Take A Hike… In The Big Creek Reservation

A snowy, wintry scene along Big Creek. (Image credit: Milenko Budimir) 

It’s January, the coldest month of the year here in northeast Ohio. And while folks naturally tend to spend as much time as possible indoors, there’s still plenty of reason to venture outdoors as well.  

Parma Heights residents are fortunate in that they have easy access to part of the Cleveland Metroparks system, the Big Creek Reservation alongside Big Creek Parkway which runs roughly parallel with Pearl Road.

And while it may be cold or snowy outside, that’s no reason to sleep on the Metroparks in winter. The stretch of trail from the Snow Road picnic area to Stumph Road and beyond to W. 130th St. offers a variety of landscape changes and sights and sounds.  

A good, brisk walk or hike along the winding trail, either high up on the ridge along Big Creek Parkway or down below following the creek in the cold, brisk air, is invigorating and healthy. It’ll give you a mental and physical energy boost right when your body needs it most; in the dark and dreary days of winter. Just keep in mind the old adage that there is no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing.  

The lower trail along the creek connects up with the Big Creek connector trail, with a bridge spanning the creek and on up to Greenbrier Commons, the center of the Parma Heights community. And at the top of the connector trail is the construction site for the future Cuyahoga Country Public Library Parma Heights branch, scheduled for completion in late 2025.

One of my favorite times to go for a walk is after a snowfall, particularly one where the wet snow clings to the bare tree branches, reflecting light all across the forest. To say that it’s magical is not much of an exaggeration.

And you won’t be alone out there either. Of course, there are plenty of deer around, but you’ll also see scurrying squirrels and even some birds gathering up berries from nearby shrubs. Ducks and a few geese can be spotted in the creek, and if you’re lucky you might catch sight of a river otter too. Up above, keep your eyes open for the occasional cooper’s hawk and even a barred owl high up in an old decaying tree.  

Besides the wildlife, the stretch of trail near Stumph Road holds a lot of geological features, with looming rock ledges and structures all around. I sometimes think of this area as a kind of Grand Canyon of Parma Heights; not as deep and majestic, sure, but awe-inspiring in its own way.

If nothing else, keep in mind that after the winter solstice in December, the days grow longer. As winter progresses and the days get longer and the air warmer, you’ll begin to see some of the first signs of spring; tiny shoots of grass poking out from beneath small ponds of melted snow and ice in low-lying areas along the trail, and small green buds on the branches of shrubs. And of course, the bright songs of birds hailing the arrival of warmer days.

All of which is to say that going for a walk in the woods is a simple pleasure and will have you appreciating the charms and richness that only winter can bring.