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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State parks & forests117 places, with cabins, campsites and trails117 places Waterfalls34 falls, with trail notes34 falls Mounds & earthworks64 ancient sites, from Serpent Mound to Newark64 ancient sites Caves & caverns12 show caverns, recess caves and rock shelters12 caves Lake Erie beaches20 public beaches, Conneaut to Toledo20 beaches Historic sites40 places, from the frontier to the Civil War40 places Road trips33 drives, from the Lincoln Highway to the Morgan Heritage Trail33 drives Oddities19 giants, ghosts and folk-art stops19 roadside stops The Buckeye TrailA 1,444-mile loop, all 26 sections1,444 miles

New to the guide?

Six places to start

One from every corner of the state, each with its full story inside.

01Old Man's CaveHocking Hills · SoutheastA gorge of waterfalls and recess caves where a hermit is said to have lived, with the park's visitor center. 02Great Serpent MoundAdams County · SouthwestA gigantic earthen snake on a hilltop over Ohio Brush Creek, built by a people whose name is still argued over. 03Brandywine FallsCuyahoga Valley · NortheastThe tallest waterfall in Cuyahoga Valley National Park, reached by an easy boardwalk with an accessible upper overlook. 04Marblehead LighthouseMarblehead · Lake ErieThe oldest continuously operating lighthouse on the Great Lakes, lit since 1821, on nine acres of limestone shoreline. 05Zoar VillageTuscarawas County · EasternA well-preserved communal village founded by German separatists in 1817, on the Ohio & Erie Canal. 06Longaberger Basket BuildingNewark · CentralA seven-story office building shaped like a picnic basket, with handles that are heated in winter.

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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

Find a park

117 parks in 7 regions

Bedford Reservation

Bedford & Valley View · Cuyahoga County · Northeast Ohio
Managed by Cleveland Metroparks
2,900acres
10trail miles
1922established
18753 Egbert Rd, Bedford Directions →Official source →

The story of this land

Bedford Reservation's main resource is Tinkers Creek, the largest tributary of the Cuyahoga River, and the gorge it has cut, 220 feet deep and named a National Natural Landmark in the late 1960s. A scenic parkway and an all-purpose trail run beside the creek, and there are more than a half-dozen waterfalls, including the Great Falls of Tinkers Creek, a 20-foot cascade, and Bridal Veil Falls, at the end of a short boardwalk-and-steps hike.

The rugged terrain kept loggers out, so the reservation has a continuous forest of big trees, unusual this close to Cleveland. It is linked to Cuyahoga Valley National Park and Summit Metro Parks by the Bike & Hike Trail, and the Buckeye Trail's Bedford Section passes through it.

Things to do in the park

  • Hike to Bridal Veil Falls (a 0.4-mile out-and-back with a boardwalk and steps)
  • See the Great Falls of Tinkers Creek and the gorge overlook
  • Ride the paved all-purpose trail or the mountain bike trails
  • Visit Deer Lick Cave
  • Play Astorhurst disc golf, which is free

Trails

Maps, reviews and recent trail reports for Bedford Reservation.

Find trails on AllTrails →

Things to do nearby

  • Cuyahoga Valley National Park next door
  • Tinkers Creek State Park and the Tinkers Creek entry in this app
  • Brecksville Reservation and its Ottawa Overlook backcountry camp
  • South Chagrin Reservation to the northeast

Visiting information you can trust

Content last reviewed
September 2026 — this is when Field Notes Ohio's content was last checked, not a live status.
Primary official source
Cleveland Metroparks (search this park)
Location confidence
Verified property location
Bedford Reservation, 18753 Egbert Rd, Bedford
Check current conditions
Official conditions or closures
Hunting or permits
Hunting is not permitted in Cleveland Metroparks reservations.

Prices, hours, closures, campsite availability and trail conditions shown elsewhere on this page are not live — always confirm with the official source before you go.

Hiking trails

More than 10 miles of hiking trails, nearly 10 miles of mountain biking trails and a 7.6-mile paved all-purpose trail; the Buckeye Trail passes through.

Wildlife you might see

  • Old forest of oak and other hardwoods
  • Waterfalls and hemlock gorge habitat
  • A National Audubon Society Bird Area Program

Birding

Bedford Reservation mixes forest-edge and backyard-style birds typical of a wooded park near a city.

  • Dickcissel
  • Baltimore Oriole
  • Tufted Titmouse
  • Grasshopper Sparrow
  • Chimney Swift
  • Carolina Wren
  • Field Sparrow
  • Ruby-throated Hummingbird
  • Barred Owl
  • Song Sparrow
  • Gray Catbird
  • Pileated Woodpecker

March–April and October–November for migrating waterfowl and raptors; June–July for nesting grassland and marsh birds. For a full, current checklist, search this park's name on eBird's Hotspot Explorer.

Fishing

  • Fishing is limited in Tinkers Creek; check Cleveland Metroparks. Ohio fishing license required for ages 16 and up.

Hunting

Hunting is not permitted in Cleveland Metroparks reservations.

The Gorge Nobody Could Log

When Cleveland-area woods were being cut for farms and mills, Tinkers Creek's gorge was left alone. It was too steep to plow and too rough to haul logs out of, so the great oaks in the bottom and along the walls stayed standing. A century later that leftover gorge is a National Natural Landmark.

The creek is named for Joseph Tinker, the boatman of Moses Cleaveland's 1796 survey party, and the reservation is where you can still see the ravine the surveyors would have known.

Behind the legend

That the reservation was not logged because of its rugged terrain is stated in a Cleveland Metroparks guide. The National Natural Landmark date differs between sources: 1967 in one, 1968 in another. Acreage differs too, with Wikipedia giving about 2,200 acres and Cleveland Metroparks' 2025 guide about 2,900. The Joseph Tinker story is covered at the Tinkers Creek entry.

If you go

Walk to Bridal Veil Falls and the gorge overlook, then continue to the Great Falls of Tinkers Creek. Bring shoes with grip for the wet steps.

Road trips through Bedford Reservation

Scenic byways and heritage drives that pass this park or run close to it.

Ohio & Erie Canalway Scenic Byway

Northeast Ohio
Tinkers Creek gorge and waterfalls.
Scenic byway110 miles
Dover to Cleveland

Waterfalls near Bedford Reservation

Falls inside or within reach of this park. Stay behind railings and on marked trails; wet rock is slick in every season.

Bridal Veil Falls

Walton Hills · Cuyahoga County
A short, family friendly boardwalk walk to a tiered cascade in Bedford Reservation, one of the most photographed waterfalls near Cleveland.
20 ftEasy walk
Inside this park

Great Falls of Tinkers Creek

Bedford · Cuyahoga County
A wide sandstone ledge waterfall in Viaduct Park, set among the ruins of old mills, a dam, and a 19th century railroad arch.
15 to 20 ftModerate hike
Inside this park

Brandywine Falls

Sagamore Hills · Summit County
The tallest waterfall in Cuyahoga Valley National Park, reached by an easy boardwalk with a wheelchair accessible upper overlook.
60 to 65 ftEasy walkAccessible overlook
About 7 miles from this park

Blue Hen Falls

Boston Township · Summit County
A small, photogenic shale ledge waterfall in a quiet Cuyahoga Valley ravine, reached by an easy to moderate hike on the Buckeye Trail.
15 ftModerate hikeLegend
About 8 miles from this park

Chagrin Falls

Chagrin Falls · Cuyahoga County
A wide river waterfall in the heart of downtown Chagrin Falls, viewable from a bridge and streamside park just steps from Main Street shops.
20 ftEasy walkAccessible overlook
About 9 miles from this park

Buttermilk Falls (North Chagrin Reservation)

Willoughby Hills · Cuyahoga County
An easy, family friendly cascade in North Chagrin Reservation, with a wooded overlook deck that highlights the exposed shale geology.
10 to 15 ftEasy walk
About 14 miles from this park

Affelder Falls

Russell Township · Geauga County
A 20 foot sandstone cascade on a cold water trout stream in The West Woods, reached by a 1.5 mile trail from the nature center.
20 ftModerate hike
About 16 miles from this park

The Buckeye Trail at Bedford Reservation

Ohio's 1,444-mile blue-blazed loop passes through or beside this park. Tap a section for its route, camping, water and resupply.

26 Bedford Section

66 miles · Cuyahoga, Lake
Tinkers Creek gorge and waterfalls
5 parksTrail towns

There is no camping in Bedford Reservation. The Ottawa Overlook backcountry sites in Brecksville Reservation are the nearest camp on the Buckeye Trail.

Where to camp nearby

Ottawa Overlook Backcountry Sites (Brecksville Reservation)
Three tent sites on the Buckeye Trail by permit, about 8 miles south
Directions

Restaurants nearby

Dave's Place
Soul food; open Thursday to Sunday
Directions
Hyde Kitchen & Cocktails
American menu with live music some nights
Directions

Gas stations nearby

Circle K
Open 24 hours
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.