Updated October 2026
Best Time to Visit Cuyahoga Valley National Park
National ParkOhio
Best month to visit
September
74°F / 52°F avg high / low
Our recommendation
Visit Cuyahoga Valley in September
September offers the lightest crowds of the park's good-weather months. For comparison, July is the most crowded month (~1.6× the average month) and January is the quietest.
- Annual visits
- 3.0M
- 2025
- Busiest month
- Jul
- 1.6× avg
- Quietest month
- Jan
- 0.4× avg
- 10-yr trend
- rising
- +21.7%
More photos of Cuyahoga Valley
Photos courtesy of the National Park Service (public domain).
How crowded is Cuyahoga Valley by month?
Relative crowd level by month (1.0 = the park's average month), from NPS visitation records 1979–2025.
Month-by-month crowd, weather & daylight
Cuyahoga Valley National Park weather by month →
| Month | Crowd level | Best-time score | Avg high / low | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Very quiet | 42 Poor | 33°F / 18°F | 9.3 h |
| February | Very quiet | 45 Fair | 36°F / 19°F | 10.4 h |
| March | Quiet | 40 Poor | 46°F / 25°F | 11.7 h |
| April | Average | 48 Fair | 60°F / 37°F | 13.1 h |
| May | Busy | 51 Fair | 70°F / 47°F | 14.3 h |
| June | Busy | 57 Fair | 78°F / 56°F | 15.0 h |
| July | Busy | 48 Fair | 82°F / 60°F | 14.7 h |
| August | Busy | 51 Fair | 81°F / 59°F | 13.7 h |
| Septemberour pick | Busy | 54 Fair | 74°F / 52°F | 12.3 h |
| October | Busy | 40 Poor | 61°F / 41°F | 10.9 h |
| November | Quiet | 42 Poor | 49°F / 32°F | 9.6 h |
| December | Quiet | 38 Poor | 39°F / 24°F | 9.0 h |
Climate normals (1991–2020) from the nearest NOAA station (USC00338062, ~11 mi away).
Email me when Cuyahoga Valley's crowd forecast updates
Get an email when new NPS visitation data changes the best time to visit Cuyahoga Valley or its month-by-month crowd levels. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
About visiting Cuyahoga Valley
Cuyahoga Valley National Park is a National Park in OH and one of the busier parks in the system, drawing about 3.0 million recreation visits in 2025. Visitation has climbed over the past decade, up roughly 21.7%, so crowds are trending heavier each year. Crowds concentrate sharply by season: July is the busiest month at about 1.6× the park's average month, while January is the calmest at roughly 0.4× — a 4-to-1 swing between high and low season. Roughly 37% of the year's visitors arrive in the three summer months of June, July and August alone, so timing a trip outside that window is the single biggest lever on how crowded the park feels. Weather swings from an average high-season warmth near 71°F in July down to about 26°F in January, with the wettest stretch in July. About 6 months a year see comfortable average temperatures in the 50–80°F range, which is part of why crowd timing and weather timing don't always line up. The sweet spot is September: the lightest crowds of the park's good-weather months. Visit then and you trade a little peak-season certainty for noticeably shorter lines and easier parking than the July rush. Daylight ranges from about 9.0 hours in midwinter to 15.0 hours near the summer solstice, which shapes how much ground you can cover in a day. These crowd figures are drawn from 1979–2025 of National Park Service visitor-use records, paired with 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals, and are updated as new monthly data is released.
Park overview
Though a short distance from the urban areas of Cleveland and Akron, Cuyahoga Valley National Park seems worlds away. The park is a refuge for native plants and wildlife, and provides routes of discovery for visitors. The winding Cuyahoga River gives way to deep forests, rolling hills, and open farmlands. Walk or ride the Towpath Trail to follow the historic route of the Ohio & Erie Canal.
Weather & conditions
Spring's rain and warming temperatures bring new leaves on trees, blooming wildflowers, and visitors anxious to get out on the trail. Summer temperatures range from 49 to 95 degrees F and can be humid. Dressing in layers is advisable. Fall temperatures can range from low 70s during the day to freezing during the night. Fall foliage often peaks in mid-October. Winter weather conditions can rapidly change due to the lake effect snow from Lake Erie. Temperatures vary from mid-30s to below zero.
Park overview text courtesy of the National Park Service — official park site.
Where to stay near Cuyahoga Valley
Hotels, cabins, lodges and vacation rentals near Cuyahoga Valley National Park — live availability and prices to plan your trip. September is our pick for the best balance of light crowds and good weather. Full lodging guide: when to book, gateway vs in-park, and the crowd calendar that drives room rates.
Top-rated places to stay near Cuyahoga Valley
Prices for Oct 30–Nov 1, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a trip to Cuyahoga Valley?
Get the best time to visit Cuyahoga Valley plus lodging deals near the park by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Getting to Cuyahoga Valley
The nearest airport is Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE), about 24 mi (36 min drive) away. Most visitors reach Cuyahoga Valley by car.
What takes a reservation at Cuyahoga Valley
From National Park Service records read on October 11, 2026. Timed-entry and permit rules change from season to season; the official Cuyahoga Valley page has this year's.
Activities the park marks as needing a reservation
Frequently Asked Questions
September offers the lightest crowds of the park's good-weather months at Cuyahoga Valley National Park. The park is busiest in July (about 1.6× the average month) and quietest in January.
July is the busiest month at Cuyahoga Valley National Park, running roughly 1.6 times the park's average monthly visitation.
January is the quietest month at Cuyahoga Valley National Park, at about 0.4× the average month — a good choice if you want to avoid crowds.
Cuyahoga Valley National Park recorded about 3,025,325 recreation visits in 2025. Visitation has been rising over the past decade (+21.7%).
Based on 1991–2020 climate normals, the warmest month at Cuyahoga Valley National Park averages about 71°F (July). See the month-by-month table above for the full picture.
Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE) is the closest airport to Cuyahoga Valley National Park, about 24 mi (36 min drive) away.
Nearby parks to visit
Keep exploring
Water quality of lakes near Cuyahoga Valley
If you are planning to swim, paddle or fish on this trip, these graded lakes are within a 40-mile drive. Grades are A–F from EPA and state-agency sampling.
- Lake Forest water qualityGrade — · 5 mi · OH
- Wyoga Lake water qualityGrade — · 7 mi · OH
- Silver Lake water qualityGrade — · 9 mi · OH
- Hudson Springs Lake water qualityGrade — · 9 mi · OH
- Aurora Pond water qualityGrade — · 11 mi · OH
Beach water quality near Cuyahoga Valley
Beaches within a 40-mile drive, graded on multi-year bacteria sampling from EPA BEACON — worth checking before you plan a swim day.
- Edgewater State Park water qualityGrade C · 18 mi · OH
- Fairport Harbor water qualityGrade C · 38 mi · OH
- Wagar Beach water qualityGrade D · 21 mi · OH
- Parklawn Beach water qualityGrade D · 21 mi · OH
- Villa Angela State Park water qualityGrade D · 22 mi · OH
Sources: National Park Service Visitor Use Statistics (1979–2025), NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020. Crowd index = a month's visits ÷ the park's average month.