The Kendall Lake Loop is a delicate, scenic hike that wraps round a quiet lake nestled within the coronary heart of Cuyahoga Valley Nationwide Park. The path meanders by means of shaded woods, open clearings, and low-lying wetlands, providing a peaceable mix of ecosystems in simply 1.5 miles. It’s a straightforward, family-friendly stroll with occasional muddy patches and wood bridges that add a contact of journey. Whether or not you’re seeking to replicate by the water or just stretch your legs in nature, this loop is a refreshing, low-effort escape into the park’s quieter aspect.
Do not miss sundown on the lake
Climbing the Kendall Lake Loop
After wrapping up a hike on the close by Salt Run Path, I make my approach over to the Kendall Lake Loop Path, only a brief drive away, hoping to catch the sundown. The parking zone is usually quiet—just some anglers and a small group scanning the sky for bats. With about 40 minutes till the solar units, I set off on the 1.5-mile loop. The path begins in a shaded forest, the place moss blankets the bottom beneath a cover of combined hardwoods.
Not far in, it passes by means of a stone tunnel constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps within the Nineteen Thirties.
Past the tunnel, the trail hugs a marshy stretch flanked by hardwoods and pines, the air alive with the croaks of bullfrogs.
It then curves alongside the lake’s edge, weaving first by means of dense marsh crops after which a extra open part with wider views.
I cease for a second to soak up the lake, the place the sky’s reflection shifts from comfortable blue to pink.
A brief wood staircase leads down right into a patch of tall reeds, then over a small footbridge spanning a trickling stream.
One other wood staircase climbs right into a ultimate patch of forest—once more a mixture of hardwoods and fragrant pines—earlier than the loop closes out again on the trailhead.
Earlier than leaving, I wander over to a cluster of wood chairs on the Kendall Lake Pier to snap a couple of images of the sundown. It’s my first time on the lake throughout golden hour, and it doesn’t disappoint.
I’ll be again quickly—most likely for a half-day loop linking Salt Run, Cross Nation, and Kendall Lake into one lengthy loop. Subsequent time, I will stick round a bit longer after sundown.
