Sutliff Access
Sutliff Access is a small, one-half acre area, located nine miles northeast of Solon in the settlement of Sutliff. The site is a tourist attraction thanks to the beautiful and historic Sutliff Bridge, built in 1898 and restored after the 2008 floods. Along with the bridge, which is managed by Johnson County Conservation in partnership with Johnson County and the Sutliff Bridge Authority, there is a picnic area and boat ramp which provides access to the Cedar River.
Location
Great location to access the Cedar River.
Features
Sutliff Bridge draws motorists, bikers, and cyclists. On most weekends during pleasant weather, the bridge is filled with visitors enjoying a picnic lunch on the many picnic tables available or bringing food out from Baxa's Tavern, just feet away. The bridge is closed to vehicles but may be walked and biked across. Along the bridge, educational panels describe the area's history and detail the 2008 floods.
The site also features a boat ramp providing access to the Cedar River. A common route is for paddlers to start at Palisades-Kepler State Park and paddle the 10 miles to this access.
Just across the bridge from the boat ramp is the JCC's Cedar River Crossing Conservation Area. Visitors to the Sutliff Area can cross over into the trail-less bottomland forest and explore the terrain.
