This is perhaps the first class way to see a National Park! I know that most of my posts are about hiking and backpacking trails, but that is certainly not all that our National Parks have to offer and I wanted to make sure I really captured this unique opportunity at Cuyahoga Valley National Park. In a cooperative effort between the railroad and the National Park Service, the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad (CVSR), was an awesome way to see this unique park. We opted to get tickets for the dome seats of our car and it produced some amazing viewing opportunities while sipping some coffee.

From the comfort of our seats, we got to see Trumpeter Swans, Bald Eagles, and Great Blue Heron in their natural environments. Additionally we got to see the many twists and turns of the Cuyahoga River and the Ohio-Erie Canal. While the train certainly provided a much more comfortable experience than I was used to in a National Park, it was not without its challenges. As if to remind us that we were indeed in a National Park, a tree fall from the previous night’s storm blocked the path and forced us to return to the station. While this was a much complained about delay for some passengers, I couldn’t help but feel more at home with an adventure not going to plan.