Natural Sites
Looking for natural treasures? Boy, are you in the right state! Take a look at how OHS sites are working to preserve Ohio's natural resources!
Cedar Bog Nature Preserve
What did Ohio look like after the last great ice age? Grab your hiking boots and head west to Champaign County to check out Cedar Bog.
Follow the boardwalk that will take you on a journey into this rare and unique place. Along the way you might spot some yellow and pink lady's slippers and grass pink orchids, or grass-of-parnassus, or maybe some shrubby cinquefoil, depending, of course, when you go. WATCH OUT! You don't want to step on the swamp rattlesnake or spotted turtles sunning themselves on the boardwalk! And be sure to bring your binoculars and watch for the more than one hundred types of birds that live in the area. You'll think you're in another world!
Location
Cedar Bog is located four miles south of Urbana on S.R.68 on Woodburn Road in Champaign County.
Telephone Number
800 860-0147. Please call for hours and admissions information.
Fort Hill State Memorial
Pack a picnic and spend the day exploring the treasures of Fort Hill. As you hike all or part of the 11 miles of trails, you'll want to have your camera ready!
Fort Hill has one of the best-preserved Indian hilltop enclosures in North America. Hopewell Indians built the 1 1/2 mile long enclosure, and two ceremonial buildings, around 2,000 years ago! Keep walking because you can't miss the chance of coming across plants and animals like the rare Canby's Mountain Lover ( a flower that only grows in 2 places in Ohio!); snow trillium; yellow lady slipper; wild turkey; northern water snake and dusky salamander. As you hike the gorge, look for over seven natural bridges and arches including Keyhole Bridge and Natural Y Bridge.
Location
Fort Hill is located off of State Rout 41 on Township Road 256, five miles north of Sinking Springs and three miles south of Cynthiana in Highland County.
Telephone Number
800-283-8905. Please call for hours and admissions information.
Glacial Grooves
Picture it… a huge sheet of ice, thousands of feet thick, slowly creeping across what would one day be Ohio. As it moved, 18,000 years ago, it carved grooves into solid limestone bedrock. What it left behind is Glacial Grooves, a National Natural Landmark, on the north side of Kelleys Island. When you visit, you will walk across grooves 400 feet long, 35 feet wide and up to 10 feet deep. Keep an eye open! You'll find marine fossils that are 350 to 400 MILLION years old!
Location
Glacial Grooves is located on Kelleys Island, Erie Count, in Lake Erie, 8 miles north of Sandusky. Ferries depart from Marblehead.
Telephone Number
419-797-4025. Please call for information and ferry operation hours.
Wahkeena Nature Preserve
If you're looking for an escape from the busy city -- head south to Fairfield county and the Ohio Historical Society's nature preserve called "Wahkeena". Wahkeena is an Indian word meaning "most beautiful". You won't be disappointed!
Near the Hocking Hills, Wahkeena's sandstone cliffs are covered with forests of tuliptrees and poplars. Twenty-six types of ferns grow here, along with pretty orchids and mountain laurel. And there's plenty of wildlife, insects, and birds to keep you busy watching for hours. A lodge on the site serves as an interpretation center and is surrounded by native and imported wildflowers, shrubs and trees. It's a natural treasure to share with your family and friends!
Location
Wahkeena is located on Pump Station Road in Fairfield County.
Telephone Number
800 297-1883. Please call for hours and admission information.
