Kirtland’s giant arboretum has ravines, ancient trees, and a walk through the sky

It’s bigger than you’d expect

The Holden Arboretum in Kirtland, Ohio, covers 3,500 acres, making it one of the largest arboreta in the country. But most people driving out from Cleveland have no idea what’s waiting for them.

There are themed gardens, ancient trees, deep ravines, and more than 20 miles of trails. And then there are the two structures that lift you right off the ground and into the trees.

That’s where most first-timers stop in their tracks.

A daughter’s memory planted deep roots

Albert Fairchild Holden created this place as a memorial to his daughter Elizabeth, who died in 1908.

His sister, Roberta Holden Bole, pushed him to make it a gift to the people of Northeast Ohio, and she donated the first 100 acres in 1931 to get things started.

The Cleveland Museum of Natural History helped run the grounds in its early years.

From that modest beginning, the arboretum grew decade by decade into the sprawling 3,500-acre place it is today, with more than 9,400 kinds of woody plants in its collection.

Walk a bridge 65 feet above the forest floor

The Murch Canopy Walk runs 500 feet through the air above a tributary of Pierson Creek.

Four suspension bridges connect four platforms, and as you move from one to the next, you pass in and out of the forest canopy. The view from up there is nothing like what you get on the ground.

You see the tops of the trees instead of the trunks, the light filters down through the leaves around you, and the forest takes on a completely different scale. The whole structure sits 65 feet off the ground.

Climb 202 steps to see Lake Erie

Next to the canopy walk stands the Kalberer Emergent Tower, 120 feet tall and 12 stories of open-air staircases. You climb 202 steps to reach the top, with rest platforms spaced roughly every 30 steps along the way.

At the top, the forest spreads out in every direction without a single building in sight. On a clear day, you can pick out Lake Erie on the horizon.

Most people stop somewhere on the way up and just stand there for a minute. It’s the kind of view you don’t expect to find 30 minutes from a city.

More than 20 miles of trails through the woods

If you want to stay on the ground, the trail network gives you plenty of room to roam. More than 20 miles of paths wind through gardens, meadows, woodlands, and past ponds.

The Bole Woods Loop takes you past old-growth beech, sugar maple, and tulip trees.

The natural-surface route through Pierson Valley runs alongside the creek and through some of the quieter parts of the grounds.

Keep your eyes open along any of these paths, and you’ll likely spot deer and wild turkeys moving through the trees.

Towering pines and old resort ruins at Little Mountain

Before the arboretum existed, wealthy Clevelanders came to Little Mountain to escape the summer heat. Hotels and resorts once stood here.

Today, tall white pines grow where the buildings used to be, and the area holds unusual rock formations and a wide mix of plant life.

Along with Stebbins Gulch, Little Mountain is one of Holden’s two protected natural areas, and like the gulch, it’s accessible only by guided tour.

The contrast between what it was and what it is now is part of what makes it worth the trip.

Old-growth trees in a federally protected forest

The federal government recognizes Holden’s wild forest areas as a National Natural Landmark, and walking through them, it’s clear why. Beech trees in Stebbins Gulch have been standing for more than 250 years.

Some of the chestnut oaks are past 400. These areas are kept as close to wild as possible, with minimal human interference, to protect both the plants and the animals that depend on them.

You’re not walking through a manicured park here.

You’re walking through a forest that has been growing and changing long before anyone thought to protect it.

Twenty acres of rhododendrons hit peak color in early June

The Helen S. Layer Rhododendron Garden covers 20 acres and runs thick with rhododendrons, azaleas, and mountain laurel. The color peaks in early June and covers a lot of ground.

Right next to it, the Paine Rhododendron Discovery Garden lets you get a closer look at individual plants and varieties.

Ancient oaks grow throughout the area, including a white oak that has been there for more than 350 years.

If you can time your visit to early June, the combination of big old trees and flowering shrubs makes for one of the better walks on the property.

Native wildflowers, butterflies, and two calm ponds

The Myrtle S. Holden Wildflower Garden went in back in 1968 and has been showcasing native Ohio plants ever since.

A short walk away, the butterfly garden draws bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds in warm months, and two calm ponds sit at its center.

Both gardens are easy to reach from the visitor center, which makes them a good place to start before you head deeper into the grounds.

The wildflower garden runs through spring and summer, and the butterfly activity tends to peak through July and August.

Warblers and migratory ducks fill Corning Lake in May

The Audubon Society named Holden an Important Bird Area, and the Corning Lake Trail gives you the best shot at understanding why.

In May, warblers move through in large numbers during migration, and migratory ducks stop at the lake on their way through.

The mix of open water, meadow, and woodland edges creates the kind of varied habitat that pulls in many different species. You don’t need to be a serious birder to enjoy it.

Walk slowly, stop often, and the lake tends to do the rest.

Every season turns the forest into something different

The arboretum doesn’t have an off-season. Spring pulls out the blooms and the fresh green growth.

Summer trails run through cool, shaded forest when the heat outside sits heavy.

Fall pushes the maples and beeches into full color, and from the top of the tower, the forest looks like something spread out on a map.

Winter quiets everything down and covers the trails in snow, and the waterfalls at Stebbins Gulch freeze into shapes you won’t see any other time of year.

The treetop views change with every visit, which is part of why people keep coming back.

Visit the Holden Arboretum in Kirtland, Ohio

To get to the canopy walk and tower, head to 9550 Sperry Road in Kirtland, about 30 minutes east of Cleveland. The visitor center is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and closed on Mondays.

Buy your tickets online before you go, since admission is required and advance purchase is the easiest route.

The Murch Canopy Walk and Kalberer Emergent Tower are open April through November and are included with admission. Both may close during thunderstorms, high winds, or snow.

The canopy walk is wheelchair accessible up to the first platform.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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