Octagon Shelter Overview
- Capacity: 50 people inside (100 outside)
- Amenities: Open Field, Drinking Fountain, Restrooms, Fireplace, Grills, Picnic Tables (7, 8-foot tables), Parking, Electricity, Trail Access
- Activities: Picnicking, Events, Camp, Running
- Reservable: Yes
- Fees: $110 weekends & Holidays, $80 weekdays
- Address: 499 Truxell Road, Peninsula, Ohio 44264
Octagon Shelter Guide
Octagon Shelter
Octagon Shelter is one of Cuyahoga Valley National Park’s most well-known and popular picnic areas. It is a large shelter, holding 50 people indoors with seven indoor picnic tables, perfect for family gatherings, birthday parties, summer camps, trail races, and so much more. In addition to an ample enclosed shelter space, the large outdoor area is perfect for even more guests (up to 100 between indoors and outdoors).
It has two indoor wood-burning fireplaces, potable water, electricity, seven picnic tables, and bathrooms, making it usable all year. Outside, you’ll notice a half dozen picnic tables around the shelter, a handful of charcoal grills, outhouses, and animal-proof garbage cans.
Families and kids will also love the vast open field space, perfect for baseball, football, and any other game. The parking lot is also huge and fits all guests’ needs. If careful, your kids can bring their bikes and ride around the open field or the parking lot.
And if you’re a history buff, you’ll love the educational sign by the shelter, the information at the nearby trailhead, and other historical remnants if you can explore the surrounding area.
Finally, this is a centralized location for the Pine Grove Trail and Ledges Trail. Numerous other trails connect to these two trails that can be accessed from the Octagon Shelter parking lot.
Alternative Option
While the Octagon Shelter is a fantastic picnic area, it can be incredibly popular in the summer and fall. Not only that, but it has to be reserved sometimes months in advance.
If you want a shelter with all the same amenities and is more extensive, then look no further than the Ledges Shelter. This shelter has the same amenities as the Octagon Shelter: more parking, a larger field, and sometimes more available dates.
It is also central to popular park attractions, including the Ledges Trail and Ledges Overlook.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Octagon Shelter is located in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. It is located at 499 Truxell Road, Peninsula, Ohio 44264. It is about 2 miles from Route 8 and about 1/4 mile off of Truxell Road.
Yes, this shelter can be accessed by individuals with disabilities. The parking lot is located directly next to the shelter. The shelter is handicap accessible, but the open field may make it difficult for those with wheelchairs.
You should book this picnic area 3-4 months before summer and early fall reservations.
There are seven indoor picnic tables, approximately six outdoor picnic tables, two to three charcoal grills, two indoor wood-burning fireplaces, two unisex restrooms and two outhouses, electricity, running water, an open ball field, a fire pit, and a hiking trail.
This picnic area accommodates 50 individuals indoors and 100 outdoors, and a parking lot can hold over 50 vehicles.
You can bring your food. Alcohol is not permitted in the park.
There are no restrictions. Dogs and other animals are allowed in the picnic area but not indoors.
Yes, weekends and holidays are $110. Weekdays are $80.
It is operational all year, from 10 am – 9 pm or 10 am- 6 pm, depending on the time of year.
The facility has two large, animal-proof, and indoor trash bins.
Octagon Shelter Virtual Tour
How to Get There (Driving Direction)
The easiest way to get to the Octagon Shelter is to input the Pine Grove Trailhead (499 Truxell Road, Peninsula, Ohio 44264) into your phone and GPS, as the trail starts here.
Driving Directions:
When driving to the Octagon Shelter, you will either east or west on Truxell Road. You will turn right or left onto Kendall Park Road and into the Octagon Shelter parking lot.
Learn More About Nearby Shelters
While the Octagon Shelter is one of the most well-known and largest picnic shelters in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, there are numerous shelters in the nearby Brecksville Reservation that can provide a similar experience with almost all of the same amenities and activities.
- Meadows Picnic Area
- Chippewa Creek Picnic Area
- Ottawa Points Picnic Area
- Plateau Picnic Area
- Harriet Keeler Picnic Area
