NELSON TOWNSHIP, Ohio — The dramatic rock formations at Nelson-Kennedy Ledges tell a geological story that dates back more than 300 million years.
But something much more modern is drawing crowds to the state park this week.
On Monday afternoon, hordes of hikers crisscrossed a new elevated glass walkway tucked about a quarter-mile into the park, off State Route 282 in Portage County. The state officially unveiled the pedestrian bridge on Friday, after two-plus years of construction.
The 137-foot-long walkway snakes over a gorge, offering a glimpse of the chasm and water about 50 feet down. The bridge ends in a platform overlooking Minnehaha Falls.
So far, it seems to be a hit.
“It’s really fun, because you get to see what’s down there,” said 11-year-old Owen Burian of Twinsburg, who was visiting the park with his family.
Michayla Miller of Medina agreed, though at first, she wasn’t sure how she would feel about walking over the clear glass panels, supported by steel and fiberglass framing, cantilevered beams and cables. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources says the bridge is one of the most unusual structures ever constructed in a state park.
“On the first step, I was like ‘I don’t know about this,’” Miller said. “Once you’re out there, it’s really cool to see everything below – which is the whole point of it.’”
Her canine companion, on the other hand, wasn’t bothered for a minute.
“She was unfazed, entirely,” Miller said. “She said, ‘Hey, we’re out for a walk. I love walks. Let’s go.’”
Miller was one of many first-time visitors to the park Monday, drawn there by social media buzz and news reports about the bridge.
Longtime visitors remarked that they had never seen the trails so busy. The parking lot was overflowing with cars, forcing drivers to wait, circle, or head down the road to create a parking spot on the grassy shoulder.
At times, there seemed to be almost as many dogs as people on the bridge – from a tiny Italian greyhound to French bulldogs, labs, sheepdogs and hounds.
Some of the dogs marched, heads high. Others faltered. A few people picked up and carried their pooches.
Chimp, an Australian Shepherd, wouldn’t go anywhere near the railings. She walked straight down the middle of the glass panels, tucking her nubbin of a tail.
“She didn’t want to be on the sides,” said owner Nicole Harvey, laughing.
Harvey and her husband, Alex, made the trip to the park from Canton after seeing a post about the glass walkway on Facebook. He’d been to Nelson-Kennedy Ledges before, but it was her first visit to the park.
She liked how the bridge adds a novel feature to the landscape while protecting the gorge down below. “Everybody can see it without climbing all over like crazy,” Harvey said.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources says that’s part of the point.
The agency is trying to keep hikers on the marked trails, following blazes painted on rocks and trees. As part of the $1.68 million bridge project, the state added more informational and wayfinding signs throughout the park.
“This project is the perfect blend of innovation and conservation,” ODNR Director Mary Mertz said in a news release. “The Falls Edge Glass Walkway provides visitors with an unforgettable view of this beautiful park while helping us protect the delicate ecosystems and remarkable geology that make Nelson-Kennedy Ledges so special.”
On Monday, bands of yellow caution tape surrounded the edges of the gorge to stop people from clambering down below the waterfall or attempting to climb the rock walls.
David Weinstein wasn’t thrilled about that change. He’s been bringing his family to the park to hike for years, and wandering off the trails was always part of the experience.
“You could go wherever you want,” he said. “But right now, there’s this police line that I’m not happy about. But that’s OK. Maybe they’ll take it down when it’s not slippery.”
Still, he’s glad the walkway is bringing more attention to natural marvels, in a state park that’s free to access from dawn until dusk. The hiking trails follow the tops of rugged cliffs and offer opportunities to squeeze through crevices and walk between rock walls.
“You would pay like $100 per person to do this in Costa Rica,” said Weinstein, who lives in Beachwood. “It’s like you’re in Costa Rica in Northeast Ohio. It’s unbelievable.”
Weinstein’s 11-year-old son, Asher, is afraid of heights. But he still made it across the bridge. “You can see through it. It’s a little scary,” he said afterward.
“Enjoy it,” his father said. “Go in places that make you feel a little nervous. … And turn around and look where you walk through – because it’s as beautiful forward as it is backwards.”
