Nelson-Kennedy Ledges State Park
12440 OH-282, Garrettsville, OH 44231, USA
Sunrise to sunset daily.
$
outdoor-adventures, road-trips, hikes
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Nelson-Kennedy Ledges in Ohio has the coolest hikes you'll ever go on!
Nelson-Kennedy Ledges State Park in Portage County, OH is 167 acres of land protected by the Ohio DNR. The park offers some of the most beautiful and exciting rocky trails I’ve visited. Although the park’s size is more modest than nearby Cuyahoga Valley National Park, you’ll get the feeling that you’re visiting someplace special the instant you enter the trailhead and witness what’s just the beginning of some epic rock scrambling. Don’t be confused when you see the colorful trail blaze dipping into caverns or squeezing into crevices that you aren’t sure were designed for human travel. At several points throughout our tour of each of the trails we found ourselves on all fours or turning sideways to get through some tight spots. The rocky features here, which formed through the erosion of softer rock layers that left behind harder rocks, ranging from 60 ft tall to 60 ft deep.
The park’s size keeps the hiking trail lengths reasonable for younger or holder hikers in your group. There are about three miles of trails with white blaze marking the easiest path, yellow and blue marking more moderate trails and red marking the most challenging. The parking lot across the street from the trail entrances located on state Rt 282 is free but will most certainly fill up by lunchtime when the weather’s nice. There are restroom facilities in the parking area as well. Make sure to take a picture of the trail map posted on the sign in the lot before you head out so you know how to find all the special features that you won’t want to miss like Cascade Falls, Shipwreck Rock, The Squeeze (aptly named) and Devil’s Icebox, where I actually saw my breath on a balmy day in August.
The park is open from dusk to dawn as most state parks are, but I’d pay special attention to this as attempting to traverse the rocky terrain at night could be extremely dangerous. It would also be safer to avoid rainy days as the rocks can get pretty slippery even under drier conditions.
After you had your fill of the ledges, check out Garrett’s Mill & Brewing Company just a few miles away. Front and rear patio space is available, as is inside dining, but sitting out back near the water where the mill used to operate is definitely your best bet for enjoying the beautiful scenery.