Huntington Reservation

Tips for Birding

Huntington Reservation is a stop on the Lake Erie Birding Trail.

About this Location

Huntington Reservation is in Bay Village on the shores of Lake Erie. Picnic areas high above the beach offer visitors opportunities to enjoy the striking and ever-changing lake views. Breakwalls allow anglers to fish in Lake Erie in all seasons. The reservation is also home to three Cleveland Metroparks affiliates, Lake Erie Nature and Science Center, Huntington Playhouse, and BAYarts.

One of the oldest reservations in Cleveland Metroparks, it still contains many unusual botanical specimens brought here from Europe by John Huntington, the previous owner, and reservation namesake. The Huntington Water Tower, a well-known landmark, was used to pump water from the lake to irrigate Mr. Huntington’s fields of grapes.

The 103-acre Huntington Reservation is located in Bay Village next to Cahoon Memorial Park (east) and between Lake Erie and Wolf Road to the north and south, respectively. Lake Road US-6) runs in an east-west direction through the park.

The reservation features the 2,432-foot-long Huntington Beach, a public swimming beach, and fishing access. The beach is accessible via one of five staircases. In 2006, an ADA-compliant parking lot and beach-access walkway were added at the east end of the beach near the mouth of Porter Creek.

The creek winds through the reservation in a southwest-to-northeast direction. The Hemlock Loop, Porter Creek, Rabbit, and Songbird Loop hiking trails navigate the ravine and through the surrounding mature forest. Additional amenities include a concession stand, multi-use paved trails, picnic areas, a reservable shelter, a sledding hill, and baseball fields.

The Lake Erie Nature & Science Center, Huntington Playhouse, and BAYarts are all located in Huntington Reservation.

Features

  • Wheelchair accessible trail

  • Restrooms on site

  • Entrance fee

  • Roadside viewing

Content from Official Website and Lake Erie Public Access Guide