Buckeye Trail to Ottawa Overlook (Brecksville Reservation)

Brecksville Reservation, Cleveland Metroparks (next to Cuyahoga Valley National Park)

Cuyahoga Valley National Park doesn’t allow camping, but its neighbor, Cleveland Metroparks’ Brecksville Reservation, has three backcountry tent sites just off the Buckeye Trail. The Ottawa Overlook sites sit along a ridge with a valley view, and Cleveland Metroparks says to expect at least a 3-mile hike from your car.

It is a short overnight with strict, simple rules: one night, stoves only, and food on the hangers.

The hike

Cleveland Metroparks allows overnight parking, by permit, at two lots: the Brecksville Nature Center, about 3.1 miles from the sites, and the Plateau Picnic Area, about 3.4 miles. You can’t park at Ottawa Point Picnic Area, the closest lot.

Ohio Park Quests describes the route from Plateau Picnic Area. Follow the White Oak Trail about 0.75 mile to Oak Grove Picnic Area, then the all-purpose trail about 0.25 mile to the blue-blazed Buckeye Trail on the left. The Buckeye Trail runs about 1.25 miles to Ottawa Point Drive; turn left and walk about 0.75 mile past Ottawa Point Picnic Area to the campground on the left. The trail is uneven, with leaves and rocks, so the author notes the sites aren’t accessible for people with disabilities.

The Buckeye Trail itself loops more than 1,400 miles around Ohio and passes through five Cleveland Metroparks reservations. That makes a longer trip possible. Public Lands describes starting at Cuyahoga Valley National Park’s Boston Mill Visitor Center and hiking 9 miles north on the Buckeye Trail to Ottawa Overlook. On day two, it continues 3 miles to Brecksville Station, then follows the Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail 4.4 miles south back to the car. It suggests the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad between Brecksville and Boston Mill stations as an alternative ride back.

BackpackOhio also sells a guide to a longer Brecksville and Cuyahoga Valley loop of 11 to 20 miles that passes Blue Hen Falls, creek gorges, the Cuyahoga River, and old canal locks; it confirms that camping is not available inside the national park.

Ohio Park Quests says the sites run cooler than the surrounding area, so bring a warm enough sleeping setup, and calls the campground a good trip for all experience levels, including families and solo hikers.

Cleveland Metroparks has a second backcountry site off the Buckeye Trail at Williams Woods in North Chagrin Reservation, about 2.6 miles from parking. For a longer Buckeye Trail overnight in southern Ohio, see East Fork.

Tips

Book at least two days ahead, and name your parking lot on the permit.
Carry water outside the summer season; the picnic area tap is seasonal.
Pack a stove. Campfires and charcoal are banned.
Use a dry bag for food and toiletries; everything goes on the hangers.
Leave the cooler home. Coolers aren’t allowed.
Move your car after one night, or risk towing.

Camping

The three Ottawa Overlook sites are hike-in only, open year-round, and require a permit booked at least two days in advance, per Cleveland Metroparks. Stays are limited to one night, with a maximum of four people or two tents per site. Camp only inside the marked tent areas; cook only on a backcountry stove in the shared kitchen area, with no campfires or charcoal; hang food and scented items on the designated hangers; dispose of wastewater at least 200 feet from camp, trails, and water; and use only the designated posts for hammocks and clotheslines. Site 1 is a 12-by-17-foot tent area closest to the kitchen, Site 2 is a 16-by-22-foot area on the ridge with views, and Site 3 is a 10-by-12-foot wooden platform, farthest from the others.

Inside Intel: Ohio Park Quests recommends Site 3, the most secluded and on a platform, for rainy or cold nights, noting that it needs a freestanding tent. It suggests Sites 1 and 2, close together near the kitchen and the valley view, for larger groups.

Trail facts

Distance: About 6.2 miles round trip from the Nature Center lot; 6.8 from Plateau Picnic Area
Route type: Out and back
Difficulty: Easy to moderate
Campsites: Three tent sites (one on a platform), shared kitchen, food hangers
Water: Seasonal tap at Ottawa Point Picnic Area, about 0.25 mile away; carry water off-season
Permits: Required, booked 2+ days ahead; one night only
Fires: Prohibited; backcountry stoves only
Trailheads: Brecksville Nature Center or Plateau Picnic Area
Last verified: October 17, 2026

The Lowdown

Rainy nights at Brecksville's Site 3:

Ohio Park Quests points to the platform at Site 3 for rainy or cold nights. For the walk in, we compared the Arc'teryx Beta SL with two less expensive shells.

Compare the shells →

Where this comes from

This page draws on the sources below, along with other guides and trip reports. Links go to the original pages.

Before you go: This page is based on published trail guides, trip reports, and reviews, along with official park and agency information where we could find it. It’s meant to help backpackers discover new trails, not to replace current, official information. Conditions, closures, permits, campsites, and water sources change, and some details here may be out of date or wrong. Confirm everything with the managing agency and check current conditions before you head out, and don’t rely on this page alone for safety or navigation. Backcountry travel involves risk.