Staffing Cuts and New Directives Strain Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Millions visit the Cuyahoga Valley National Park each year.

Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio — Cuyahoga Valley National Park, one of the nation’s most visited natural landmarks, is feeling the impact of Trump administration staffing cuts and new federal directives that have altered both day-to-day operations and the way history is presented to the public.

In February, layoffs hit the park’s permanent staff, eliminating a biologist, a maintenance worker, and a planner. At the same time, nearly 40 seasonal jobs were frozen during the critical spring hiring window. Though those positions were eventually reinstated, the delay disrupted operations as visitor traffic increased. Retired rangers said the results were easy to spot: tall grass left uncut, restrooms closed for lack of staff to clean them, and canceled educational programs.

The timing matters because the park is far from a local attraction. Cuyahoga Valley draws about 2.8 million visitors each year, placing it among the top 15 most-visited national parks in the United States. Families and outdoor enthusiasts travel from across Ohio — Cleveland, Akron, Columbus, Toledo — to hike the trails, visit Brandywine Falls, or explore the historic Ohio & Erie Canal. With that level of use, even small staffing reductions have visible consequences.

Another change came in June, when signs appeared at visitor centers and trailheads instructing guests to report anything in the park that “does not reflect well on America.” The directive follows a new Department of the Interior order requiring parks to emphasize the positive aspects of the nation’s history and landscape.

The move has sparked criticism from historians and longtime park users who see it as an attempt to sanitize difficult subjects. At Cuyahoga Valley, those topics include the industrial pollution that once set the Cuyahoga River ablaze, as well as the experiences of immigrant and working-class communities tied to the region’s canal and rail history. Critics argue the focus should be on preserving facilities and programming, not on filtering how the past is interpreted.

For visitors, the combination of staff shortages and new content restrictions has reshaped the park experience at a site that was designed to tell Ohio’s full story — natural beauty, industrial legacy, and all.