Vintage 2012 Hikes
This page describes the vintage hiking trails at RHP that were present at Camp Crowell Hilaka in 2012
For Friends' guided tours, go to the Events/Hikes page.
For current trails at RHP, pick up a trail map at any RHP entrance kiosk
For Friends' guided tours, go to the Events/Hikes page.
For current trails at RHP, pick up a trail map at any RHP entrance kiosk
Full Moon Trail
The Full Moon Trail, about 2.5 miles long, makes a complete circuit around camp, passing many of its major landmarks. Although it can be entered at many points along the way, this descriptions starts at southern parking lot.
From the south parking lot, head west down the road. ust past the lower pasture, pick up Hilltop Road on your right. This climbs a steep hill. At Hilltop House, it flattens out. It passes Windy Hill tent unit. The road to the Summer Barn branches off to the right. Continue straight until the detour sign directing you to the right. (The trail formerly continued straight past High Lea shelter, and crossed the shallow creek there. The creek bed has eroded and the bridge built by Corey Ringle and installed by the Muren Family has since been removed) The Trail narrows as it diverts to the west, then arrives at the Gas Cut, a 30-foot meadow, spanning the entire width of the camp. Cross the Gas Cut and enter the indentation in the edge of the Forest of the Lost Green Cathedral. The trail heads more or less north through a pine forest. There is very little undergrowth and the ground is carpeted with with soft needles. Leave the forest at Gemini Road and turn right. Look for blackberries along the edges of this road. Follow the road past Gemini cabin. The main road band to the right, but the Full Moon Trail continues straight. The road becomes a grassy (often wet) path known as Crescent Trail. (Twig Trail once branched off to the left after the second bend, past the bridle trail entrance.) Crescent Trail takes you past the old playing field on the left, then a sharp turn right and downhill to the main creek. (Once a ford from the orchard days, the Sam Gill Eagle Scout Bridge now spans the creek). From here, the trail is an old roadway leading uphill, through the mint patch and along a grassy track between (former campsites) Far Away Pines and Last Chance. Turn right at the main road. Stroll along the Main Road, passing the Adirondack unit, Chagrin Valley Cabin. Then Coach House and North House will come into view on your right. Just after North House, the road bends and dips into a shady dell, then swoops out and up to cut in front of Amity House. Continue down to the northern parking lot and The Lodge (formerly Gund Hall). Turn right at The Lodge and follow the main road through the woods, past the Gas Cut near the archery field, Wonken Tonken, Mabel Smith Shelter and Hick Hill Meadow, (Hickory Hill and Beechcliff tent units have been removed). At Beechcliff the road drops down a short but steep hill. At the base of the hill is the famed Garfield Hall and the dining hall bell. The road then follows the western edge of the lower lake very closely until it passes Cricket's Corner on the left and Kirby House on the right. At Kirby House, the woods open out again into a rolling meadow. The Mill, swinging bridge, and sundial are on your left. A few more steps bring you back to your starting point.
Half Moon Trail (North)
Half Moon Trail (South)
Same as the Full Moon Trail, but halve your distance by dipping through the Gas Cut to pick up the trail again on the other side. An Eagle Scout bridge allows you to cross the creek.
Crescent Trail a half-circle trail off the main road in the north. It once served as a road for the Neal Fruit Farm because it led to the only place where farm equipment could ford the main creek. teh west and couth parts of the trail pass by (and at one time -through) many vernal pools.
Deer Leap Trail (Now part of the Buckeye Trail)
The original trailhead just below the Lake Linnea dam has become too overgrown, so the trail was moved uphill. (now marked by a blue blaze on a post marking the Buckeye Trail by the spillway bridge across from Seely Cabin and just downhill from Seely outhouse) It follows the the stream, becoming more mossy and garden-like as the elevation drops. Just after reaching the level of the stream, the trail swings hard left, making a steep climb up the hill, winds a short way through the woods, and ends partway up the gas cut. ( Just after the closure of the south half of camp, Deer Leap Trail was refurbished by Junior GS Troop 1980 of North Olmsted.)
Ithilien Trail
From the main camp road, take the Crescent Trail between Far Away Pines and Last Chance. Cross the creek. Just as you can see the Crescent Trail bending left, the Ithilien Trail veers off to the right. (There was a fairly unobtrusive wooden sign marking the trail. So unobtrusive, in fact, that you probably can't even see it until you are already on the trail. It was handmade by Flicker by burning the wood by focusing sunlight with a magnifying glass. ) The trail follows the ridge. Scattered along the ridge are a couple of groupings of small boulders and a couple of large piles of cobblestones. One theory for their existence and placement is that the pioneer farmers who worked this land in the early to mid 1800's tossed all the field stones out of the way of their plows and onto the more-difficult-to-farm ridge. Another theory is that they are old tip-up sites. A tip-up occurs when a large tree falls over, and the weight of the branches and trunk rips part of the massive root system out of the ground. Eventually the dirt falls away from the roots and is washed away. Eventually the tree itself deteriorates. All that is left is a pile of the rocks that had been held in the root soil. Whatever the origin of these mysterious nests of rock, the trail was named for the secret outpost of Ithilien in Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings". At the point where the ridge descends to the floodplain of the creek, the Ithilien Trail splits into two branches: the Last Chance Loop and the Northwest Passage.
Kirby Driveway
Much of the brush hiding this former bridle trail has since been cleared and the road is now easily accessible. IN 2012, however, it was a challenge even to find! Here are the old directions: Starting at the sundial below the mill, walk along the edge of the brush between the creek and the main camp road. You will come to a break in the brush that is screened from the camp road by another line of brush, which is what makes the opening so hard to see when you are standing directly across from it. This wide, grassy path was the original driveway of the Kirby estate. It was a favorite bridle trail when Crowell HIlaka had horses. It crosses a sturdy wooden bridge over the gurgling, rock-strewn creek, and heads up an easy grade to the Kirby gateposts. From the gateposts it makes a sharp left turn and becomes steeper. The lake can be glimpsed off to the left, and a pine forest rises on the right. The road passes in back of Robinson Shelter and shortly becomes a barely visible track. It turns left, approaching the Lower Lake Trail but veers off right and ends at an old brick firplace. This was the site of the Innisfree unit, one of the the first tent units established at Camp Julia Crowell in 1937.
Last Chance Loop
The eastern portion survived as part of a new bridle trail, but the connection with the Ithilian Trail has become overgrown and disused.
(Coming from Ithilien Ridge, this trail curves right to the East, and winds around the floodplain. It crosses the creek almost as far upstream as it is possible to go and still be in camp. Many times during the year, there appears to be no visible water in the very rocky streambed! Shortly afterwards it crosses a small, muddy tributary, then rises with the hillside and curves into Last Chance tent unit.)
Northwest Passage - overgrown, currently disused
(The name is a nod to the early explorers of North America. When Christopher Columbus' route to the riches of Asia turned out to be nothing but a navigational roadblock, other ship captains became determined to find a way through. They were certain that the fabled "Northwest Passage" must exist somewhere between the North Canadian islands. Many an expedition was mounted trying to find it, and many a life was lost. Now, ironically, with the warming of the climate and the thinning of the ice caps, such a passage may be making an appearance. Our own Northwest Passage is not nearly so arduous! Coming down off the Ithilien ridge, it cuts left to the west, crosses a small seasonal creek, then climbs into hardwood forest to the northern camp boundary. From there it passes near to Angel Swamp and crosses high meadow wetlands. It ducks back into the forest and emerges behind the backboard of the playing field.)
Lake Jinelle /Lower Lake Trail
As the name implies, this trail simply skirts the lower lake. It is arguably the most beautiful trail in camp. The eastern portion climbs swiftly up from the front of Garfield to a cliffside view of the mill across the lake. Frosty green pillows of moss carpet the ground under beech trees at Fernwood Look Point. (The remains of the old challenge course are superimposed on the even older ruins of the old Fernwood tent platforms. The unit shelter and outhouse are still functional, so it's a great wayside stopping place. ) The trail then dips down to lake level. On the right is Cattail Point, a small peninsula, sprinkled with its namesake plants. To the left, the Secret Waterfall is just a short way upstream. There is a wooden footbridge across the top of one of Mr. Kirby's intake dams built in the early 1920's as part of his patented Clearwater lake system. As you cross, notice the stand of bamboo-like horsetails growing on the south bank on the incoming creek. The trail rises, but becomes muddy from the springs flowing from upslope. At the top of the hill, deciduous forest blends into conifer forest and Robinson shelter stands as a great resting spot with a great view. There is NO water or outhouse at Robinson shelter. The trail continues high above the lake and then eases down to the swinging bridge adjacent to the mill. [If anyone in your group feels unable to handle to swinging bridge, backtrack up to Robinson shelter, walk a shortways south (away from the lake), and you will hit Innisfree Road. Turn right and follow it down the hill. The bridge on this road is more traditional, but it will take you several minutes out of your way. It leads back to the main road. Turn right to return to the mill.] After visiting the mill, walk across the earthen part of the dam (NOT on the concrete wall). This places you in front of Kirby House. Just across the road from Kirby house is Cricket's Corner, a combination picnic shelter and boat landing. From its floor you can look back up across the lake to the hills you just came down. Continuing on the road, you will see the tiny nature hut above and to your left, and a small boat shelter, like a busstop. Then you are back to the starting point at Garfield Hall.
Pine Lake Trail (along the western edge of Lake Linnea- now part of the Buckeye Trail)
The Buckeye Trail Association completely refurbished the southern 3/4 of this trail in 2016. The lake level had risen due to beaver activity at the top of the concrete spillway, even after their dam was removed, the old path had been inundated too long and was soggy and erosion -prone. RJRD approved the BTA proposal to relocate the trail several feet above the shore.
(From North House, take the road heading Northwest to the bridge. Just upstream of the bridge is a small dam. The top of the dam is about at a child's eye level, so she can lean on the railing and watch the water spilling over the top and down the face. The central, concrete portion was built over a much older cobblestone part. We don't know when this was done, but indications in the Richfield Historical Society archives where they have old photos of the double dam indicate it was probably during Kirby's time. Cross the bridge. The Pine Lake Trailhead is on the left. The colorful sign was placed by Troop 598 when they cleared the trail. Pine Lake Trail follows the stream as it flows into Lake Linnea, and continues along the lake's " hypotenuse" side. The first half of the trail is exceptionally lovely. Girls can observe the rock faces of the creek bank, and the plants supported on the vertical surfaces. The woods are an inviting combination of beech, hemlock, spruce, and white pine, with an undergrowth of spice bush and much tiny partridge berry. As the path descends to lake level the water-loving plants are in abundance on the lake side: cattail, willow, flag, and arrowroot. There is a tulip tree that fell into the water long ago and has since grown a new truck from one of its former branches. There are trees and tree stumps shaped by beaver when they spent a few seasons on the lake. But the farther one goes, the more the native species have been replaced with barberry, honeysuckle, multiflora rose, and most of all: buckthorn. There is a side path that comes in from the right and leads the short distance up to the Paddler Unit. It is reccomended that hikers take this path. After this side path, the trail following the lake edge becomes almost impenetrable, and there is lots and lots of poison ivy. This second part of the trail is the site of the trail and native species restoration project. Hidden under the buckthorn are red oak, sassafrass, and a host of other native species that have been almost entirely crowded out by the "invaders". By removing the invasive species, the natives will have a fighting chance. If there are pockets that have completely overcome, native species will be re-planted.)
Storybook Forest Trail
Leading from Gemini road to the gas cut, this trail is a short stroll through the Forest of the Lost Green Cathedral. The straight rows of pines show that this was a deliberately planted forest. Yet, the deep green shade looks like the perfect setting for a fairy tale; hence the name. Novice hikers will be reassured by the calming scent of natural pine all around them, and the openness of the forest floor. Or they will be once the trail has been restored and cleared.
Twig Trail no longer exists. It branched off Crescent Trail between the former play field and the intersection with the new bridle trail. It was named for the red twig dogwood shrubs dotting the way. It was a soggy trail that led almost straight west to the perimeter fence. It is theorized that it was once used by Scouts watching the tanks being tested, but now one knows for sure. It is now overgrown and unused.
Buckeye Trail
IN 2012, the Buckeye Trail was outside the western edge of camp. and led to a very pleasant hike to Whipp's Ledges. In 2016, it re-routed through RHP It utilized the existing camp roads as well as Deer Leap Trail and a partially re-routed Pine Lake Trail. It cut a completely new path alongside Garfield Hall, past Cook's Cabin and along the ridge above the min creek and the Wild Ravine. It quickly became one of the most popular trails.
The Full Moon Trail, about 2.5 miles long, makes a complete circuit around camp, passing many of its major landmarks. Although it can be entered at many points along the way, this descriptions starts at southern parking lot.
From the south parking lot, head west down the road. ust past the lower pasture, pick up Hilltop Road on your right. This climbs a steep hill. At Hilltop House, it flattens out. It passes Windy Hill tent unit. The road to the Summer Barn branches off to the right. Continue straight until the detour sign directing you to the right. (The trail formerly continued straight past High Lea shelter, and crossed the shallow creek there. The creek bed has eroded and the bridge built by Corey Ringle and installed by the Muren Family has since been removed) The Trail narrows as it diverts to the west, then arrives at the Gas Cut, a 30-foot meadow, spanning the entire width of the camp. Cross the Gas Cut and enter the indentation in the edge of the Forest of the Lost Green Cathedral. The trail heads more or less north through a pine forest. There is very little undergrowth and the ground is carpeted with with soft needles. Leave the forest at Gemini Road and turn right. Look for blackberries along the edges of this road. Follow the road past Gemini cabin. The main road band to the right, but the Full Moon Trail continues straight. The road becomes a grassy (often wet) path known as Crescent Trail. (Twig Trail once branched off to the left after the second bend, past the bridle trail entrance.) Crescent Trail takes you past the old playing field on the left, then a sharp turn right and downhill to the main creek. (Once a ford from the orchard days, the Sam Gill Eagle Scout Bridge now spans the creek). From here, the trail is an old roadway leading uphill, through the mint patch and along a grassy track between (former campsites) Far Away Pines and Last Chance. Turn right at the main road. Stroll along the Main Road, passing the Adirondack unit, Chagrin Valley Cabin. Then Coach House and North House will come into view on your right. Just after North House, the road bends and dips into a shady dell, then swoops out and up to cut in front of Amity House. Continue down to the northern parking lot and The Lodge (formerly Gund Hall). Turn right at The Lodge and follow the main road through the woods, past the Gas Cut near the archery field, Wonken Tonken, Mabel Smith Shelter and Hick Hill Meadow, (Hickory Hill and Beechcliff tent units have been removed). At Beechcliff the road drops down a short but steep hill. At the base of the hill is the famed Garfield Hall and the dining hall bell. The road then follows the western edge of the lower lake very closely until it passes Cricket's Corner on the left and Kirby House on the right. At Kirby House, the woods open out again into a rolling meadow. The Mill, swinging bridge, and sundial are on your left. A few more steps bring you back to your starting point.
Half Moon Trail (North)
Half Moon Trail (South)
Same as the Full Moon Trail, but halve your distance by dipping through the Gas Cut to pick up the trail again on the other side. An Eagle Scout bridge allows you to cross the creek.
Crescent Trail a half-circle trail off the main road in the north. It once served as a road for the Neal Fruit Farm because it led to the only place where farm equipment could ford the main creek. teh west and couth parts of the trail pass by (and at one time -through) many vernal pools.
Deer Leap Trail (Now part of the Buckeye Trail)
The original trailhead just below the Lake Linnea dam has become too overgrown, so the trail was moved uphill. (now marked by a blue blaze on a post marking the Buckeye Trail by the spillway bridge across from Seely Cabin and just downhill from Seely outhouse) It follows the the stream, becoming more mossy and garden-like as the elevation drops. Just after reaching the level of the stream, the trail swings hard left, making a steep climb up the hill, winds a short way through the woods, and ends partway up the gas cut. ( Just after the closure of the south half of camp, Deer Leap Trail was refurbished by Junior GS Troop 1980 of North Olmsted.)
Ithilien Trail
From the main camp road, take the Crescent Trail between Far Away Pines and Last Chance. Cross the creek. Just as you can see the Crescent Trail bending left, the Ithilien Trail veers off to the right. (There was a fairly unobtrusive wooden sign marking the trail. So unobtrusive, in fact, that you probably can't even see it until you are already on the trail. It was handmade by Flicker by burning the wood by focusing sunlight with a magnifying glass. ) The trail follows the ridge. Scattered along the ridge are a couple of groupings of small boulders and a couple of large piles of cobblestones. One theory for their existence and placement is that the pioneer farmers who worked this land in the early to mid 1800's tossed all the field stones out of the way of their plows and onto the more-difficult-to-farm ridge. Another theory is that they are old tip-up sites. A tip-up occurs when a large tree falls over, and the weight of the branches and trunk rips part of the massive root system out of the ground. Eventually the dirt falls away from the roots and is washed away. Eventually the tree itself deteriorates. All that is left is a pile of the rocks that had been held in the root soil. Whatever the origin of these mysterious nests of rock, the trail was named for the secret outpost of Ithilien in Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings". At the point where the ridge descends to the floodplain of the creek, the Ithilien Trail splits into two branches: the Last Chance Loop and the Northwest Passage.
Kirby Driveway
Much of the brush hiding this former bridle trail has since been cleared and the road is now easily accessible. IN 2012, however, it was a challenge even to find! Here are the old directions: Starting at the sundial below the mill, walk along the edge of the brush between the creek and the main camp road. You will come to a break in the brush that is screened from the camp road by another line of brush, which is what makes the opening so hard to see when you are standing directly across from it. This wide, grassy path was the original driveway of the Kirby estate. It was a favorite bridle trail when Crowell HIlaka had horses. It crosses a sturdy wooden bridge over the gurgling, rock-strewn creek, and heads up an easy grade to the Kirby gateposts. From the gateposts it makes a sharp left turn and becomes steeper. The lake can be glimpsed off to the left, and a pine forest rises on the right. The road passes in back of Robinson Shelter and shortly becomes a barely visible track. It turns left, approaching the Lower Lake Trail but veers off right and ends at an old brick firplace. This was the site of the Innisfree unit, one of the the first tent units established at Camp Julia Crowell in 1937.
Last Chance Loop
The eastern portion survived as part of a new bridle trail, but the connection with the Ithilian Trail has become overgrown and disused.
(Coming from Ithilien Ridge, this trail curves right to the East, and winds around the floodplain. It crosses the creek almost as far upstream as it is possible to go and still be in camp. Many times during the year, there appears to be no visible water in the very rocky streambed! Shortly afterwards it crosses a small, muddy tributary, then rises with the hillside and curves into Last Chance tent unit.)
Northwest Passage - overgrown, currently disused
(The name is a nod to the early explorers of North America. When Christopher Columbus' route to the riches of Asia turned out to be nothing but a navigational roadblock, other ship captains became determined to find a way through. They were certain that the fabled "Northwest Passage" must exist somewhere between the North Canadian islands. Many an expedition was mounted trying to find it, and many a life was lost. Now, ironically, with the warming of the climate and the thinning of the ice caps, such a passage may be making an appearance. Our own Northwest Passage is not nearly so arduous! Coming down off the Ithilien ridge, it cuts left to the west, crosses a small seasonal creek, then climbs into hardwood forest to the northern camp boundary. From there it passes near to Angel Swamp and crosses high meadow wetlands. It ducks back into the forest and emerges behind the backboard of the playing field.)
Lake Jinelle /Lower Lake Trail
As the name implies, this trail simply skirts the lower lake. It is arguably the most beautiful trail in camp. The eastern portion climbs swiftly up from the front of Garfield to a cliffside view of the mill across the lake. Frosty green pillows of moss carpet the ground under beech trees at Fernwood Look Point. (The remains of the old challenge course are superimposed on the even older ruins of the old Fernwood tent platforms. The unit shelter and outhouse are still functional, so it's a great wayside stopping place. ) The trail then dips down to lake level. On the right is Cattail Point, a small peninsula, sprinkled with its namesake plants. To the left, the Secret Waterfall is just a short way upstream. There is a wooden footbridge across the top of one of Mr. Kirby's intake dams built in the early 1920's as part of his patented Clearwater lake system. As you cross, notice the stand of bamboo-like horsetails growing on the south bank on the incoming creek. The trail rises, but becomes muddy from the springs flowing from upslope. At the top of the hill, deciduous forest blends into conifer forest and Robinson shelter stands as a great resting spot with a great view. There is NO water or outhouse at Robinson shelter. The trail continues high above the lake and then eases down to the swinging bridge adjacent to the mill. [If anyone in your group feels unable to handle to swinging bridge, backtrack up to Robinson shelter, walk a shortways south (away from the lake), and you will hit Innisfree Road. Turn right and follow it down the hill. The bridge on this road is more traditional, but it will take you several minutes out of your way. It leads back to the main road. Turn right to return to the mill.] After visiting the mill, walk across the earthen part of the dam (NOT on the concrete wall). This places you in front of Kirby House. Just across the road from Kirby house is Cricket's Corner, a combination picnic shelter and boat landing. From its floor you can look back up across the lake to the hills you just came down. Continuing on the road, you will see the tiny nature hut above and to your left, and a small boat shelter, like a busstop. Then you are back to the starting point at Garfield Hall.
Pine Lake Trail (along the western edge of Lake Linnea- now part of the Buckeye Trail)
The Buckeye Trail Association completely refurbished the southern 3/4 of this trail in 2016. The lake level had risen due to beaver activity at the top of the concrete spillway, even after their dam was removed, the old path had been inundated too long and was soggy and erosion -prone. RJRD approved the BTA proposal to relocate the trail several feet above the shore.
(From North House, take the road heading Northwest to the bridge. Just upstream of the bridge is a small dam. The top of the dam is about at a child's eye level, so she can lean on the railing and watch the water spilling over the top and down the face. The central, concrete portion was built over a much older cobblestone part. We don't know when this was done, but indications in the Richfield Historical Society archives where they have old photos of the double dam indicate it was probably during Kirby's time. Cross the bridge. The Pine Lake Trailhead is on the left. The colorful sign was placed by Troop 598 when they cleared the trail. Pine Lake Trail follows the stream as it flows into Lake Linnea, and continues along the lake's " hypotenuse" side. The first half of the trail is exceptionally lovely. Girls can observe the rock faces of the creek bank, and the plants supported on the vertical surfaces. The woods are an inviting combination of beech, hemlock, spruce, and white pine, with an undergrowth of spice bush and much tiny partridge berry. As the path descends to lake level the water-loving plants are in abundance on the lake side: cattail, willow, flag, and arrowroot. There is a tulip tree that fell into the water long ago and has since grown a new truck from one of its former branches. There are trees and tree stumps shaped by beaver when they spent a few seasons on the lake. But the farther one goes, the more the native species have been replaced with barberry, honeysuckle, multiflora rose, and most of all: buckthorn. There is a side path that comes in from the right and leads the short distance up to the Paddler Unit. It is reccomended that hikers take this path. After this side path, the trail following the lake edge becomes almost impenetrable, and there is lots and lots of poison ivy. This second part of the trail is the site of the trail and native species restoration project. Hidden under the buckthorn are red oak, sassafrass, and a host of other native species that have been almost entirely crowded out by the "invaders". By removing the invasive species, the natives will have a fighting chance. If there are pockets that have completely overcome, native species will be re-planted.)
Storybook Forest Trail
Leading from Gemini road to the gas cut, this trail is a short stroll through the Forest of the Lost Green Cathedral. The straight rows of pines show that this was a deliberately planted forest. Yet, the deep green shade looks like the perfect setting for a fairy tale; hence the name. Novice hikers will be reassured by the calming scent of natural pine all around them, and the openness of the forest floor. Or they will be once the trail has been restored and cleared.
Twig Trail no longer exists. It branched off Crescent Trail between the former play field and the intersection with the new bridle trail. It was named for the red twig dogwood shrubs dotting the way. It was a soggy trail that led almost straight west to the perimeter fence. It is theorized that it was once used by Scouts watching the tanks being tested, but now one knows for sure. It is now overgrown and unused.
Buckeye Trail
IN 2012, the Buckeye Trail was outside the western edge of camp. and led to a very pleasant hike to Whipp's Ledges. In 2016, it re-routed through RHP It utilized the existing camp roads as well as Deer Leap Trail and a partially re-routed Pine Lake Trail. It cut a completely new path alongside Garfield Hall, past Cook's Cabin and along the ridge above the min creek and the Wild Ravine. It quickly became one of the most popular trails.