Field NotesOhio
Upper Falls in the Old Man's Cave gorge, Hocking Hills, with visitors on the rocks

An independent field guide · 365 places

The field guide to outdoor Ohio

Parks and forests, ancient mounds, caves, waterfalls and back roads, with the story behind each place and where to eat and fuel up nearby.
Popular:
  • 117parks & forests
  • 64ancient mounds
  • 34waterfalls
  • 40historic sites
  • 33road trips

Old Man's Cave, Hocking Hills · Photo: Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0

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Explore Ohio

One map for every park, mound, historic site, beach, cave, waterfall and oddity in the app.

Lake ErieWest Virginia36 places368 places813 places135 places523 places2321 places2124 places2416 places1613 places134 places418 places182 places217 places1710 places1014 places142 places27 places76 places613 places133 places34 places414 places143 places3Harrison Lake State Park2 places22 places22 places26 places64 places4

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Parks, forests & wildlife areas

Find a park

117 parks in 7 regions

Bedford Section

Cuyahoga, Lake · Northeast Ohio
Buckeye Trail Association
66miles
26 of 26clockwise
2counties

66 scenic miles from Brecksville Reservation to Lake Erie through parks and suburbs. The trail passes through five Cleveland Metroparks reservations.

Runs from Brecksville north through Bedford Reservation and the Chagrin reservations to the Lake Erie shore near Mentor.

Highlights

  • Brecksville and Bedford Reservations
  • North and South Chagrin Reservations
  • Penitentiary Glen
  • Williams Woods Backcountry Sites

Parks on this section

Penitentiary Glen Reservation
Gorge, wildlife center and a rim campsite
Open
Brecksville Reservation
Where the section begins; Ottawa Overlook backcountry sites
Open
Bedford Reservation
Tinkers Creek gorge and waterfalls
Open
South Chagrin Reservation
The trail follows the Chagrin River
Open
North Chagrin Reservation
Squire's Castle and the Williams Woods backcountry sites
Open

Historic sites near this section

Historic Kirtland and the Kirtland Temple
The first Latter-day Saint temple, and a village of conflict and faith
Open

Section map and alerts

Show this section on the mapDistances between stops in this section

The Buckeye Trail Association sells a detailed map for this section and posts current trail alerts.

Official Bedford Section page →This section on AllTrails →

Camping

  • Ottawa Overlook Backcountry Sites, Brecksville Reservation: three tent sites; permit and a $5 processing fee; water Memorial Day to September
  • Williams Woods Backcountry Sites, North Chagrin Reservation: designated tent sites about half a mile from the Forest Picnic Area, available year-round by reservation

Campsites are run by different agencies and owners, and the rules and fees change, so confirm before you go.

Water

Water at picnic areas in season; filter creek water.

Take the stops with you

Save the camps, resupply, lodging, trail towns and parks for this section as waypoints.

The file holds 10 waypoints and a stop-by-stop route line. Locations are approximate, often a town center, so use the stop notes to find the exact spot. Your maps app chooses the roads between stops, usually the fastest, so follow the byway signs where they differ. The GPX arrives in a zip file; unzip it and open the .gpx in a GPS or hiking app. The CSV imports into Google My Maps.

Resupply

The route crosses suburbs with services close to the trail.

Food and fuel

Mentor Trail Town
A Lake Erie town at the northern end of the trail, blending shoreline and natural areas.
Mason Social
Big bar-food menu with games; open daily
Directions
Señor Masa
Tacos and quesabirria; closed Sunday and Monday
Directions
GetGo
Open 24 hours
Directions
Near Penitentiary Glen Reservation
Chagrin River Diner
Classic diner breakfast and lunch in historic Willoughby; open daily
Directions
Julia's 1902
Fine dining in a sandstone mansion; closed Sunday and Monday
Directions
Shell
Open 24 hours, close to the park's south end
Directions
Near Brecksville Reservation
Brick & Vine Restaurant
Fully gluten-free gastropub; closed Monday
Directions
Flour | Valor Acres
Pasta and pizza; closed Sunday
Directions
Shell
Newer station off the freeway, open 24 hours
Directions
Near Bedford Reservation
Dave's Place
Soul food; open Thursday to Sunday
Directions
Hyde Kitchen & Cocktails
American menu with live music some nights
Directions
Circle K
Open 24 hours
Directions
Near South Chagrin Reservation
56 Kitchen
Modern American; make a reservation
Directions
Mavis Public House
Irish pub food and burgers; open daily
Directions
Shell
Open 24 hours
Directions
Near North Chagrin Reservation
Chagrin River Diner
Classic diner breakfast and lunch in historic Willoughby; open daily
Directions
Julia's 1902
Fine dining in a sandstone mansion; closed Sunday and Monday
Directions
Shell
Open 24 hours, close to the park's south end
Directions

Details last checked 2026-09-22. Confirm hours and prices before you go.

Know a place that belongs here, or spotted something out of date? Email hello@fieldnotesohio.com.