The 9-mile West Creek meanders through a valley that harbors rocky gorges, forest-draped hillsides, & floodplains that each spring burst forth a variety of wildflowers, & flows through the cities of Parma, Seven Hills, Brooklyn Heights, & Independence where it eventually connects to the Cuyahoga River.
The 278-acre West Creek Reservation is geologically unique & 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 & five species of oak: white, red, pin, scarlet & swamp white oak. In the wetlands nesting wood ducks, painted turtles, green frogs, cardinal flower & pickerelweed are abundant.
The West Creek watershed has influenced settlement & development patterns for two centuries, being associated with two significant industries, stone quarrying & greenhouses. The quarrying industry is still visible in the West Creek watershed today, including abandoned quarries & homes of quarry owners.
In partnership with the City of Parma & the West Creek Preservation Committee, Cleveland Metroparks helped to enrich the community through the provision of outdoor recreation & education resources at West Creek Reservation.