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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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

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117 parks in 7 regions

Mogadore Section

Portage, Stark · Northeast Ohio
Buckeye Trail Association
75miles
2 of 26clockwise
2counties

75 miles of parklands, reservoirs and glacial landscapes, the longest section on the loop.

Winds around the Kirwan Reservoir in West Branch State Park, then southwest along Mogadore Reservoir and Wingfoot Lake, through Hartville and along Nimisila Reservoir.

Highlights

  • West Branch State Park
  • Mogadore Reservoir and Wingfoot Lake
  • Quail Hollow
  • Nimisila Reservoir

Parks on this section

West Branch State Park
The trail circles the Kirwan Reservoir here
Open
Quail Hollow Park
Listed on the trail route in Hartville
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 Mogadore Section page →This section on AllTrails →

Camping

  • West Branch State Park has a full campground near the route
  • Other camping is limited; check the Buckeye Trail Association section map

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

Water

Water at park offices and picnic areas; 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 6 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

Stores in Hartville and the villages the route crosses.

Food and fuel

Near West Branch State Park
Arnie's West Branch Steak House
The area institution — steaks and seafood, closed Mon & Sun
Directions
Casona Guzman
Well-regarded Mexican, open daily with weekend breakfast
Directions
bp
24 hours, closest to the park on Route 14
Directions
Near Quail Hollow Park
Hartville Kitchen Restaurant & Bakery
An area institution — home cooking and famous pies. Closed Wed & Sun
Directions
Grinders Above & Beyond
Oven-baked grinders, generous portions, cheap. Closed Sundays
Directions
Circle K
24 hours toward Akron; fuel options in Hartville itself are limited
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.