Parking
Start at Boston Trailhead on Boston Mills Road, east of the Cuyahoga River. The Boston Store lot is limited-mobility parking only; use Boston Trailhead for general trail access.
Overview
About Boston to Peninsula Buckeye and Towpath Loop
Why go
- Wooded ravines and a historic canal path make a varied loop.
- The flat Towpath return is an easier finish after the Buckeye climbs.
Heads up
- The Buckeye leg is steep and uneven, with dirt and gravel footing.
- Blue-blaze navigation and road crossings call for a map-aware hike.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Cuyahoga Valley map
Full mapElevation663–932 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
3 active Cuyahoga Valley alerts
- ClosureTowpath Trail improvement closureMentions this trailThe Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail from Boston Trailhead to Lock 29 in Peninsula is closed for improvements during the August 24–November 20, 2026 closure period.Official details
- CautionCuyahoga River paddling closure and hazardsMentions Cuyahoga River, referenced in this guidePaddlers must portage the current river-wide closure near river mile 17 and avoid serious river hazards. - The closure is due to bridge demolition and construction.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Cuyahoga Valley Tour Guide
Your drive to Boston to Peninsula Buckeye and Towpath Loop, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Cuyahoga Valley National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
Recorded for this trailhead
Boston Store0:00 / 0:31
“Boston Store is ahead, a handy place for an ice cream break beside the Towpath. Seasonal sandwiches and salads make it useful for picking up a picnic, too; think takeaway food rather than a sit-down restaurant.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Cuyahoga Valley Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Boston Mill Visitor Center
- Boston Mills Ski Resort
- Stanford House and Stanford Trail
- The Village Powered by the Falls
- 97 audio storiesacross Cuyahoga Valley’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Bald Eagle, River Otter, Coyote, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 63 trails, 88 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Boston to Peninsula Buckeye and Towpath Loop
The loopThis 7.
This 7.4-mile loop starts at Boston Trailhead, follows the Buckeye Trail south through wooded ravines to Peninsula, then returns north beside the Cuyahoga River and historic Ohio & Erie Canal on the Towpath. Allow about four hours at a comfortable hiking pace. The hills are concentrated on the Buckeye leg; the Towpath makes for an easier finish.
Follow the Buckeye blazesThe Buckeye climbs and drops through stream-cut ravines.
The Buckeye climbs and drops through stream-cut ravines. Expect dirt and gravel, uneven narrow sections, roots, creek crossings and footbridges. The trail crosses Boston Mills Road, so keep an eye out for traffic and follow the blue blazes. Carry a map: the Buckeye weaves among other trails and shared corridors.
Return on the canalThe Towpath follows the former canal route on a flat, crushed-limestone surface, alongside the…
The Towpath follows the former canal route on a flat, crushed-limestone surface, alongside the river and canal remains. It is open to bicycles, so share the path. The Ohio & Erie Canal opened in 1827 and turned Boston into a busy canal town; the Valley Railway brought more travelers and commerce through in 1880.
Start and bring a dogPark at Boston Trailhead on Boston Mills Road, east of the river.
Park at Boston Trailhead on Boston Mills Road, east of the river. Dogs may join on a leash no longer than six feet. The steep, rough Buckeye section takes more effort than the level Towpath return.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Cuyahoga Valley
319 sightingsBald EagleMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
12 sightingsRiver OtterMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
103 sightingsCoyoteMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
248 sightingsBeaverMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
492 sightingsWhite-tailed DeerMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
99 sightingsTrumpeter SwanMost seen around 5 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Cuyahoga Valley. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
