Hike to Whipp's Ledges

The account below was written by Lynn Richardson.

Background: I had been going through going through the GSLEC archives, and found in the resident camp director reports from the 1960's & 70's that a hike from camp to Whipp's Ledges was a popular tradition. I was surprised that the ledges were so close, and wondered how tough the trip would be today. So we tried it.

VITAL SIGNS:

TIME / DISTANCE : From the South end of camp to Top o' the Ledges picnic area: 2.8 miles; 7 minutes by car. Walking, it took us an hour and ten minutes - including the time we spent checking out a garage sale, talking with a neighbor who has a fabulous house/ church, petting some horses, and taking a few pictures.

ROUTE:  From Oviatt Rd, we turned left up the hill on 303, and then turned right down Medina Line Rd.  We turned right onto Hawkins Rd. until we reached the Metropark entrance. This looked to be the shortest "backroads" route. ( We noticed the blue blazes of the Buckeye trail from Oviatt to where we turned off Medina Line. They re-appearred at the base of the Ledges. I can only assume they follow a more scenic route that I would be interested in trying another time.)

DESCRIPTION:  Walking to the park from camp is entirely along roads. We stayed well over onto the shoulder in single file the short distance up 303. Once on the other roads we were less rigorous, but still walked facing traffic (except when checking out something interesting). The neighborhood is rural-wealthy: LOTS of stables. Most are private, but we enjoyed watching the horses from the road.  In keeping with the horsiness of the area, the Metropark ranger stables are on Hawkins Rd. at the park entrance.  Top o' the Ledges picnic area is a wide grassy meadow with shelter and outhouses.  The path through the woods to the Ledges was easy to find and well-maintained.  The view from the top of the ledges was spectacular.  The boulder-strewn path to the base of the Ledges was beautiful (and challenging!).  At the bottom we found another wide meadow with a Depression-era stone shelter and informational kiosk showing all the trails.  If we had had all day and drier weathe , it would have been great to explore more of it.

LOGISTICS:  Sarah Spiegler and Corey Ringler represented the Young and Sprightly.  My husband Rob and I represented the Geezer Patrol.  Since we weren't sure how well the hike would turn out, we went down in two cars.  We parked one at the Ledges, and drove the other back to the starting point along the staighest route on 303. The weather turned out chilly, with on & off rain.  The car-at-destination-point turned out to work very well for us. Not only could we time walking & driving modes, but we were able to go back to the garage sale and pick up lots more cheap loot!

EVALUATION:  A good hike for experienced troops. Or - a short drive from Crowell Hilaka will get you to all the ameneties of Hinkley Reservation: free swimming at Hinkley Lake, Ledge Lake (which I think is paid admission - couldn't find easy access info), Worden's Homestead and Ledges with historic carvings, Buzzard's Roost. Rappelling and rope system climbing are available but require a permit.  Visit www.clemetparks.com/pdf/Hinckleytrail.pdf for map, trails, and points of interest.

SCENES FROM THE HIKE:

Rock Rest: Sarah, me and Corey

Sarah makes a new friend.  - Whip-Or -Wheel farm on Hawkins Rd

Rob at the kiosk

Old stone cottage along the way - almost makes us think we are in England.  (Of course, the weather helped with that too)

Sarah & Corey - ready to move on.   Central Geezer requires greater meditation time.