Hemlock Creek Trail

Hemlock Creek Trail is a 1.7-mile paved point-to-point walk from Brecksville Road at Selig Drive to the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail. It follows Hemlock Creek through wooded valley and former quarry-road corridors, then crosses the Cuyahoga River. Choose it for a green way into the Towpath network, not for a summit or a loop. Allow about 45 to 60 minutes one way. The 1.7 miles end at the Towpath junction; retracing to the west access makes about 3.4 miles, and any extra Towpath distance is separate. Plan how you'll return before starting.

The wide asphalt path follows old Hemlock and Stone Road alignments and former quarry haul roads beside the creek. In the wooded corridor, tributaries, small waterfalls and rapids add interest; quarry remnants recall the area's industrial past. The surface is smooth, but the route rolls through the valley and has a few grades that can feel steeper than the pavement suggests.

A roughly 200-foot pedestrian bridge carries the trail over the Cuyahoga River. On the east bank, the route follows former Stone Road in Valley View to the Towpath. This bridge is the best place to stop for a photo: let its railings lead the eye along the crossing and into the wooded valley. If you continue on the Towpath, those miles are beyond this trail's mapped 1.7-mile length.

Start at Brecksville Road and Selig Drive and follow the path east to the Towpath. The route descends overall toward the river, so walking back to the start means climbing the same rolling grades. Bicyclists share the paved corridor. No dedicated parking, drinking water or restroom was verified at the west access or along the route; confirm a lawful parking and return plan before relying on this as a one-way outing.