Brandywine Falls LbNA #15630 (ARCHIVED)

Difficulty: Moderate
Time: 1 hour

Directions:

Take I-271 to Macedonia; exit at Rte. 82 heading west. Soon you will pass Target on your left. At the next traffic light there will be two left turn options; you will want to take the second one, on the far side of CVS, which is Brandywine Road. You will travel a few miles on this road, crossing Highland at the stop sign. After passing a large cemetery on your left, you will see the entrance to Brandywine falls on the right.

Clues:

Leave your car in the parking lot, and follow the boardwalk towards the falls. You will be staying on it, but do take the time to walk all the way down the steps that split off to the left, taking you near the falls. I promise that you will not regret it.

After you have viewed and maybe photographed the falls, continue back on the boardwalk until it ends. From here, turn to the left, passing above the falls. Walk through the meadow, passing the picnic tables and skirting the Cuyahoga River to your left. Enter the forest where you see the sign for the Stanford Trail.

While you are noticing the many beautiful sights along this trail, such as trees of many kinds, rock formations, and wild flowers (in season), be aware that there are also lots of tripping hazards like rocks and roots) in the center of the path! After you have descended this trail for some time, you will walk up seven steps. The trail becomes winding, with the river still on your left—don’t bump into any trees :) Eventually you will walk down four steps and see a CAUTION sign. Before going down the five more steps that are past the sign, turn to your right. Being careful not to trample the ferns that grow here, take about 8 paces towards the two largest trees you see. Right at the base of the one on the right you will see a rock. The letterbox is hidden under it. Be sure to replace it in its “cave” when you are finished!

To return, go down the other five steps and then take the left fork towards the river, which you may cross on the rock bridge. The Stanford Trail will take you up to the other side of the Brandywine Gorge, where you can turn left and return to the parking lot.
[If the river is too high, you will have to retrace your steps to get back to your car.]