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Step 1
Watch for white-tailed deer along the park's roadways, particularly around dusk. Deer like to feed on the grasses in the open meadows. Take a drive on a late summer evening to see if you can spot any, although you'll want to keep an eye out for deer that decide to cross the road.
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Step 2
Look for beaver in the park's wetland areas. You'll often spot signs of beaver presence, including woodchips, near fallen trees or stumps. Beavers use the trees for food, dams and to build shelters.
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Step 3
Spot nesting great blue herons along the Cuyahoga River. These birds have moved into the park since the 1980s, and they raise their young within or near the park's boundaries. Starting in April, you may be able to spot some north of Route 82 and south of Bath Road by the river.
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Step 4
Check for bald eagles perched above the Cuyahoga River during the winter months. Over 190 other species of birds have been sighted within the park and large numbers migrate through during the spring and fall each year. Talk to park rangers or local bird watching groups about the best places to look for a particular species.
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Step 5
Keep an eye out for common snapping turtles, northern water snakes and eastern box turtles sunning themselves on rocks near Beaver Marsh or other wetland areas. The park has 20 different species of reptiles living in it, although none are poisonous.
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Step 6
Listen for frogs and toads along the Ohio and Erie Canal remnants and in the other wetland areas. Most visitors can hear them croaking during the summer on trails like the Towpath Trail, particularly early in the morning. You may also see salamanders crossing roads to their breeding grounds on rainy spring nights.
