
This site allows access to a section of the Cuyahoga River Water Trail and provides for a long paddle, nearly 12 miles, into Cleveland. Rockside Station and food are nearby. A small pathway is located on the southwest side of the parking lot at the Lock 39 Trailhead just north (downstream) of the pedestrian bridge. The Lock 39 parking area is relatively small. If the parking lot is full, overflow parking is located at the Rockside Station parking area.
Things to Know for Paddlers:
- Paved parking lot and hiking and biking trail at trailhead.
- Restrooms, picnicking, and drinking water nearby at Rockside Station (follow connecting trail with pedestrian bridge).
- Restaurants and restrooms at the shopping plaza across the street.
- Dropoff/pickup 100 feet from water’s edge.
- Boarding for shuttle option on Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad during Bike Aboard season. See Lock 29, Boston Store, and Station Road Bridge river access sites for details.
- Takeout for pedal/paddle option. Use the Towpath Trail to bike/run/walk back to upstream access points as far as Lock 29 Trailhead.
- Class I downstream paddle to Merwin’s Wharf enters the shipping channel for the last four miles. Proceed with caution.
Known Hazards:
Downstream:
- Use extra caution in Cleveland. Huge freighters and motorized recreational boats share the shipping channel. Visit the Cuyahoga River Water Trail hazards page for more information about this section of the river.
Upstream:
- Before Lock 39 Trailhead, tall metal pylons in the river can create log jams. Portage right if needed. Know the river flow before you go. Check river gauges.
Is there something we missed for this itinerary?
Itineraries across USA

Acadia

Arches National Park

Badlands

Big Bend

Biscayne

Black Canyon Of The Gunnison

Bryce Canyon

Canyonlands

Capitol Reef

Carlsbad Caverns

Channel Islands

Congaree

Crater Lake

Cuyahoga Valley

Death Valley

Dry Tortugas

Everglades

Gateway Arch

Glacier

Grand Canyon

Grand Teton

Great Basin

Great Smoky Mountains

Guadalupe Mountains

Haleakalā

Hawaiʻi Volcanoes

Hot Springs

Indiana Dunes

Isle Royale

Joshua Tree

Kenai Fjords

Kobuk Valley

Lassen Volcanic

Mammoth Cave

Mesa Verde

Mount Rainier

North Cascades

Olympic

Petrified Forest

Pinnacles

Rocky Mountain

Saguaro

Shenandoah

Theodore Roosevelt

Virgin Islands

Voyageurs

White Sands

Wind Cave

Yellowstone

Yosemite

Zion