Natural Ohio Adventures

Trails:
Glen Meadow Loop Trail
Length: .55 miles
Difficulty: Easy
Trail Description: Relaxing paved trail that starts at the park’s nature center and takes you through a meadow and offers an overlook of the gorge


Gorge Rim Trail
Length: .88 miles
Difficulty: Easy
Trail Description: Loop trail that runs adjacent to the park’s gorge for about ¼ of a mile and has a staircase that takes you down into the gorge.

Penitentiary Glen got its infamous name in the 1880’s when settlers had so much difficulty traversing the deepest portion of the gorge that they gave this name because claimed it was as difficult to get out of as a prison. The gorge has an extremely sensitive environment, so the access into the gorge is unfortunately limited. If you want to view the gorge in its entirety, you can go on a ranger led tour. For more info on these tours, call the registration department at 440-358-7275. Immediately after getting to this park you’ll realize this place has much more to offer than just the glen. Penitentiary Glen Reservation has beautiful forests, meadows, and The Ohio Department of Natural Resources named this a “Watchable Wildlife Area”.

Address: 8668 Kirtland-Chardon Road, Kirtland, Ohio

Size: 424 Acres

sources: http://lakemetroparks.com/parks/penitentiary-glen/index.shtml

Penitentiary Glen Reservation

Rabbit Run Trail:
Length: 2.63 miles
Difficulty: Hard
Trail Description: Best and longest trail in the park. Loop trail that parallels the southern rim of the gorge and descends into it at the trail’s easternmost point.


Kirtland Connector Trail:
Length: 1.5 miles
Difficulty: EasyTrail Description: Neat trail that connects with the rabbit run trail and leaves the park and takes you to the Kirtland City Hall.

Photo by Todd Busswell

Park Map