Lorain County Metro Parks

32649 Electric Blvd
Avon Lake, Ohio 44012
(440) 930-5057

Things To Do | PDF Trail Map | Directions | Weather Update

Welcome to the Kopf Family Reservation home page. This park opened in 2008 and boasts 2 miles of asphalt trails that wind through the woodlands. This park is a partnership between the Lorain County Metro Parks and the City of Avon Lake. It is a great place to enjoy a brisk walk year round!

The Kopf Family Reservation consists of 162 acres of woodlands that are filled with pin oak, red oak, and white oak growing next to shagbark hickory. Maple, elm, ash, cherry, and willow trees also add to the forest's diversity. Wildlife is plentiful in the forest including fox squirrel, Virginia opossum, and white-tailed deer are seen often. Bird life is abundant as the woodlands are one of the largest intact natural habitats closely bordering the shores of Lake Erie. This provides an important stopover for migrating songbirds preparing to cross the wide expanse of Lake Erie, as well as for many nesting species. Two creeks run through the park and are home to many shiners and minnows

The 2 mile asphalt trail winds through the forest allowing visitors to explore the flora and fauna. The trail travels from the Avon Lake Public Library to Belle Road Park and has a southern loop that comes back to Belle Road Park. Visitors can also access the trail just east of the Avon Lake Public Library on Electric Boulevard, and on side roads including Woodstock St, Armour St. and Hunter at Belle Rd Park.

Belle Road Park joins the northern one mile trail to the southern one mile loop trail. There are plenty of picnic tables to enjoy a picnic before or after a walk on the trails. There is also a playground for children to have fun on. Belle Road Park can be found at the end of Belle Road and off of Hunter St.

Located between the northern most beach ridge (North Ridge) and the present Lake Erie shore line, the Kopf Family Reservation sits on a geographic region called the Lake Plain. At one time the park land was covered by Lake Warren. Slowly the land converted to a magnificent forest of oak and hickory, which sustained Native Americans for several thousand years, until it was completely cleared by settlers just after 1800. Though poorly drained, this land sustained a wealth of wildlife, including black bears, wolves, and elk. But, like the forest, the settlers displaced most of the larger wildlife species.

As settlers moved into the area, the land was used for vineyards to produce grapes for local wineries. Most of the vineyards disappeared in the early to mid-1900s; around the same time, land was divided into small "cottage" lots. During the 1930s, roads, bridges, and sidewalks were constructed throughout the land as part of a depression-era program. Many of these still exist. Further development of the land was delayed for a while, but developmental pressure eventually emerged, and the future of this land was in jeopardy. A group of concerned citizens formed the Save the Woods Committee to raise awareness of this great stand of woods. Soon the Lorain County Metro Parks and the City of Avon Lake entered a partnership to preserve the woods from further development.

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