Trailhead Adventures

The Berlin Lake Trail offers hikers and bikers a well maintained 2.2 mile path across the beautiful Berlin Lake.

Trailhead Location: 41.024398, -81.021468
Distance & Type: 4.4 miles (7 km) Out and Back
Elevation change: +/- 20 feet
Difficulty: Easy hike on packed crushed limestone.
Accessibility: ADA Accessible
Dog Friendly: Yes

Hike Features:

Note: Trail conditions change over time.  If you discover any inaccuracies with this post during your visit, please post a comment below to let me know.

Built in 2011, the Berlin Lake Trail is a 2.2 mile trail built on former railroad tracks that crosses over the 3,000-acre Berlin Lake and is part of the Portage Park District.  Berlin Lake and trail is located around half way between Youngstown, Ohio and Akron, Ohio.  The trail stretches north and south across Berlin lake and as trailheads and parking on both sides.  The north parking lot and trailhead is located at 41.024398, -81.021468 and has parking for 10 vehicles.  The south parking lot and trailhead is located at 40.994153, -81.021105 and has enough parking for around 8 vehicles.

I have drove past the northern trailhead for the past few months while visiting my daughter at Kent State University, so this past Sunday I decided to stop and explore the trail.  I was not incredibly excited for this hike as my initial assumption was that the trail would be flat, straight  and boring.  My assumption was correct for the most part, the trail is long and flat, but only a tiny portion of the trail was exposed for a trail that crosses over one of the widest portions of Berlin Lake. 

There are multiple spots to stop along the Berlin Lake Trail where benches were built and trees cleared offering views of Berlin Lake, and few paths exist along the trail with lake access for those wanting to stop for a break or to fish for a bit.  The trail has a few rows of trees between the trail and the lake for most of the hike with the exception of a few hundred feet at the bridge.  The trail is well maintained and built with crushed limestone.  The lake access paths are marked along the trail making them easy to find.

I found the Berlin Lake Trail enjoyable with plenty of wildflowers, wildlife and beautiful views of Berlin Lake.  The only suggestions I would have is to wear a comfortable pair of shoes and bring some water.  I think this trail would make an excellent Fall hike as the leaves are changing and the temperatures cool down.

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