Salt Run Trail Hiking Guide
Salt Run Trail loops through wooded ravines off Kendall Lake in the Virginia Kendall area of Cuyahoga Valley National Park. You reach it along the Lake Trail near the dam that holds the lake back, and from there the path climbs in and out of side valleys on dirt, gravel and stairs. Its trailhead is less than a mile down Kendall Park Road from the Ledges lot, which makes it a good second hike, or a longer first one.
Starting at Kendall Lake
Park at Kendall Lake Trailhead, 1000 Truxell Road, where the road is also called Kendall Park Road. Trails start to the left of the bulletin board. Follow the Lake Trail, a mostly flat one-mile loop with a few stairs, toward the dam; Salt Run Trail branches off near there. A paved path from the lot leads to Kendall Lake Shelter and a fishing pier, and the shelter's lower level has restrooms with running water.
The Loop in Numbers
The Park Service lists Salt Run as a 3.25-mile loop on one page and 3.3 miles on another, with 160 feet of elevation change and about two hours of hiking. Mapping apps give about 3.4 miles and roughly 415 feet of cumulative climbing, which is closer to how it feels: the trail rolls through a series of ravines rather than making one climb. Adding the full Lake Trail brings the outing to about 4.5 miles.
Shorter and Longer Versions
The park notes a shorter 1.8-mile loop within Salt Run on the same hilly terrain, a useful option with kids or on a short winter afternoon. For a longer day, the Cross Country Trail starts from the same bulletin board as a 2.5-mile loop with its own hills and an old farm field returning to forest. Across the road from the lot, connectors lead to the Pine Grove Trail and on to the Ledges; carefully cross Kendall Park Road to reach them.
How Kendall Lake Got Here
Industrialist Hayward Kendall left his private retreat to the people of Ohio when he died in 1927, and it became Virginia Kendall State Park. Civilian Conservation Corps crews built Kendall Lake in 1934 and 1935 by damming Salt Run itself. For decades the lake had a swimming beach in summer and a toboggan run and ice skating in winter. Today people come to fish and to use the trails, and watch for beaver activity along the shore.
Mud, Stairs and Dogs
The park describes Salt Run as hilly, with dirt and gravel surfaces and stairs. Expect soft ground after rain and slick steps when wet, so boots beat sneakers most of the year. Leashed dogs are welcome on a leash six feet or shorter, but pets are not allowed on the nearby Kendall Hills when sledding is under way in winter. There is no entrance fee in the national park.
Hiking tips for Salt Run Trail
- Pick up Salt Run from the Lake Trail near the dam, not from the lot directly.
- Use the 1.8-mile shortcut if you want the ravines without the full loop.
- Wear boots after rain; the dirt and stairs get slick.
- Use the restrooms in the lower level of Kendall Lake Shelter before you start.
- Pair it with the Ledges, a short drive up Kendall Park Road.
Nearby trails to explore
- Cuyahoga Valley Ledges Trail
- Cuyahoga Valley Plateau Trail
- Brandywine Gorge Trail
Hike this trail with TrailMates
Salt Run is the hillier ravine loop just down the road from the Ledges. Use TrailMates to find Cleveland hikers heading to Kendall Lake. Download the TrailMates app to connect.