Field Notes Ohio

Ohio's parks, forests and wildlife areas with camping, the ancient mounds beside them, and the Buckeye Trail that links them. Stories, trails, wildlife, and where to eat and fuel up nearby. Book campsites on ReserveOhio.
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The Buckeye TrailA 1,444-mile blue-blazed loop around Ohio, with all 26 sections.
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Mounds & Earthworks43 ancient sites, including the Great Serpent Mound and the Newark Earthworks.
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Historic Sites39 places, from Fort Steuben and Zoar to Camp Chase and the Rankin House, from the frontier to the Civil War.
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Road Trips33 drives, from the Lincoln Highway to the Morgan Heritage Trail.
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Lake Erie Beaches20 public beaches from Conneaut to Toledo and the islands, with a map.
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Oddities & Roadside Attractions19 giants, ghosts and folk-art stops, plus a Mothman just over the line.
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Caves & Caverns12 show caverns, recess caves and rock shelters, with a map.
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Waterfalls34 falls from the Cuyahoga Valley to the Hocking Hills, with trail notes and a map.
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Explore Ohio

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

Lake ErieWest Virginia27 places277 places77 places73 places35 places519 places1913 places1319 places1916 places168 places810 places1010 places109 places98 places820 places204 places43 places3Barkcamp State Park4 places47 places77 places76 places69 places917 places173 places3Harrison Lake State Park2 places2Forked Run State Park3 places32 places26 places610 places103 places32 places2

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117 parks in 7 regions

Hinckley Reservation

Hinckley · Medina County · Northeast Ohio
Managed by Cleveland Metroparks
3,238acres
—trail miles
1920established

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
Hinckley Reservation, 432 Bellus Rd, Hinckley
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.

The story of this land

Hinckley Reservation is the southern anchor of the Cleveland Metroparks and the site of the annual Return of the Buzzards, the mid-March arrival of turkey vultures that draws crowds and dates to the 1950s. The reservation has hiking and rock climbing at Whipp's Ledges, and at Worden's Ledges a set of carvings dating to the 1940s. Hinckley Lake offers boating and fishing, and the Ledge Pool is a summer swimming spot.

The Buckeye Trail's Medina Section passes through Hinckley Reservation on its way toward Brecksville.

Things to do in the park

  • Watch the buzzards return in mid-March
  • Climb and hike at Whipp's Ledges
  • See the Worden's Ledges carvings
  • Paddle or fish at Hinckley Lake
  • Swim at the Ledge Pool in summer

Trails

Maps, reviews and recent trail reports for Hinckley Reservation.

Find trails on AllTrails →

Things to do nearby

  • Brecksville Reservation to the northeast
  • Findley State Park to the west
  • Richfield Heritage Preserve nearby

Hiking trails

Miles of hiking and bridle trails including the Whipp's Ledges loop; the Buckeye Trail passes through.

Wildlife you might see

  • Turkey vultures, locally called buzzards, returning each March
  • Ledge and forest habitat
  • Waterfowl on Hinckley Lake

Fishing

  • Fishing on Hinckley Lake; check Cleveland Metroparks. Ohio fishing license required for ages 16 and up.

Hunting

Hunting is not permitted in Cleveland Metroparks reservations.

The Buzzards Come Home

Every March, on a schedule locals swear by, turkey vultures return to Hinckley Township, and the reservation throws a party. Crowds gather on the ledges and the lakeshore to watch the birds circle in.

The old explanation is a hunt. In the early 1800s the settlers held a huge drive on Christmas Eve that left the woods full of carcasses, and the buzzards, the story goes, have been coming back to feed ever since.

Behind the legend

The annual return of the buzzards and the reservation's role are documented in Cleveland Metroparks' guides, which date the tradition to the 1950s. The hunt story is the traditional local explanation. The birds are turkey vultures, which migrate north each spring and roost in large groups in some places, and they would do so with or without a legend.

If you go

Come in mid-March for the return, or in summer for Whipp's Ledges and the Ledge Pool.

Waterfalls near Hinckley Reservation

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

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

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 10 miles from this park

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
About 13 miles from this park

Berea Falls

Berea · Cuyahoga County
A small urban waterfall tucked beneath three bridges in Rocky River Reservation, easy to reach from a small trailside parking area.
25 ftEasy walk
About 14 miles from this park

The Buckeye Trail at Hinckley 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.

24 Medina Section

56 miles · Lorain, Medina, Summit, Cuyahoga
Whipp's Ledges and the annual return of the buzzards
3 parks

There is no camping in Hinckley Reservation. The nearest Buckeye Trail camp is Findley State Park to the west.

Restaurants nearby

Fosters Tavern of Hinckley
Pizza and burgers; open daily
Directions
Buzzard Cove Pizzeria
Pizza with mini golf and ice cream; open daily
Directions

Gas stations nearby

Par Mar Stores
Convenience store on Ridge Road
Directions

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