Cuyahoga Valleywinter wildlife
At Cuyahoga Valley National Park, the timing for winter wildlife comes in 5 separate phases, each its own display: Warblers and songbirds in fall migration, during the third week [of September] ... in peak migration; Coyotes hunting the fields, December is a good time to watch coyotes; Wintering kinglets and nuthatches on the Tree Farm Trail, Throughout December; Owls calling in their nesting territories, January; and Beavers out on the winter ice, Early February is often a great time to see beaver during the day. Its usual window hasn't started yet this year.
- SeptemberWarblers and songbirds in fall migrationduring the third week [of September] ... in peak migration
- DecemberCoyotes hunting the fieldsDecember is a good time to watch coyotes
- DecemberWintering kinglets and nuthatches on the Tree Farm TrailThroughout December
- JanuaryOwls calling in their nesting territoriesJanuary
- FebruaryBeavers out on the winter iceEarly February is often a great time to see beaver during the day
Right now at Cuyahoga Valley
Right now in Cuyahoga Valley · September
- Busy season · Apr–Oct
- Monarch migration peaks (third week of September) · Sep
- Warbler and songbird migration peaks (third week of September) · Sep
- First red maples at Sylvan and Horseshoe ponds (from mid-September) · Sep
Park alerts
NPS lists these 2 notices for Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Read each notice for the affected area and dates.
Checked Tue, Sep 29, 1:28 PM EDT, source: National Park Service. No claim to original U.S. Government works.
Next 7 days at Cuyahoga Valley
- TodayMostly Cloudy77° / 65°32% rain
- ThuPartly Sunny80° / 65°49% rain
- FriRain Showers71° / 52°90% rain
- SatSlight Chance Rain Showers66° / 52°34% rain
- SunChance Rain Showers67° / 47°34% rain
- MonMostly Sunny62° / 43°9% rain
Heads up: Park closure: Towpath Trail between Boston and Peninsula.
Today: sunrise 7:22 a.m., sunset 7:11 p.m., light until 7:39 p.m. · moon waning gibbous, 78% lit (our calculation)
Your guide to the area
Where to watch
- Tree Farm TrailA mostly flat 2.75-mile loop past Horseshoe Pond, muddy in wet weather; barred owls in January, kinglets and nuthatches in the evergreens in December
- Towpath Trail near Red LockA September warbler stretch, with the Oak Hill and Ledges trails
- Ledges trailsSeptember songbird migration; pileated woodpeckers feed on old oaks here in January
Nearby
- Erie Refuge86 mifrom September to NovemberSatSlight Chance Rain Showers
- Ottawa Refuge89 miwaterfowl numbers peak in OctoberSatSlight Chance Rain Showers
- Shiawassee Refuge190 miSeptember and October are the best months for fall migratory birds
- Montezuma Refuge274 mi2 separate phases, from peak in September (within a mid-August through mid-October shorebird season)SatMostly Sunny
- Eastern Neck Refuge320 mimid- to late November to the end of MarchSatPartly Sunny then Chance Rain Showers
- Blackwater Refuge347 miJanuary and FebruarySatPartly Sunny then Chance Rain Showers
The year at Cuyahoga Valley
- Jan: Owls calling in their nesting territoriesJan
- Great blue heron courtship begins (late Feb or early Mar)Feb–Mar
- Feb: Beavers out by day at openings in the ice (early February)Feb
- Mar: Amphibian migration night (first rainy night in early March)Mar
- Busy seasonNowApr–Oct
- Spring wildflowersApr–May
- May: Songbird migration peaks by mid-MayMay
- Jun: Beavers at twilight around Beaver MarshJun
- Jun: Great angelica and cow parsnip in full flower around Beaver Marsh (by mid-June)Jun
- Jul: Fireflies (peak activity near Beaver Marsh)Jul
- Aug: Bottomland summer wildflowers, Towpath from Hunt House to BotzumAug
- Sep: Monarch migration peaks (third week of September)NowSep
- Sep: Warbler and songbird migration peaks (third week of September)NowSep
- Sep: First red maples at Sylvan and Horseshoe ponds (from mid-September)NowSep
- Oct: Fall colorOct
- Nov: European larches turn gold (mid-November)Nov
- Nov: American witchhazel blooms along Haskell Run and the Ledges (early November)Nov
- Dec: Coyotes feeding in the fields; kinglets and nuthatches on the Tree Farm TrailDec
Cuyahoga Valley in pictures
Questions people ask
When is the best time to see winter wildlife at Cuyahoga Valley National Park?
In 5 separate phases: Warblers and songbirds in fall migration, during the third week [of September] ... in peak migration, Coyotes hunting the fields, December is a good time to watch coyotes, Wintering kinglets and nuthatches on the Tree Farm Trail, Throughout December, Owls calling in their nesting territories, January and Beavers out on the winter ice, Early February is often a great time to see beaver during the day. They're separate displays, not one long season.
Is it wildlife season at Cuyahoga Valley National Park right now?
Not yet: its usual winter wildlife timing is Coyotes hunting the fields, December is a good time to watch coyotes.
When is the best time to listen for owls?
Early morning before dawn, when they're most active, says the Park Service.Source: National Park Service, Cuyahoga Valley natural history topics ↗ (opens in a new tab)
How close can I get to an owl nest?
Stay at least 75 yards from an active nest and watch from a distance.Source: National Park Service, Cuyahoga Valley natural history topics ↗ (opens in a new tab)
What if I meet a coyote?
Coyotes usually run from people. Watch from a distance and don't approach them.Source: National Park Service, Cuyahoga Valley natural history topics ↗ (opens in a new tab)
What is the Tree Farm Trail like?
A 2.75-mile loop, mostly flat, with dirt, gravel and tree roots; it passes Horseshoe Pond and gets muddy in wet weather.Source: National Park Service, Cuyahoga Valley: Pets ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Where are the best spots in Cuyahoga Valley National Park?
Tree Farm Trail: a mostly flat 2.75-mile loop past Horseshoe Pond, muddy in wet weather; barred owls in January, kinglets and nuthatches in the evergreens in December; Towpath Trail near Red Lock: a September warbler stretch, with the Oak Hill and Ledges trails; Ledges trails: september songbird migration; pileated woodpeckers feed on old oaks here in January.
What is Cuyahoga Valley National Park like through the year?
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).
How we know · Sources (6)
How we know
National Park Service, Cuyahoga Valley: Pets (opens in a new tab) (Sep 30) · National Weather Service forecast and alerts (opens in a new tab) (Sep 29) · National Park Service, Cuyahoga Valley natural history topics (opens in a new tab) (Sep 28) · National Park Service, Spring wildflowers in Cuyahoga Valley (opens in a new tab) (Sep 26) · National Park Service, Cuyahoga Valley parking (opens in a new tab) (Sep 26) · National Park Service, Best fall colors in Cuyahoga Valley (opens in a new tab) (Sep 26) National Park Service sources: no claim to original U.S. Government works.