If you are looking for a new spot in Cuyahoga Valley National Park to explore with your family, check out Indigo Lake. This small stop on Riverview Rd is just 4 miles south of Rt 303, near the popular Beaver Marsh. and connects to Hale Farm & Village. You can find a short paved trail, lake for fishing, railroad stop, and beautiful sunsets.
This is a smaller stop in CVNP. From Indigo Lake, there are paths lead around the lake and over to Howe Meadow, the park’s special events site as well as Hale Farm & Village. The Connector Trail is hilly but paved for a great hike with a stroller or even bike.
It is a less-traveled paved trail that can be enjoyed in peace – unless it is a Hale Farm day in which people take the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad to Indigo Lake Station to walk to Hale Farm in which they have trams that transport guests. We love the scenic views of the lush forests, blackberries, and peaceful walk from Indigo Lake to Hale Farm.
We often continue our walk on the roadways around the farm if it isn’t a busy day.
There are several place in CVNP that allow fishing. Indigo Lake is one of them. You can find people fishing along the bank for several species but especially largemouth bass. On the other side of the lake, bring a picnic and blanket to enjoy a beautiful sunset that only the Cuyahoga Valley National Park can offer!
If you are on the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, Indigo Lake Station is a place you can hop on and off of if you’d like to stop for a visit.
If is also part of the CVSR Bike Aboard program that allows you hike to specific points in CVNP and hop on the train with your bike to another spot on the map (back to your car, etc). You can also hike – no need for a bike, each stop is $5. This is a really fun way to explore CVNP in a day if you are an out-of-town visitor!
Speaking of out of town visitors, there are beautiful places to spend the night in CVNP. Tent camping is prohibited in the park but Heritage Farms in Peninsula offers beautiful tent and shelter camping located right next to the park! They also have a flea market in the summer, fall pumpkin activities, and Christmas trees in the winter.
Explore further using connector trails that lead east to the Towpath Trail and west to Hale Farm & Village, a living history museum. Nearby parking is limited to about 16 spaces, on weekends the parking lot fills often.
Indigo Lake
4300 Riverview Rd
Peninsula, OH 44264
