Introduction
This adventure begins in Peninsula, Ohio and features a towpath, two canal locks, a crooked river, and a trip back into history. Your journey will take you along a section of the Ohio & Erie Canal. Ohio built this canal in the early 19th century when the state was American’s frontier. The canal connected Lake Erie with the Ohio River, allowing freight and passengers to travel by interior waterways from New York City to New Orleans. Not only did the Ohio & Erie Canal bring prosperity to Ohio, it helped build the national economy.
In 1993 the National Park Service restored 22 miles of the canal towpath as a multi-use trail. During this EarthCache, you will follow in the same steps as the mules and horses that once pulled canal boats by rope from Cleveland to Akron and beyond. This operation gave the “tow-path” its name.
Although the Towpath Trail is fully accessible in most places, this level crushed limestone path has a steep slope at Lock 29 which may be challenging to visitors with limited mobility. This sudden hill can also pose a hazard to the cyclists, joggers, and hikers moving through this congested area. Please exercise caution on the Towpath Trail and be aware of traffic in both directions. Hike or cycle safely on the right hand side of the trail. Additional trail courtesy information is posted at the trailhead kiosk.
Parking
The small parking lot at Lock 29 Trailhead (Waypoint 1 – N 41° 14.592 W 81° 33.023) is often full, especially on beautiful weekend afternoons. There is an overflow parking lot available further down the street (Waypoint 3 – N 41° 14.680 W 81° 32.941). Use caution as this area has active railroad tracks for the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad.
Optional Extensions
You can extend your visit by traveling farther north or south on the Towpath Trail, or by a side excursion on the Quarry Trail in Deep Lock Quarry Metro Park. For the latter, follow signage a few feet south of Deep Lock. If time allows, you can also do the Deep Lock Quarry EarthCache.
STEP 1 – Visit Lock 29 (Waypoint 1 – N 41° 14.592 W 81° 33.023)
Start by exploring Lock 29 and reading the wayside exhibits. Walk into the lock and look carefully for stonemason’s marks on the large pieces of hand-hewn sandstone.
The elevation of Akron is 968 feet; Cleveland (at Lake Erie) is much lower at 573 feet. Note that the Cuyahoga River, which crosses the Ohio & Erie Canal at Lock 29, is flowing downhill to Lake Erie. Canal locks are a sort of water elevator that allows boats to navigate changes in elevation. Because of this 395-foot difference, 44 locks were needed between Akron and Cleveland.
Question #1: What is the elevation at Lock 29? If you have a GPS with an altimeter, take an exact measurement; if you don’t, guess based on the numbers provided.
Question #2: Did you take an actual altimeter reading or make an estimate?
Question #3: How would you describe the shape of one of the masons’ marks? (Hint: The wayside exhibit inside Lock 29 provides a significant clue.)
STEP 2 – Cross the Cuyahoga River (south of Lock 29)
While standing on the bridge (be aware of passing bicycles), use your imagination to visualize the aqueduct, or watered bridge, that was once here to carry canal boats across the Cuyahoga River. The aqueduct ran parallel to what is now the Towpath Trail bridge.
Remain on the bridge to view a rock wall of Mississippian shale bedrock carved by the flowing Cuyahoga River. Notice the texture of the exposed shale where the bridge connects on the south side of the river. This shale was once the bed of a river millions of years ago.
Question #4: How would you describe the shale wall surface (smooth/rough) and what color is the shale?
Take a moment to view the Cuyahoga River flowing around the bend and under the bridge on which you are standing. The river was altered twice around this bend: first to harness additional water power for an early mill in the 1830s and a second time for the construction of the Valley Railway in 1880. The second alteration short-cut the river as it appears today and removed a 20-acre peninsula where the river used to loop around farther to the north (where the parking and overflow lots are located today). This former river loop and land mass was the origin of the Village of Peninsula’s name.
Before moving from this vantage point, look across at the bank of the river and think about the canal boat builders hewing wood and assembling boats to further trade and travel. Peninsula is said to have had more boat construction than any other town along the Ohio & Erie Canal.
As you finish crossing the bridge southward, look for the remaining foundation of the more recent Moody and Thomas mill which operated until 1931, taking advantage of the power of the river to grind grain for local farmers.
STEP 3 – Proceed to Deep Lock (Waypoint 2 – N 41° 13.965 W 81° 33.114)
Proceed south on the Towpath Trail to Deep Lock (Waypoint 2). Lock 28 was nicknamed Deep Lock because it allowed boats to make the greatest elevation change along the entire Ohio & Erie Canal. Locks typically allowed an elevation change (or lift) of boats that ranged from eight to 12 feet, depending on the lock. The extra depth here must not have paid off because it was not duplicated at other sites along the canal.
Question #5: What was the lift (in feet) of Deep Lock? (Hint: Read the wayside exhibit directly in front of Deep Lock for a clue.)
Look and listen for birds along the trail, as the Deep Lock Quarry area is known for its warblers.
STEP 4 – Return to Lock 29 (Waypoint 1)
Reverse your direction on the Towpath Trail to return to Lock 29.
Question #6: Looking at the river and considering the elevation change described above, is the Cuyahoga River flowing north or south?
On your return trip, look for the following points of interest.
- See the Brandywine Country Club’s Par-3 golf course across the river with two holes partially visible from the Towpath Trail. The Brandywine golf courses and surrounding area was once an American Indian site; numerous flint, arrowhead, and fire pits were discovered when the course was built.
- Note the riverbank stabilization done to manage erosion along the Cuyahoga River.
- Find a grove of tall white pine trees growing along the riverbank. The existence of pines along a riverbank is atypical. Most likely, a local resident planted them in years past.
STEP 5 - To claim credit for this cache, you must do the following.
A. Log your visit and upload a photo
Log your visit and upload a picture of yourself and/or your GPS, next to an interesting feature discovered along your canal towpath adventure.
B. Answer the following questions (details above)
1. What is the elevation at Lock 29 (Waypoint 1)?
2. Is the answer to question #1 an actual altimeter reading or an estimate?
3. How would you describe the shape of one of the masons’ marks inside of Lock 29?
4. Describe the surface of the shale wall on the south side of the Lock 29 bridge. Is it smooth or rough? What color?
5. What was the lift (in feet) of Deep Lock (Waypoint 2)?
6. What direction (north or south) is the Cuyahoga River flowing?
C. GEO-mail your answers to me within 5 days of your visit.
EarthCaching rules require log deletions if timely answers are not received. Do not include your answers in your log entry!
References and Sources of Additional Information
Cuyahoga Valley National Park Trail Guide Handbook
By the Cuyahoga Valley Trails Council
Cuyahoga Valley National Park Fact Sheet
http://www.nps.gov/cuva/fact-sheet.htm
Geology and Habitats of the Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area
https://kb.osu.edu/dspace/bitstream/1811/23237/1/V088N1_040.pdf
Guide Book for the Tourist and Traveler over the Valley Railway
By John S. Reese and the Kent State University Press
Joe’s Place: Conversations on the Valley
By Joseph D. Jesensky
More Cuyahoga Valley Tales
By Margot Y. Jackson and Mark K. Newton
The Nature of the Towpath: A Natural History Guide to the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail
By Peg and Bob Bobel
A Photo Album of Ohio’s Canal Era 1825-1913
By Jack Gieck
Cuyahoga Valley National Park website
http://www.nps.gov/cuva
Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad website
http://www.cvsr.com
Park Place in Peninsula Welcome Center (refreshments, information, and gifts)
http://www.cvnpa.org/Park-Stores
Giant Steps at Deep Lock Quarry EarthCache
http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?wp=gc1dt58
Please report any broken links by GEO-mail.
Thanks to the National Park Service for permitting this EarthCache.
If you are interested in creating a new EarthCache in Cuyahoga Valley National Park, please contact Arrye Rosser at (440) 546-5992 or arrye_rosser@nps.gov about becoming an EarthCache volunteer. Note that the national park does not permit geocaches at this time.