Hiking Stanford Trail to Brandywine Falls | Cuyahoga Valley National Park, OH
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 ต.ค. 2024
- Brandywine Falls, which is 65 feet tall and has a 50 foot crest at peak flow, is the largest and most popular waterfall in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. A 1/4 mile boardwalk that runs along the south ridge of the Brandywine Creek Gorge provides several overlook spots from which visitors can view the falls. The boardwalk is accessible via a parking lot off of Brandywine road (location, via Google Maps: goo.gl/maps/vb..., or by hiking the scenic Stanford Trail, or by hiking or biking a portion of Stanford Road that has been closed to automobiles.
This video features the Stanford Trail route to Brandywine Falls. The hike begins at the trailhead located near the Stanford House, a historical landmark that provides lodging and campsites for travelers. The first 1/4 mile of the trail takes hikers through flower-filled meadows and across several small creeks. Following that, the trail has two steep climbs and one descent as hikers traverse the slopes of the Cuyahoga Valley. After the 400 foot ascent out of the valley, final stretch of the Stanford Trail runs eastward along the south ridge of the Brandywine Creek Gorge until arriving at the Brandywine Falls Boardwalk.
After viewing the falls, it is worthwhile on the return to the Stanford House to hike along the Brandywine Gorge trail, which takes hikers past the Brandywine Inn along the north ridge, gently descends into the gorge, and runs along Brandywine Creek. The Brandywine Gorge trail offers incredibly scenic views of the gorge and the creek. Hikers have the opportunity to hike up the creek at one point, and visit two smaller waterfalls. The trail eventually crosses Brandywine Creek via bridge and reconnects with the Stanford trail on the south ridge, at which point hikers can follow the Stanford Trail southeast to return to the trailhead. This route is 3.8 miles in length.
Hike route, via Google Maps: goo.gl/maps/oW...
Trail Map, courtesy of the National Parks Service: www.nps.gov/cu...
For more information about Brandywine Falls, visit CVNP site: www.nps.gov/cu...
For more information about the Stanford House, visit CVNP site: www.nps.gov/cu...
Catch you on the trails!
That is a beautiful place. I finally made it up there with my wife and kids a few weeks ago....saw Brandywine, Blue Hen and Buttermilk and also did the Ledges trail.
Jason Wish Glad to hear you got to visit. Those are all the must-see attractions. Where did you end up staying?
We just went up for the day. It was very crowded and hot out...glad we didn't stay, maybe another time :)
Yes, crowds and heat can make a pleasant visit much less so. It helps to visit in fall and spring, while school is still in and the temperatures are cooler. The park is at its most beautiful when things are blooming or the leaves are turning, too.
It's definitely worth another trip. There are a handful of waterfalls and gorges that aren't publicized by the park (like Buttermilk) that are equally as beautiful as Brandywine, etc. I'll be featuring these lesser known attractions in future videos, of course!