Water Trail Courtesy

A Beginner’s Guide

While paddling on the Cuyahoga River, you will encounter beautiful scenery and plentiful wildlife.

Practice Leave No Trace Principles to enjoy and protect our natural spaces. Appreciate artifacts and natural objects but leave them undisturbed. Dispose of waste properly, pack it out.  Visit www.LNT.org for details.

Respect the privacy and rights of landowners. Designated access sites on the water trail are  public property. All others should be considered private property.

Respect wildlife. Observe from a distance. Don’t feed, follow, or approach wildlife. Control pets or leave them at home. Respect wildlife. Observe from a distance. Don’t feed, follow, or approach wildlife. Control pets or leave them at home.

Clean boater information.  Adopt environmental boating practices.  Avoid introducing non-native species, including live bait, by following the “Clean, Drain, Dry” method. Clean all equipment by removing visible plant and animal species. Drain all water. Dry all equipment completely before moving to a new body of water.

Plan a Safe Trip

A hallmark of the Cuyahoga River Water Trail is the diversity of opportunities around every crooked turn. Enjoy nature, exercise, and peaceful appreciation. Differences in the paddling skills needed, seasons of flow, and equipment options contribute to this variety.

The calm, rural waters of the Upper Cuyahoga State Scenic River above Kent are best for beginners. Intermediate paddlers might explore from Kent to Cuyahoga Falls with its frequent access points.