Cascade Park holds the same wondrous awe that our great National Parks elicit, yet on a much-reduced scale with rivers, rocks, waterfalls, forests thick with hemlocks, and birds singing over rushing waters. Situated near the hustle and bustle of downtown Elyria, this 135-acre plot where the twin branches of the Black River cascade over crests of Berea Sandstone merge into the economic heart of the area. Lorain County Metro Parks assumed operations of Cascade Park in 2014 through a partnership with the City of Elyria.

Elywood Park is a section of Cascade Park on the east side of the Black River.

The East Branch and the West Branch of the Black River, drain a watershed of more than 400 square miles from parts of Lorain, Medina, Ashland, and Huron Counties and merge into the main stem of the Black River. The river’s water has powerful, erosive strength that cuts through the sandstone creating beautiful gorges.

The river transits south to north creating smaller creeks and runoffs that enter the park from both east and west. These small tributaries form deep cuts into the bedrock with overcasting shadows of the tall oaks and hickories lining the upper edges of the valley. These smaller streams form micro-climates in which more northerly species of plants may survive in the cooler damper environments. Hemlock is one of those species which is considered a northern tree, yet appears within these special habitats.

Sycamores grow at the bottom of the floodplain near the river along with Buckeye trees, Cottonwoods, Tulip Poplars, Black Walnuts, and Willows. Not many of the large Ash trees have survived the recent onslaught of the invading Emerald Ash Borer, a non-native insect that has decimated the Ash within much of the northern Ohio landscape. These forests are a perfect habitat for species of songbirds. Portions of Cascade Park have been planted with Crab Apple trees and other urban landscape plantings.

Ellywood Park is adjacent to Cascade Park.