Morgan Swamp

Why You Should Visit: Morgan Swamp is one of the largest privately-protected wetlands in Ohio.  It is significant for its size, its proximity to the Grand River, and its dynamic and self-sustaining swamp ecosystem.  A faunal survey in the 1980s revealed 108 bird species, 24 fishes, 26 reptiles, and 24 mammals.  There are numerous rare species recorded from the swamp area, many of which are associated with boreal habitats and are near the southern edge of their ranges in North America.

Location/Hours: Ashtabula County/Open year-round, dawn to dusk. 

Directions: From the north: 

• From Interstate 90, travel south on State Route 534 for about 7 miles to its junction with State Route 166/Footville-Richmond Rd.
• Travel east on Footville-Richmond Rd. for 3.4 miles to the Morgan Swamp parking lot.

From the south:

• From U.S. Route 6, take State Route 45 north for about 3.2 miles to Footville-Richmond Rd.
• Travel west on Footville-Richmond for about 1.6 miles to the Morgan Swamp parking lot.

Special Note:  This trail is ADA accessible.

Brown's Lake Bog

Why You Should Visit: This 100-acre preserve is a bog with its floating sphagnum moss mat, a 7-acre kettle lake and an outstanding example of a glacially-formed hill known as a kame. Brown's Lake Bog is one of the few remaining kettle hole peatlands in Ohio.

Location/Hours: Wayne County/Open year-round, dawn to dusk

Directions: From Wooster:

• Travel State Route 3 south past the intersection of U.S. 30
• Turn left (south) onto Elyria Road
• Follow Elyria Road south for three miles, then turn right (west) on Brown Road
• Park on the left side of the road

Edge of Appalachia

Why You Should Visit: The Edge of Appalachia Preserve is one of the most biologically diverse collections of natural systems in the midwestern U.S. It is a nationally recognized preserve complex encompassing 13,000 acres of rugged woodland, prairie openings, waterfalls, giant promontories and clear streams.

Location/Hours: Adams County/Open year-round, dawn to dusk.

Directions: From West Union:

• Turn left (east) onto State Route 125
• Travel east on SR 125 for about 10 miles toward the village of Lynx
• To get to the preserve office, turn south (right) onto Waggoner Riffle Road, the first road east of the St. Rt. 125 bridge over Ohio Brush Creek. The preserve office is located at 3223 Waggoner Riffle Road about 2.5 miles south of SR 125.
• To visit Lynx Prairie, follow SR 125 into Lynx, then turn right (south) onto Tulip Road. The first driveway on the left is East Liberty Church. Public access to Lynx Prairie is available from a trail beginning in the southeast corner of the cemetery.
• The public access to the Buzzardroost Rock trail is a small parking lot on Weaver Road, which is entered from SR 125 just west of Lynx. The trail begins at the parking lot and crosses south over the highway and continues on.
• To visit Wilderness Trail, follow SR 125 toward village of Lynx. Take a left on Lynx Rd. then take the next left on Shivener Rd. (gravel). Parking lot at the end of Shivener Rd.

Herrick Fen

Why You Should Visit: The site lies on a buried preglacial valley that was filled with 400-500 feet of glacial gravels during the advances of the Wisconsinan Glacier. Herrick Fen is important for its tamarack fen communities, featuring the only native conifer in Ohio which sheds its needles each year. The preserve provides habitat for over two dozen state-listed species.

Location/Hours: Portage County/Open year-round, dawn to dusk

Directions: From Streetsboro:

• Travel State Route 43 south for 0.2 miles from its intersection with State Route 14
• Turn right (southwest) on Seasons Road
• Follow Seasons Road 2.2 miles to a gravel lane on the left (east) side just past a railroad crossing
• Gravel parking lot on right

Special Note: The boardwalk at Herrick Fen is ADA accessible

Kitty Todd

Why You Should Visit: Kitty Todd Preserve protects one of the finest remaining examples of northwest Ohio's Oak Openings Region and is home to the globally endangered black oak savanna community. The preserve has one of the highest concentrations of  rare species of any nature preserve in the state, including the state endangered lark sparrow and several rare butterflies.

Location/Hours: Lucas County/Open May through October from Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. as well as the first weekend during these months.  

Directions: From Interstate 475 on the west side of Toledo:

• Exit at Airport Highway (State Route 2), traveling west toward the Toledo Express Airport
• Turn right (north) on Eber Road
• Eber Road dead ends into Old State Line Road
• Turn left onto Old State Line Road
• Follow the signs to the preserve office and parking lot at 10420 Old State Line Road.

Big Darby Headwaters

Why You Should Visit: The 800-acre Big Darby Headwaters Nature Preserve encompasses a mixture of wetlands and streamside forests. Here, humble coldwater springs emerge, forming the nourishing capillaries that are the lifeblood of Big Darby Creek’s permanent flow downstream. Flora and fauna surveys have found such species as central mottled sculpin, southern redbelly dace, marsh marigold, skunk cabbage and trillium.

Location/Hours: Logan County/Open year-round, dawn to dusk  

Directions: From Columbus:

• • Take US 33 West to the S.R. 287 exit (2nd Honda Parkway exit). Turn left off the ramp and drive approximately 0.3 miles.
• Turn right onto S.R. 287 and drive approximately 2.5 miles. Follow S.R. 287 by making a left-hand turn at the Middleburg sign and drive approximately 1 mile.
• Turn right onto Township Road 227. In approximately .2 miles Township Road 227 merges with County Road 152.
• Continue on County Road 152 for another 0.1 miles until you see a sign for Big Darby Headwaters Nature Preserve on your right.

Special Note: This trail is ADA accessible.

Please note that other preserves of the Ohio Chapter are open to the public by permission.  To complete a Preserve Access Permit Application, please click here (pdf).

Please read our Visitation Guidelines.

If you would like to conduct research on any preserves, please follow these Research Guidelines.

For more information about these and other preserves managed by The Nature Conservancy in Ohio, please visit the Places We Protect section.