Chapin Forest Reservation

Wander through nearly six miles of trails surrounded by mature beech, maple, oak, tulip and hemlock trees. One of the best scenic overlooks in Lake County is found along Lucky Stone Loop Trail. Hiking in this beautiful forested park will take the park visitor to spectacular Sharon Conglomerate ledges, from which Lake Erie and the Cleveland skyline are visible on a clear day.

Feel free to hike under the lights this winter at Chapin Forest Reservation! A mile of trail lights will be turned on on the Arbor Lane Loop Trail (Hobart Road entrance) each evening from dusk until park closes, regardless of ski conditions.

If hiking and snow is on the trail:
• Watch for skiers
• Respect groomed trails
• Do not walk in ski tracks

To see current, live conditions outside of Pine Lodge, click here to view the webcam at Chapin Forest Reservation.

Part of the Buckeye Trail, a continuous hiking trail throughout Ohio, passes through Chapin Forest Reservation. Blue paint blazes on some trees mark the Buckeye Trail.

Park History

To protect this beautiful setting from development, Frederic H. Chapin purchased the property in 1949 and donated it to the State of Ohio. Under a lease agreement with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Forestry, Lake Metroparks manages Chapin Forest Reservation. The ledges, or rocky outcroppings of Sharon Conglomerate, were formed approximately 300 million years ago, long before glaciers slid across northern Ohio. Visitors may explore the restricted ledges area on guided hikes only, which are offered regularly throughout the year.

Sandstone from Quarry Pond and the adjacent streambed were part of a stone quarry that operated during the 1800s. Berea sandstone from this site supplied the foundations for many local buildings including the Kirtland Temple, which was completed in 1836.

Chapin Forest has also served as a study site. During the late 1950s, the Ohio Division of Forestry and Reclamation began using Chapin Forest as a research site to determine the growth rates of trees for possible commercial timber production.