On trips to Michigan in the past, while driving on the Ohio Turnpike, I thought I saw a ski area off to the right as I passed through Cuyahoga Valley National Park. This past weekend, I was driving on the Ohio Turnpike and decided to take the Akron exit (Exit 180) to put the question to rest. Was there really a ski area hiding in this relatively flat part of Ohio?

In fact, there are two: Boston Mills Ski Resort and Brandywine. The two ski areas are located within five minutes of each other and are owned by the same company. They are located near the scenic Cuyahoga Valley National Park, a surprisingly hilly area for this part of Ohio, and home to a segment of the Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath, located within walking distance of Boston Mills. This area is home to many trails and recreational opportunities, and is a great place to take a break while driving the turnpike. The area was especially beautiful with fall color and pleasant temperatures.

I spent a few minutes in the parking lot of Boston Mills, observing the small ski area and taking some photos, probably to the bemusement of some maintenance workers preparing for the winter season. Ohio is not known for its mountains, so the statistics for these two ski areas are expectedly modest: a vertical of 240 feet, with a combined trail count of 18 trails, 15 lifts, and 79 skiable acres. These are not destination ski areas; they exist to provide winter recreation to locals. You would not make a trip from the D.C. area just to visit one of these areas, but if you were driving along the Ohio Turnpike in the winter, it might be worth stopping by.

Some photos from Boston Mills are shown below.

Boston Mills Ski Resort is located right off the Ohio Turnpike in Brandywine, Ohio. Photo by M. Scott Smith.

A double chairlift and magic carpet service Summit, a bunny slope at Boston Mills. Photo by M. Scott Smith.

Straight ahead is the black diamond-rated North Bowl. Photo by M. Scott Smith.

A view of the ski area from the parking lot. Photo by M. Scott Smith.

Straight ahead is Tiger, a black diamond slope separating the bunny slope (Summit) on the left from an intermediate slope (Buttermilk) on the right. It appears that the vertical on Tiger has been “enhanced” through bulldozers and dirt. Photo by M. Scott Smith.