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.
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  • 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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Parks, forests & wildlife areas

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117 parks in 7 regions

Burton Section

Lake, Geauga, Portage · Northeast Ohio
Buckeye Trail Association
57miles
1 of 26clockwise
3counties

From Lake Erie south through parkland, rail trails, small towns and farms. This is where the trail begins, at the northern terminus.

Starts at the northern terminus in Headlands Beach State Park on Lake Erie and travels south to the Cuyahoga River.

Highlights

  • Headlands Beach State Park, the northern terminus
  • Lake County Metroparks Greenway
  • Girdled Road Reservation
  • Chardon, Mantua and Hiram

Parks on this section

Headlands Beach State Park
The northern terminus of the whole Buckeye Trail
Open
Girdled Road Reservation (Lake Metroparks)
Free primitive camp for hikers, Point 10
Open
Big Creek Park and Headwaters Park (Geauga Park District)
Tent sites and Adirondack shelters, Point 11
Open

Historic sites near this section

Fairport Harbor Lighthouse and Marine Museum
A sandstone lighthouse on Lake Erie beside the Grand River
Open
Historic Kirtland and the Kirtland Temple
The first Latter-day Saint temple, and a village of conflict and faith
Open
James A. Garfield National Historic Site (Lawnfield)
The home of the first successful front porch campaign
Open
Century Village Museum, Burton
A Western Reserve village of moved buildings on a working farm
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 Burton Section page →This section on AllTrails →

Camping

  • Girdled Road Reservation (Point 10): primitive, free camping for Buckeye Trail hikers; request a permit at least 48 hours ahead (440-358-7275)
  • Big Creek Park and Headwaters Reservations (Point 11), Geauga Park District: tent sites or Adirondack shelters, reserved online at least seven days ahead

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

Lodging near the trail

The Lodge at Bass Lake
Inn with a restaurant, Chardon
Inn and restaurant on South Street in a Buckeye Trail Town; some guests mention dated rooms.

These are places to sleep near the route, not places that advertise to hikers. Confirm that they welcome hikers, and ask about shuttles.

Water

Water is available at parks and in the towns; filter anything from streams.

Take the stops with you

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

The file holds 13 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

Frequent towns make resupply easy: Mentor, Chardon, Hiram and Mantua are all Buckeye Trail Towns.

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
Chardon Trail Town
Ohio's snowiest city and its Maple Syrup Capital, with a historic square.
Spinner's Good Time Diner
Retro breakfast and lunch diner; closed Monday
Directions
Square Bistro
Dinner and sushi on the square; open Tuesday to Saturday
Directions
Chardon Marathon
Basic fuel and snacks; open daily
Directions
Hiram Trail Town
A small rural village in northern Portage County, home to Hiram College.
Coyote Express Mexican Grill
Quick, fresh Mexican; open daily
Directions
Gionino's Pizzeria of Hiram
Pizza and wings; open daily
Directions
Mantua Trail Town
A historic village where the Buckeye, Headwaters and Cuyahoga River water trails meet.
Main Street On The River
Riverside seating, dog-friendly patio; closed Sunday
Directions
Jake's Eats
Diner breakfasts and nightly specials; closed Monday
Directions
Mantua EZ Mart
Fuel and snacks; no public restrooms
Directions
Near Headlands Beach State Park
Brennan's Fish House
An area institution since 1966 — oysters, perch, huge portions. Open daily
Directions
Mason Social
Newer spot in Mentor with games and a big menu
Directions
Headlands Convenient
Closest to the beach, opens 6 a.m. Good craft beer selection
Directions
Near Girdled Road Reservation (Lake Metroparks)
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 Big Creek Park and Headwaters Park (Geauga Park District)
Spinner's Good Time Diner
Retro breakfast and lunch diner; closed Monday
Directions
Square Bistro
Dinner and sushi on the square; open Tuesday to Saturday
Directions
Chardon Marathon
Basic fuel and snacks; open daily
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.