West Branch State Park

On the ground

The park sits on the west branch of the Mahoning River, a name drawn from the Delaware Tribe word mahonink, meaning "at the salt lick," after a salt works once stood southeast of present-day Warren and drew both wildlife and early harvesters. At the park's west end lies Campbellsport, a crossroads named for Captain John Campbell, who mustered militia there for the War of 1812 before marching them toward Cleveland; Captain Campbell had arrived in 1805 as a surveyor and land agent for proprietor Samuel Hinckley, later served as Portage County sheriff from 1810 to 1813, and is said to have built the oldest brick land-office in the area. The park's only listed historic feature, the Dam/Spillway, marks the engineering behind the reservoir itself.

ODNR maintains 14 miles of hiking trails on mostly natural surfaces, including a stretch of the state's Buckeye Trail connected to the campground by a 2-mile spur. Named routes mapped in the park include the Buckeye Trail at 5.71 miles, Blackberry Haven at 2.7 miles, Quarry Trail at 2.27 miles, 2 Mile Trail at 1.87 miles, Bear Hollow at 1.71 miles, Lottie's Run at 1.69 miles, Rock Run Trail at 1.61 miles, and Rock Spring Trail at 1.45 miles, among shorter loops such as Jay Lake Trail and Deer Run Trail. The park also carries nearly 20 miles of bridle trails through woodlands and meadows, closed in winter except for the service road to camp, and a mountain bike system of 19+ miles on the south side built as stacked loops connecting beginner and advanced routes.