Fort Hill Stairs

Beautiful and FREE. Northeast Ohio's park systems are jaw-dropping.

I've been coming to these stairs since I was a kid and now I take my son there. The stairs, the network of trails attached to them, and the nature center are something we visit monthly and can still spend hours. It's not uncommon for us to bring our giant slinkies and start at the top of the stairs on down.

The stairs were recently re-done, so they're smooth and in good shape. They ascend 90 ft, up the edge of a shale cliff and over the Rocky River. Once at the top, you're connected to a network of trails where you can work your way back down. The trails at the bottom hug a year-round wetland. It's an excellent site for birding, ummm... bugging? Amphibian-ing? And, really, all things nature.

Bring your snacks, there are plenty places to sit and eat. Bring your comfy shoes because even if you think you won't do the stairs, you will. And nobody will fault you if you look angry and exhausted. Because you will. But it's worth every step.