Cuyahoga Valley Plateau Trail Hiking Guide
The Plateau Trail is the longer of two loops that start at Oak Hill Trailhead in the western part of Cuyahoga Valley National Park. It wraps around the smaller Oak Hill Trail, passing a string of ponds and dropping toward the valley floor near Riverview Road before climbing back up. It was built with cross-country skiing in mind, and away from the Ledges and the waterfall lots it is a good pick for a longer, steady walk through woods and past water.
How Long Is the Loop?
The Park Service publishes three numbers: 4.6 miles in its hiking and winter-sports pages, 4.9 on the trail map, and about 5 miles on the trailhead page, with an elevation change of 200 feet. Mapping apps list about 4.7 miles and roughly 330 feet of gain. Budget two and a half hours on foot. The park map rates it moderate to difficult. Its hiking table describes the surface as flat with one big hill, while the winter page mentions two steep hills; either way, the hard part is where the loop drops toward the valley and climbs back to the parking level.
Ponds Along the Way
The loop passes Chestnut Pond on its western side and connects to trails around Sylvan and Meadowedge ponds, where the park map marks public fishing. Woods here are mixed hemlock, oak, cherry and maple. On the eastern side a short spur leads to Hemlock Point, and a connector drops to the Valley Picnic Area on Riverview Road, which has its own parking and makes an alternative start. Trails toward the environmental education center are for authorized use only.
Getting to Oak Hill Trailhead
The trailhead is on Oak Hill Road about 0.9 miles south of Major Road, at 3901 Oak Hill Road in Peninsula, with parking, vault toilets and picnic tables. Come in from Major Road. Oak Hill Road is closed farther south, from the Cuyahoga Falls line to the Everett Road connector, because of an embankment failure along Furnace Run, so do not count on reaching the trailhead from that direction.
Mud, Bugs and Skis
The park warns that these trails get muddy in spring and after rain, and the Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley notes they can be buggy in summer and early fall, so bring repellent. The Plateau was laid out for cross-country skiing, and the park lists it for skiing and snowshoeing in winter; check the park's current conditions page to see which lots are likely to be plowed after a storm. Hikers in snow should stay off any set ski tracks.
Hiking tips for Cuyahoga Valley Plateau Trail
- Approach Oak Hill Trailhead from Major Road; Oak Hill Road is closed to the south.
- Save energy for the climb back from the valley-side section of the loop.
- Bring bug spray from June into early fall.
- Go in October for foliage around the ponds.
- Park at the Valley Picnic Area on Riverview Road if you want to start from the bottom.
Nearby trails to explore
- Blue Hen Falls
- Salt Run Trail
- Brandywine Gorge Trail
Hike this trail with TrailMates
The Plateau Trail is the long, pond-filled loop on the valley's west side. Use TrailMates to find Cleveland hikers heading to Oak Hill. Download the TrailMates app to connect.