It’s been a while since I’ve done a post specific to a particular trail. Time to rectify that! Today’s spotlight is on the Hinckley Lake Loop/Buckeye Trail in the Hinckley Reservation (part of Cleveland Metro Parks, though it’s out in Medina). Just a quick note – I use the app AllTrails to find new trails and for my maps/recordings. However, the description for this one says it’s 7.9 miles and I clocked in at 10. Maybe half of that was exploring a bit more of the ledges when I started (went a bit of the official map route), but even still, it was a significant difference. Still great and I was happy to get 10 miles in, but I want to make sure you’re aware that your mileage may vary. There are also lots of smaller bits you can do if you aren’t ready to commit to the whole route or don’t have the time.
One of the things that struck me on this trail was the wide variety of scenery you get. I started off walking around large sandstone ledges, with lots of rocks to climb on and over, through forest, out into a field, on a paved road, back through the woods, and then along the lake. It’s a trail that has a bit of everything!
I started at the Whipps Ledges parking lot. As a heads up, there’s an outhouse-type bathroom there, though currently only one side is open (pandemic closures) and a huge stone picnic lodge area, which is also currently closed to the public. But once you park, you can head right up the dirt path and up the long hill to the ledges. Also, another note – the parking lot fills up pretty quickly, so best to try to get there earlier rather than later!
The sandstone ledges you come to are amazing and the only ones I’ve come across thus far that you’re actually allowed to climb and clamber over. The ledges at Virginia Kendall or Liberty Park/Twinsburg and the like all have signs forbidding climbing due to the various growths on and around the rocks (though most people generally ignore them). So this is really nice for people like me who have very strong feelings about following rules regarding staying on the path – I trace mine back to a visit to Mount St. Helen’s my family did when I was in elementary school. We were there roughly 10 years after the eruption and the visitors’ center had these big animatronic people who continually warned us to “Stay on the path. Do not step off the path,” with the implied threat being these mechanical horrors would know if you did and they would come after you. Obviously, the reason was because the environment was still repairing itself and having people tramp all over fragile growth would set everything back, but that was a lesson that stuck with me forever. No such warnings here and there were lots of families with young kids having fun and testing themselves. I brought my own kids back there the other day and was amazed at what they were able to do. There’s a distinct trail that you can follow here, marked by orange blazes. I followed it for a little while, which took me off the official route, but then I reconnected with the Buckeye Trail and followed that.
This led me to a big open field. It didn’t look like anything was growing, though it looks like it’s still in use. Lots of barn swallows were swooping over the fields and a number of grasshoppers went by me. The woods were on the left as I went along the grassy path and occasionally I still saw the blue blazes, which reassured me I was still on the right path. Then back into the woods I went.
Soon after that, the trial ends at the road, right by the management center. When you come to this, turn right and you’ll have to walk on the road for about a mile. Be sure to cross the street so you’re walking against traffic. There isn’t any shoulder or designated walking path, so keep your eyes open for cars. I didn’t see too many, but the ones that did come by didn’t have much time to see me because of the curves in the road, so keep your ears open as well so you can move into the grass when you hear them coming. I didn’t take many pictures on this point because I didn’t want to be distracted, but I did use my phone to note a couple places where it looks like you can go back on the trail, but it’s a false alarm – it’s private property.
Eventually, though, the trial will pick back up on your right, so you’ll have to cross the street again to get over there.
You’re now on a bridle path. While normally the only signs of horses I see when I’m on the bridle paths are just their droppings, on this hike I nearly jumped out of my skin when a horse and rider came up behind me – they were far enough away that I didn’t hear the hoofbeats yet, but the horse gave a loud snort and I was only saved from completely embarrassing myself by the fact that I was so startled I couldn’t make a sound. Once the horse passed, though, I found myself face-to-face with another creature: this caterpillar! I believe it’s a Tussock Moth caterpillar, but regardless, it was fascinating to watch dance around on the end of its silk. I’ll spare you scores of pictures I took, but here’s an idea.
As you go along, there’s a little river crossing. It hasn’t rained much lately, so the water level was pretty low, but even still, there’s a nice bridge of stones going across.
Soon, you’ll cross the road, then awhile later you’ll cross another one and find yourself by a small parking lot and a little picnic area. I took a moment to sit and snack on some trail mix here. Then back on the path. Now you’re heading for the Lake Shore Loop. This will take you by a huge parking lot – just before you reach that, there’s a Lake Shore Loop path branching off to your right. That wasn’t part of my map, so I didn’t take it, but if you wanted to do just the Lake Shore Loop, you could start here. This parking lot was PACKED however. It was a sign of how much my isolation has affected me that I started getting a bit panicked by the sheer amount of cars and people. I did end up pulling out my mask and putting that back on for this part, since there were a lot of people walking back and forth and it was impossible to keep 6 ft. of distance. But soon after you get through the main launch area, it clears out again.
The Lake Front is beautiful. There were lots of people out on the water, kayaking, paddle boarding, canoeing. It reminded me a lot of summers back in Minnesota, as well as a trip a couple years ago visiting friends in Virginia where I went kayaking and paddle boarding for the first time.
The path is nice, with lots of little docks, many with benches, where you can stop and enjoy the sights or fish or watch the numerous dragonflies flit about.
At one point, you’ll be walking along the road again, but this time there will be a walking path for you, so you aren’t right on the road with cars. You’ll be across the street from the lake and you’ll reach a point where you can keep following the paved path or take the dirt path on your right to cross the street and head back into the woods. You’ll see a tree with the Lakeshore Loop sign on it – follow that!
This will take you back to State Road and the entrance to the parking lot you started at. Follow that back to your car and congratulate yourself on a good long hike!
This is only one of many path options. There are also the Worden’s Ledges, which I went to once before and is famous for its rock carvings. I didn’t explore the whole area that time and hope to go back, but it’s another fun and beautiful place. So if you’re looking for a great day trip or want to spend several days outdoors, check out the Hinckley Lake Reservation!
Beautiful pictures.