Lake Hope State Park

Ohio Birding Day Hike

Lake Hope State Park Trails
Seven hiking trails traverse the park. A 29-mile backpack trail with primitive campsites is available in the adjacent state forest.

Hope Furnace Trail
Hope Furnace Trail is a 5.7 mile moderately trafficked out and back trail that features a lake and is good for all skill levels. The trail is primarily used for hiking, walking, nature trips, and birding and is accessible year-round.

A description of this trail with a map is on the AllTrails website

Other Trails at Lake Hope State Park
Buzzard Cave Trail – .5 mile – Moderate
Greenbriar Trail – .5 mile – Moderate
Peninsula Trail – 3 miles – Moderate
White Oak Trail – .25 mile – Moderate/Difficult
Habron Hollow Trail – 1.5 miles – Moderate/Difficult
Olds Hollow Trail – 1.5 miles – Moderate/Difficult

There are links to hikes on several of these trails on the AllTrails website

About Lake Hope State Park
Lake Hope State Park is truly a nature lover’s dream. In the forest-draped hills, the observant visitor can discover the abundant natural resources of this wild and scenic park.

Although most of the forest was cut to fuel the iron smelting industry that once flourished here, the land has recovered and supports a magnificent, second-growth forest. Oak and hickory are the dominant trees while the woodland floor harbors a fascinating assemblage of shrubs and wildflowers. The yellow lady’s slipper, one of the rarest and most showy orchids, blooms in secluded hollows. Other spring wildflowers such as blue-eyed mary, bloodroot, and wild geranium can be found in abundance.

Deer and wild turkeys are often seen in a number of park locations. Of the many animals inhabiting the park, none is as popular as the beaver. As nature’s dam builders, the beavers are found in numbers and can be observed near the quiet inlets of the lake.
From Lake Hope State Park webpage

Restrooms at locations identified on Lake Hope State Park map.