This 132-acre park is a favorite for birders, canoers and kayakers along the Upper Cuyahoga River, a state-designated Scenic River. Two trails total .87 miles. A section of the statewide Buckeye Trail also passes along the roadway bordering Eldon Russell Park. Please note that high water may make the riverside trail inaccessible.
There are few things quite as soothing as a stroll along the river and into the woods.
E.R. Nature Trail – 0.37 – mixed
Duane Ferris Trail – 0.5 – primitive
Catch a rare glimpse at some very unique species of wetland plant and animal life.
Flat expanses along the Cuyahoga River define an old Ice Age lake bed that once occupied the valley. This park’s landscape is also characterized by kames (knolls of sand and gravel formed by melting glaciers) and kettles (wet depressions left by the melting of buried blocks of glacial ice).
Soggy kettle holes harbor a number of rare wetland plants. Swamp forests of elm, ash, silver maple and swamp white oak thrive on poorly-drained flats along the river. Kames support an upland forest of beech, maple, oak and a majestic stand of native white pine. Deer, turkey and other woodland wildlife can be found here.
Many kinds of wetland wildlife may be observed along the river, including beaver, muskrat, mink, heron, Wood Duck and the rare Prothonotary Warbler. Beautiful blooms of pickerelweed, cardinal flower, water lily, spatterdock and buttonbush grave the river’s edge each summer.
A large field at the western edge of the park is managed as grassland. Wildlife that benefit include Eastern Bluebirds, Eastern Meadowlarks, swallows, bobolinks and a variety of mammals and insects.
Eldon Russell Park has one reservable shelter.
Please note that the boat launch and parking lot are not exclusive to your reservation and are always open to the general public.
Horwath’s Landing Shelter can host up to 150 people and offers 10 picnic tables, a grill, and nearby vault-style restrooms. There is no electricity at this location.
Guests must bring their own water for drinking and clean-up. Alcohol is only permitted in the shelter, not in the adjacent support facilities such as restrooms, activity areas, trails, parking lots or roads.
To protect the beauty of the parks, Geauga Park District encourages you to “Pack It In, Pack It Out.” Decorations are nice, but please no nails, glitter or confetti, and be sure to remove all traces of your decorations at the end of your visit.
Guests are responsible for their own shelter clean-up at the end of each reservation/event.
| Event | Location | Date | Time | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April Evening Adventure | Eldon Russell Park | 04/18/2026 | 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm | Free |
| Birding for Beginners | Eldon Russell Park | 04/27/2026 | 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm | Free |
| Annual Spring Bird Walk Series | Eldon Russell Park | 05/03/2026 | 7:30 am - 9:30 am | Free |
| Scout Day: Nature Walk | Eldon Russell Park | 05/03/2026 | 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm | Free |
| Polliwog Paddle Family Canoe (Ages 5+ w/adult) | Eldon Russell Park | 06/28/2026 | 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm | Free |
Do you enjoy special events, family activities, experiences in Nature, programs for seniors or or several/all of the above? Sign up for our emails tailored to your interests by selecting the proper categories below. We promise we won’t flood your inbox – just send you what we think you’ll like.
We look forward to keeping in touch!
(440) 286-9516