Description : The 9-mile West Creek meanders through a valley that harbors rocky gorges, forest-draped hillsides, and floodplains that each spring burst forth a variety of wildflowers, and flows through the cities of Parma, Seven Hills, Brooklyn Heights, and Independence where it eventually connects to the Cuyahoga River.
The 278 acre West Creek Reservation is geologically unique and biologically diverse, as the West Creek tributary not only provides natural beauty, but also a home to a variety of wildlife including white-tailed deer, scarlet tanagers, nesting pair of red tailed hawks and five species of oak: white, red, pin, scarlet and swamp white oak. In the wetlands nesting wood ducks, painted turtles, green frogs, cardinal flower and pickerelweed are abundant.
The West Creek watershed has influenced settlement and development patterns for two centuries, being associated with two significant industries, stone quarrying and greenhouses. The quarrying industry is still visible in the West Creek watershed today, including abandoned quarries and homes of quarry owners.
In partnership with the City of Parma and the West Creek Preservation Committee, Cleveland Metroparks helped to enrich the community through the provision of outdoor recreation and education resources at West Creek Reservation.
NOTE: West Creek Reservation is a good testing site but students will NOT be allowed to enter the water. Teachers will be required to collect the water samples in large buckets. It is recommended that collectors wear gloves for this testing. West Creek weaves through a former landfill and landfill garbage is often washed into the water including glass and other materials that make it unfit for swimming/wading. There are no washroom facilities here and only port-a-potties are available for visitors. (They are, however, kept quite clean) There is also no covered space in the event of rain. The bus must remain at the site for the duration of your trip.
