This Ohio State Park Hike Is a Perfect Alternative to a Popular Cuyahoga Valley National Park Trail

This is a tale of two hikes. The first is a trail that includes on its route the most visited site in the Buckeye State's only national park, which happens to lie within the state's most populous metropolitan area. The second is a state park trail in rural northern Ohio that's located several miles from any major city. Both are worthwhile, but if you're looking for a less-trafficked alternative to the often-crowded Brandywine Gorge Trail in Cleveland's Cuyahoga Valley National Park, the Hog Hollow, Lyons Falls, and Green Trail Loop in Mohican State Park is an excellent choice.

Brandywine Gorge Trail, Cuyahoga Valley National Park

• Distance: 1.4 miles, loop
• AllTrails Rating: Moderately challenging
• Suitable For: National park visitors who love waterfalls and nature; urbanites looking to escape from the city
• Best Time of Year to Hike: Late spring for best waterfall views; April to October for general hiking

Cuyahoga Valley National Park is Ohio's only fully-designated national park, and it's located on the southern edge of the Greater Cleveland metropolitan area—the state's most populous. In 2024, the park saw more than 2.9 million visitors—more than Mammoth Cave, Indiana Dunes, New River Gorge, Shenandoah, or Gateway Arch National Parks. Among the most visited sites—if not the most visited—in this busy national park is Brandywine Falls.

The Brandywine Gorge Trail in Cuyahoga Valley National Park shares not only a trailhead with the path to unspeakably popular Brandywine Falls, but several hundred feet of trail, as well. Thus, it's one of the busiest trails in a busy national park. Put simply, the trail can get quite crowded, especially near the falls on a warm weekend day. But this does not mean you should skip it—not at all.

The trail is, as its name implies, gorgeous. Between the incredible cliffs and rock formations, and of course, the waterfall, the trail absolutely belongs on your hiking bucket list. Although there's not a ton of elevation gain on this short, 1.4-mile loop, parts of the trail can be rough, which explains its moderately challenging rating on AllTrails.

You'll want sturdy shoes, and you may wish to consider trekking poles if it's been raining or there's ice or snow on the path. Feel free to bring your favorite canine companion, as long as you keep them on leash while you're hiking. If you prefer an uncrowded hike, plan accordingly and head out in the early morning and/or on weekdays—or consider an alternative trail.

Hog Hollow, Lyons Falls, and Green Trail Loop, Mohican State Park

• Distance: 7.7 miles, loop
• AllTrails Rating: Moderately challenging
• Suitable For: Folks who like longer hikes; hikers who prefer less-crowded trails
• Best Time of Year to Hike: April through October; fall is best for leaf peeping and foliage views

You'll find Mohican State Park in central Ohio, located roughly between Cleveland and Columbus. Residents of either city can reach the park in less than 90 minutes, but this 1,100-acre oasis feels a world away. With fewer than 150,000 annual visitors, you'll find plenty of space in this natural wonderland; and if you're looking for a hike to serve as an alternative for the Brandywine Gorge Trail, the Hog Hollow, Lyons Falls, and Green Trail Loop may be just the trail for you.

Like the national park trail, this state park hike follows a scenic gorge, includes a waterfall, and showcases a little bit of the area's history. It's also five times longer than the Brandywine Gorge Trail and is located in a park that sees only a fraction of the visitors that Cuyahoga Valley receives each year.

Although it forms a loop, the Hog Hollow, Lyons Falls, and Green Trail Loop is a combination of three separate trails. Together, they comprise a moderately challenging, nearly 8-mile hike. You don't, however, have to hike the whole trail if you don't want to. You could, instead, hike only to the historic covered bridge, or to Lyons Falls, or any combination of waypoints to make your hike longer, shorter, or more scenic. That's another advantage of this combination of trails: You can make it the hike you want it to be—a true choose-your-own adventure. You can even bring your faithful furry companion with you, but they must be leashed while on trail.

Whichever trail you choose, though, you will not go wrong. Both score ratings of 4.5 stars or higher from the 75 million-strong user base of AllTrails, and each has much to offer any hiker visiting the respective parks. If you ask me, you should definitely hike both.

Before you go, be sure to download the trail's to the AllTrails app on your phone—even for Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Last time I was in the Brandywine Falls area, I frustratingly could not get a signal on my phone. Because I was in Greater Cleveland, I didn't expect this, so I was frustrated that I hadn't downloaded before I went to the trailhead. If I had, I would have been able access to reviews and conditions before, as well as offline navigation at my fingertips while I was on the trail. Now, I take AllTrails Plus with me when I go hiking—even if it's near a city—and it's a good idea for you to do so, as well.