A Trail with a Past: Hiking the Old Carriage Trail in Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Hiking the Old Carriage Trail in Cuyahoga Valley National Park offers a peaceful, forested escape that’s rich with both natural beauty and cultural history. This wide, gently rolling trail was once a route for horse-drawn carriages and now serves hikers and trail runners seeking a quieter alternative to busier paths. As you move beneath a canopy of towering trees, the landscape subtly reveals its past—several Native American mounds lie along the trail, silent reminders of the region’s earliest inhabitants. These ancient earthworks add a sense of reverence and mystery to the hike, connecting today’s visitors with centuries of history embedded in the land.

Trailhead elevation 646'

Water none filterable

Don'd miss the Native American earthworks

Hiking the Old Carriage Trail

Heather and I arrive at the Red Lock Trailhead around 5:30 AM on a foggy June morning, ready to start our Old Carriage Trail hike. We set off right away, passing Lock 34 before joining the Towpath and heading north.

About three-quarters of a mile in, we reach the Old Carriage Trailhead, where a small wooden platform crosses the canal.

The Old Carriage Trail begins as a paved path beneath a leafy canopy, gradually transitioning to dirt as it climbs to a plateau. At this transition, a placard describes an interesting archaeological site: a low earthen embankment (found between the two yellow lines below) with a shallow ditch, thought to have been built by Native Americans between 500 and 1100 AD, during the Early Late Woodland period. Its purpose remains a mystery—perhaps a sacred site, perhaps part of an ancient fort—but its presence offers a fascinating glimpse into a world long before this land became a national park.

From this point, the trail winds through dense woodlands of hardwoods and pines, skirting the edges of deep, shaded ravines. This area was once part of the sprawling Marshall Estate, home to Wentworth Goodson Marshall (1864–1936), a Cleveland druggist and experimental botanist. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, horse-drawn carriages from the Goodson Estate traveled these grounds. Decades later, Cuyahoga Valley National Park acquired 518 acres of the former estate and established the Old Carriage Trail to honor Marshall and his philanthropic legacy.

Near the halfway point, we cross a newly built footbridge that spans a 60-foot ravine cloaked in hemlocks and hardwoods.

A short while later, we rock-hop across a small stream and follow the wide, winding path onward.

After a second footbridge and the start of a descent, we reach a signed junction. A spur trail to the right promises an overlook, but when we follow it, we find only a small loop with no view to speak of—an amusing little detour.

Back on the main trail, we continue to descend and eventually wrap up the Old Carriage Trail as it rejoins the Towpath. The final 1.3 miles of our hike follows the canal, with the first half-mile offering peaceful views and the rhythmic croaks of bullfrogs.

By mile six, we’re back at Red Lock and heading off to start our days. While the Old Carriage Trail isn’t the park’s most scenic route, it makes up for that with solitude, rich history, and an archaeological feature that sparks the imagination. As a history nerd, I always enjoy walking here, picturing what this landscape might have looked like centuries ago.