Veterans Legacy Woods Trails

Courage Trail – 1.95 – partially asphalt, partially gravel

• Hiking, walking & running

Honor Trail – 0.50 – partially asphalt, partially gravel

• Hiking, walking & running

Integrity Trail – 0.35 – partially asphalt, partially gravel

• Hiking, walking & running

Loyalty Trail – 0.35 – asphalt

• Hiking, walking & running

Duty Trail – 0.65 – gravel

• Hiking, walking & running
• Note: This trail is contained within ongoing construction and stream restoration efforts; partial closures can be anticipated.

Veterans Legacy Woods Habitat

Here at this former golf course, a mixed beech/maple, oak/hickory and swamp forest covers about 32 acres. Some of the area was timbered recently and most of the larger trees were harvested, but a few large trees still remain, while the rest of the forest is comprised of mainly beech, cherry and maple.

About 102 acres of turf grasses, roughs and old field/meadow habitat are important potential areas for restoration/reforestation and the most common habitat found on this property. However, streams and wetlands are the most ecologically important features. Swamp forested wetlands are important because they often harbor important breeding pools for sensitive woodland amphibians and also provide habitat to uncommon birds.  There are also high quality riparian wetlands found along with the West Branch of the Cuyahoga River.

This property’s sensitive wetlands serve as important water quality buffers and help to mitigate anthropogenic impacts on the downstream aquatic ecosystems found within the watershed and eventually the Cuyahoga River.

The main stem of the West Branch of the Cuyahoga River runs directly though this property about 3,782 feet.  At least nine small headwater tributaries to the Cuyahoga also run north to southeast.  This section of the Cuyahoga River is a high quality stream system rich in both aquatic flora and fauna and an important contributor to the region’s biodiversity.  Most of the smaller “headwater” streams appeared to be of moderate to high quality cold-water habitat.