Nelson-Kennedy Ledges State Park

Been coming here since I was a teenager. One one the best spots in NE to see the natural beauty this part of the world offers. As other have said, exercise caution. Stick to the paths and you’ll be fine, don’t climb up the tree roots or slide down devils icebox or anything else equally as stupid. Great place to bring kids.

The Nelson-​Kenndy Ledges State Park is a great place to enjoy some outside goodness! It should be noted that the state park is different than the Nelson Ledges Quarry Park, which is a campground & music venue down the road. As far as the state park, you can enjoy some scenic hiking that is great for adults and fun for the family (just be careful with the kids… It’s not a free-​for-​all playground). There are multiple trails of different difficulty levels that are marked, but can take a minute to make sure you are going the right way. There are some waterfalls that are more appealing when we have had some rainfall, otherwise the falls are just a trickle of water but still nice to see. The family and I went for a hike here in August during the day and the park was clean, trails were clear and not too muddy, with no riff-​raff hanging around. All in all a nice little nature gem in our neck of the woods.

Overall: It’s flat out amazing. Everyone from Cleveland and Akron needs to visit. Be careful with the kids; it’s fairly easy to slip into a 30 foot deep crevice.
Appearance & Features: 5 stars. It’s a park made of amazing rock formations, caves and waterfalls. It also has canyoneering (walking in narrow paths with high walls).
Price: 5 stars. It’s free!

Not sure why there’s a $ on this listing, but hiking is free here. The trails are clearly marked and the area is absolutely beautiful. There are easy walks for the kids and those not so experienced, and there are slot canyons and other more challenging hikes for those more adventurous. There is a bathroom at the parking lot, but it’s seasonal. Great hiking area for the whole family.

It is fun but idol but a little dangerous theirs a tree down in fat mans cave we went their and crazy people climbing rocks and the jumping back down 30 feet talking about they don’t care if they die but really fun place for the summer time just wear tennis shoes or u will slip by the way it’s free

This is a beautiful and interesting place to hike. We go as a family and make a day of it at least twice a year.
But, before you go there are a few things you should be aware of. This is harder hiking. People who show up with small children in tow and unprepared for what the terrain holds in store find this place to be pretty stressful. If you have small children, stick to the lower portion of the trail, and keep a close eye on them.
People who are really out of shape, elderly folks, and people with even minor disabilities tend to have a really hard time with this hike. If you’re in one of these categories, you might want to stay on the lower trail portion.
The top portion of the trail requires extreme caution! Watch where you’re stepping, stay away from the edges, don’t take foolish risks! Wear footwear with good tread.
Picnic tables are located behind the parking lot in the edge of the pine forest. Bathrooms are one outhouse with a single male and female side — pit toilets.

We’re regulars here and no two hikes have been the same.
The kids love to explore and are amazed at all the different ways to maneuver through the trails.
Bring a flashlight for some of the darker spots and don’t forget the camera and bug spray.
We haven’t had a picnic yet but there are grills and a shelter.

Nelson Ledges Park has been around forever and I can prove it. It was here, as a child I had no choice but to confront a fear I had. A teacher friend of my mother, an older gentlemen at the time «treated» my sisters and me with this outing.
Things were fine (beautiful plants and foliage, lakes) until I had to jump a rock divide and I was terrified. They were patient and somehow I found the courage to make the jump. Now, don’t laugh, it was all of 18 inches but looked like a canyon to my 8-​year-​old mind.
I made it and am alive and well in Canton, Ohio.

How could this beautiful place have zero reviews??? Nelson-​Kennedy Ledges State Park is located in, Portage County Ohio. This is a very small town kind of place, the closest store/​gas station is about a 15 – 20 minute drive from the park. Along with running water and a clean bathroom, so make sure to stop before you get to the park trust me you do not want to use the out house type bathroom.
Nelsons ledges is famous for their sandstone cliff formations created by erosion (think ice age). I am a huge geology nerd and couldn’t wait to check this place out. My friend grew up in the area and told me all about this place and how amazing it was so she had to take me while we were in the area visiting. There are 3 different types of trails based on difficulty level so everyone can enjoy the park. They are marked by a color code and you can follow the rocks marked with the colors throughout the trails so it is easy to navigate around. The harder Red trail was a lot of fun and it definitely made us work up a sweat in the 50 degree weather.
You can crawl under or between rocks and some of the spaces get pretty tight but the views are totally worth it. On one side of the trails is a waterfall and a place I think my friend called the devils ice box lol. Its a pond sort of like hidden under the rocks and its kind of dark and creepy but its always cold there apparently. I absolutely loved this park and all the trails (we hiked them all). This is a must see place if you are in the area.