+ Allegheny Plateau
At approximately 700 feet in elevation the land begins to rise from the Lake
Plain towards the Plateau areas to the south and east. This transition, known as the Portage
Escarpment, crosses Cuyahoga County in a broad arc from northeast to southwest. In some places,
like the southeast side of the City of Cleveland, the slope is long and gentle, while in other
places, such as near University Circle, it is short and steep. Many locations along the slope
provide good views towards Lake Erie and Downtown Cleveland.
Although the east side is often referred to as the "Heights", the highest
point in Cuyahoga County is actually in the southern part of the County. The highest point is
along Broadview Road just south of the Cleveland Metroparks' Valley Parkway at an elevation of
1,271 feet above sea level. The highest point on the east side of the County is just over 1,250
feet near Richmond and Chagrin Roads in Beachwood. These areas of higher elevation also include
part of the boundaries between the watersheds of the Cuyahoga River and the Chagrin River to the
east and the Cuyahoga River and the Rocky River to the west. The elevation of the Cuyahoga River
when it first enters Cuyahoga County from the south is 640 feet, 66 feet higher than the elevation
at the mouth.
These higher elevation lands are the western edge of the Allegheny Plateau.
Residential densities are higher on the surrounding plateaus than they are in the Valley. Numerous
suburban communities in the area use the words "Heights" and "Hills" as part of their names which
are reflective of their relative elevation to the Valley.
