Hours: 8 a.m.-Sunset (?), Daily
Kipton Reservation is the former site of a reservoir (Kipton Reservoir) which once served as the City of Oberlin’s water supply. The now largely dry basin is grown over and ringed with forest. Kipton’s primitive trail system is a favorite for horseback riding. Facilities at Kipton include a simple gravel parking lot, portable toilet, small shelter, and grill.
HIGHLIGHTS
Kipton Reservation is highlighted by a primitive 2.2-mile loop trail traversing mature forest. Frequently used for horseback riding, the trail makes two un-bridged stream crossings. Despite the park’s relatively small size, portions of Kipton’s trail feel isolated and remote. Kipton is the perfect site for a quick but adventurous hike.
HISTORY
Kipton Reservoir was constructed in 1887 by damming the Brighton Camden Ditch, a tributary of the East Branch Vermilion River. The reservoir served as Oberlin’s water supply until 1905 and it was at about this same time that Oberlin launched an effort to reforest portions of the site. They did so, at least in part, by establishing many single species stands. The chosen trees included a mix of native and non-native species including white pine, catalpa, ash, red oak, black locust, larch, and Norway spruce. The tidiness of the site’s planting scheme has deteriorated with time but evidence of it can still be observed while walking Kipton’s trails.
Oberlin abandoned the reservoir in 1962 and the reservoir’s failing dam finally collapsed in 1974. It’s now easy to walk the site without realizing a reservoir was ever there. Vegetation is overtaking the site.
The Lorain County Metro Parks purchased the property in 1993. Kipton’s simple dirt trails and un-bridged stream crossings differ from those in most other reservations; some might prefer them to the stone or asphalt trails in other parks. Credit goes to the Erie and Lorain County chapters of the Ohio Horse Council for creating and helping to maintain them.
Hours
8 a.m.-Sunset
Daily