneven terrain down into a gorge to visit the Ritchie Ledges. It is strongly recommended that you bring a walking stick.

Breakfast: In the hotel, enjoy a hot breakfast buffet including eggs, breakfast meats, cereal, and yogurt, plus coffee, tea, milk, juice, water.

Morning: We'll board the motor coach for a full day field trip to Cuyahoga Valley National Park. The area that now comprises Cuyahoga Valley National Park (CVNP) has been a haven for urban dwellers since the 1870s. The cities of Cleveland and Akron established protective park districts in the early 20th century, but concerns have developed over the decades in regards to urban sprawl invading these pristine lands. Concerned citizens generated a movement that culminated in creation of the Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area in 1974, and designated as Ohio’s only National Park in 2000. We’ll explore several key areas of CVNP. Brandywine Falls, a 65-foot high waterfall, is the second highest falls in Ohio and one of the most popular attractions in the park. A boardwalk takes you to upper and lower observation platforms, which overlook the falls head on. We will also take a 1.5-mile hike around the Brandywine Gorge Trail starting from the upper observation platform. On this trail, explore the deep gorge cut by Brandywine Falls. The historic Boston Store Visitor Center was constructed in 1836 along the Ohio and Erie Canal. Settlers in the valley bought and sold goods with merchants traveling by canal boat. We’ll have a ranger present while we view exhibits that tell the story of canal boat building in the valley.

Lunch: At local restaurant, enjoy a plated lunch. Coffee, tea and water included.

Afternoon: We’ll continue exploring the CVNP. The cool, moist hemlock and yellow birch forests along the towering sandstone Ritchie Ledges benefit from a microenvironment, which has formed over the 300-million-year-old rock formations. Enormous sections of the orange and yellow rock have broken away and make you feel as if you are walking in a giant's rock garden. At Beaver Marsh, look for beavers, otters, muskrats, and water fowl along the wetland boardwalk. The Beaver Marsh is designated as an Ohio Watchable Wildlife Area, so bring a camera!

Dinner: At a local restaurant near the hotel, enjoy a plated dinner. Coffee, tea and water included.

Evening: Return to the hotel. At leisure.

Day 3
Stan Hywet Hall & F.A. Seiberling Nature Realm
Independence, OH B,L,D DoubleTree by Hilton Cleveland - Independence
Activity note: Daily Activity Notes for Friday: Up to two miles of walking today. The manor house, Stan Hywet Hall, was built in 1912 and is only handicap-accessible on the first floor. After lunch, participants may wander the grounds to enjoy the gardens and the Conservatory. At the F.A. Seiberling Nature Realm, there will be a guided hike on an easy trail that will cross a suspension bridge 45’ over a ravine.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: This morning, we will board the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad to Akron, where we will visit Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens, the former estate of Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company co-founder F. A. Seiberling. Stan Hywet is Old English for “stone quarry,” which was the most prominent natural feature of the area at the time that Seiberling bought the property. This is the 6th-largest historic home open to the public in the country. We’ll explore the manor house with instruction by an expert, and see collections and furnishings that are original to the estate.

Lunch: Enjoy a boxed lunch with your choice of sandwich, including a bottle of water.

Afternoon: Take this opportunity for personal independent exploration at Stan Hywet to see two of the exceptional appurtenances, the Gate Lodge and Corbin Conservatory and Gardens. The Gate Lodge is a two-story house in Tudor Revival style with a thatch wood shingle roof intended to resemble those of rural England centuries ago. It's also famous for being the birthplace of the Alcoholics Anonymous program. The Seiberlings grew produce and plant materials in the Corbin Conservatory, constructed with 4,322 panes of glass. The structure we see today is a recent replica. We will then transfer via motorcoach to the F.A. Seiberling Nature Realm. Upon arrival, we will enjoy some time for self-guided exploration of the Visitors Center and a hike through the woods. In addition to building Stan Hywet Hall, Seiberling donated 400 of his acres to expand the Sand Run Metro Park, which lies between Stan Hywet Hall and the F.A. Seiberling Nature Realm.

Dinner: At a local restaurant, enjoy a plated dinner. Coffee, tea and water included.

Evening: At leisure.

Day 4
Cleveland Metroparks' Emerald Necklace
Independence, OH B,L,D DoubleTree by Hilton Cleveland - Independence
Activity note: When visiting the Cleveland Metroparks, in total we will walk two miles. At the Brecksville Reservation, there will be a hike to see the Tallgrass Prairie; at the Rocky River Reservation, there will be a hike around the West Channel Pond. And at Merwin’s Wharf, you may walk along the boardwalk of the Cuyahoga River.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: We will embark on day-long exploration of the Cleveland Metroparks's Emerald Necklace, and will be accompanied by Metroparks's representative who will discuss how the award-winning park system fits into the context of Cleveland's natural, historical, and social history. We will visit the Brecksville Nature Center and the Look About Lodge this morning.

Lunch: At Look About Lodge we'll enjoy a boxed lunch, including a choice of sandwich and a bottle of water.

Afternoon: After lunch we will transfer to the Rocky River Nature Center for an instructor-led exploration and hike. From the observation deck at the Visitor Center, we will view the 360 million year old shale cliff overhanging the river.

Dinner: At a local restaurant, enjoy a buffet meal. Coffee, tea and water included.

Evening: After dinner, we will return to the hotel via motorcoach. The rest of the evening is at leisure.

Day 5
Countryside Conservancy, Canal Boat Museum
Independence, OH B,L,D DoubleTree by Hilton Cleveland - Independence
Activity note: 2 miles of walking today. We will stand at the farm during a presentation on the Countryside Conservancy, and then walk over uneven terrain to see various aspects of the farm. The canal boat is accessed by walking down 8 steps into the boat.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: We’ll transfer to the Cuyahoga Valley Countryside Conservancy for a presentation and guided field trip led by a staff member on the Countryside Initiative farm program. The conservancy is a private, nonprofit organization partnering with Cuyahoga Valley National Park to develop and manage a program — the Countryside Initiative —that helps to preserve and protect the rural landscape through farming stewardship. It has become a model for public-private sustainable land use. We will then go for a walking field trip through one of the participating farms.

Lunch: In the Park, we will enjoy a plated meal at Sarah's Vineyard, a member of the Countryside Conservancy. Beverages include coffee, tea, water.

Afternoon: After lunch, we will transfer via motorcoach to the city of Canal Fulton and learn about a canal boat, the St. Helena III. This fully-operational replica of an original canal boat, drawn by a team of Percheron horses, glides through a renovated portion of the Ohio and Erie Canal. We’ll visit the Canalway Center for a video presentation and an hour-long ride on the canal boat.

Dinner: At a popular restaurant, share your favorite experiences with new Road Scholar friends. Coffee, tea and water included.

Evening: Return to the hotel and prepare for departure in the morning.

Day 6
Program Concludes
Independence, OH B
Activity note: Hotel check-out from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m

Breakfast: Hotel buffet. This concludes our program. We hope you enjoy all your Road Scholar learning adventures and we look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. We encourage you to join our Facebook page and share photos of your program. Visit us at www.facebook.com/rsadventures. Best wishes for all your journeys!