Gully Brook Park — Attraction in Willoughby Hills

Gully Brook Park is a nice little place you could either go to for an hour or the whole day. Within its 172 acres features a little over a mile of trails, playground, picnic shelter, restrooms, fire pit stocked with wood, and grills.

Located at 2100 River Road in Willoughby, Ohio, Gully Brook is part of the Lake Metroparks system. When driving North on River Road the entrance will be just after the I 90 bridges or just before them if going South. The area that is now used as a park was home to one of the first studies of a great horned owl in 1927. Results showed that a beneficial nature of owls and pro that their diet helps to control small animal populations. Early studies like this one led to laws protecting all owls, hawks, and eagles.

With that being said, this area was still torn apart a bit in the 1950’s when Interstate 90 was constructed through the area. This road that connects so much of our country changed the landscape of Lake County by diverting streams, splitting up family farms, and forcing migration of the indigenous plants and animals. Luckily Gully Brook Park protects more than a mile of its name sake, Gully Brook and its watershed.

This provides a sanctuary for its well known wildlife such as Great Blue Herons, Pileated woodpeckers, and owls. While going for a walk it is not uncommon to see woodpeckers drilling away at trees in search of beetles, herons stalking the streams for frogs and fish, or squirrels searching for nuts. You will observe all of this great nature at play on the 1.3 mile Gully Brook...

Season - Went in midsummer

Length - About a mile and a half circle trail that bisects in the middle if you don't want to go the full length.

Upkeep - 5 stars - A pristine trail. Very difficult to find any garbage. No overgrowth on a nice white stone path. There is standard pavillion, grill, play area for kids, bathrooms. There was a cool fire pit area with wood already cut for general use.

Location - 2 stars - Biggest complaint is it is right next to Interstate 90. Half the trail is filled with car noise pollution. However the park is easily accessible.

Scenery - 3 stars - Tall thin trees allow for some gorgeous views deep into the woods. It was mucky/muddy in certain areas which could detract from the scenery. Not much diversity in color in Summer, all greens and browns. May be much nicer in spring or fall.

Wildlife - Saw a few birds and butterflies. Trail legend pointed out spots to see owls but I did not see any. Mosquitoes are everywhere. Bring bug spray.

Overall the trail is well kept and flat, albeit boring and noisy. If I lived near it I would jog it all the time. However, it is not worth a trip to see. Biking it would be boring. Not much room for...

Whereas the trail is a rather small circle with a few loops here and there, it's a nice place for a stroll. Once you cross the stream, things change. The stream is mostly shallow and is easy to cross. The local beaver population helps by constantly felling trees, so you don't even have to get your feet wet if your lucky. A few steep hill sides are around, but venture away from those and you run into thick vegetation complete with pickers and spines. Some of these plants reach around 4 feet tall, sometimes higher, slowing all but the most equipped to a crawl. To add to this it turns to a thick mud, possibly up to your ankles. Usually dry in the summer though. An incredibly fragile ecosystem, so use caution with litter, and appreciate the beauty with pictures. One of my favorite parks to go way off the beaten path. Possibly the best for the thrill...