Cuyahoga Valleywildlife

In 5 separate phases: Great blue heron courtship at the heronries, late February or early March, Salamanders and frogs moving to their breeding pools, typically the first rainy night in early March, above 45 degrees F, once the snow has nearly all melted, Beavers at twilight at Beaver Marsh, June is also an especially good month to look for beaver at twilight, Fireflies in the bottomland forest around Beaver Marsh, a warm July evening; this month marks the peak activity period and Monarch butterflies migrating over the meadows, the third week in September. They're separate displays, not one long season.

Not now: its usual wildlife window for this year has passed. Next time: Great blue heron courtship at the heronries, late February or early March.

At Ira Trailhead, 3801 Riverview Road in Peninsula, which has restrooms and picnic tables. From there it's a quarter-mile walk north on the Towpath Trail to the boardwalk.Source: National Park Service, Cuyahoga Valley: Ira Trailhead Information ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Often, yes. Keep to the right, keep children and pets close, and watch for cyclists passing.Source: National Park Service, Cuyahoga Valley: Ira Trailhead Information ↗ (opens in a new tab)

No. Capturing or disturbing amphibians is illegal in the park; watch and listen from the trail.Source: National Park Service, Cuyahoga Valley natural history topics ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Afternoons on bright, sunny days when it's above 70 degrees, says the Park Service.Source: National Park Service, Cuyahoga Valley natural history topics ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Courtship can be seen through their breeding season, which usually ends in July when the young fledge.Source: National Park Service, Cuyahoga Valley natural history topics ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Beaver Marsh boardwalk (from Ira Trailhead): walk a quarter mile north on the Towpath Trail from Ira Trailhead (restrooms, picnic tables); beavers at twilight in June, fireflies on warm July evenings; Towpath Trail just south of Beaver Marsh: one of the park's two amphibian spots: spring peepers and wood frogs calling on the early-March migration night; Vernal pools on the Brandywine Gorge Trail: two pools at the base of the ravine on the east side of Brandywine Creek; look for Jefferson and spotted salamanders by day; Terra Vista Natural Study Area and the Cross-country Trail meadow: monarchs feed on goldenrod here in September; the big goldenrod meadow is about halfway around the 2.5-mile Cross Country Trail loop.

Spring wildflowers (Apr–May), Busy season (Apr–Oct), Fall color (Oct), Fireflies (peak activity near Beaver Marsh) (Jul), Songbird migration peaks by mid-May (May), Great blue heron courtship begins (late Feb or early Mar) (Feb–Mar), Amphibian migration night (first rainy night in early March) (Mar), Beavers at twilight around Beaver Marsh (Jun), Monarch migration peaks (third week of September) (Sep), Owls calling in their nesting territories (Jan), Beavers out by day at openings in the ice (early February) (Feb), Warbler and songbird migration peaks (third week of September) (Sep), Coyotes feeding in the fields; kinglets and nuthatches on the Tree Farm Trail (Dec), First red maples at Sylvan and Horseshoe ponds (from mid-September) (Sep), European larches turn gold (mid-November) (Nov), Great angelica and cow parsnip in full flower around Beaver Marsh (by mid-June) (Jun), Bottomland summer wildflowers, Towpath from Hunt House to Botzum (Aug) and American witchhazel blooms along Haskell Run and the Ledges (early November) (Nov).