South Chagrin Reservation–Look About Lodge

Ohio Birding Day Hike
South Chagrin Reservation Trails

Tips for birding South Chagrin Reservation
South Chagrin Reservation is a stop on the Lake Erie Birding Trail.

About Look About Lodge
Located in scenic South Chagrin Reservation, Look About Lodge is a beautiful log cabin built from more than 300 chestnut logs. The Lodge was built in 1938 as the meeting place for the Cleveland Natural Science Club. Although now owned and operated by Cleveland Metroparks, the Lodge is still home to the Cleveland Natural Science Club for their monthly meetings. The Lodge features three stone fireplaces, halved chestnut log stairs, and a Native American totem pole. Adjacent to the Lodge is a hemlock forest overlooking Sulphur Springs gorge as well as a section of the Buckeye Trail.

Look About Lodge staff believes nature can be experienced through many paths: study, art, recreation and play, reflection and special events. Serving as an outdoor education center, the Lodge focuses on extended or series natural history programs, art-centered experiences, school group field trips, concert series in winter and summer, overnights, workshops, children’s programs, summer camp, and more. Although the building is not open on a regular basis or available to rent for private parties — organized groups requesting a natural history program can call for an appointment. Look About Lodge programs open to the public are listed in the Emerald Necklace newsletter
From Look About Lodge webpage

About South Chagrin Reservation
The Chagrin River, designated a Scenic River in July 1979, flows through the eastern edge of South Chagrin Reservation. The forest in the reservation has many fine examples of hemlock, white oak, red oak, and shagbark hickory trees, as well as beech and sugar maples. This area is well-known for its brilliant fall colors.

The outdoor sculpture known as “Squaw Rock” in South Chagrin Reservation was carved by artist and blacksmith Henry Church in 1885. Church walked through the Chagrin River at night to sculpt this large sandstone boulder. Included in the carving is a quiver of arrows (with the four phases of the moon), a giant serpent, an eagle, a woman with a shell behind her (reminiscent of Botticelli’s Venus), a dog, skeleton, and a baby in a papoose. While many have speculated the meaning of the work, it is not known what message Mr. Church actually wanted to convey through this piece. Other smaller carvings can be found on the river side of the rock, although it is uncertain whether they were carved by Henry Church.

The reservation is located in Bentleyville, Solon and Moreland Hills, and also features an Arboretum, Polo Field and many interesting trails to explore. Look About Lodge, a log cabin built in 1938 by the Cleveland Natural Science Club, offers year-round outdoor education programming for all ages.
From South Chagrin Reservation webpage

Restrooms at locations identified on South Chagrin Reservation map.