At Audubon Wetlands Preserve, five bridges cross old river channels along a 1.5-mile loop trail. Two additional loop trails are each half a mile long. The three routes therefore differ in length. The preserve is surrounded by more than 100 acres of swamp white oak-maple forest and several wetlands. These include a rare cattail marsh, a high-quality big bluestem sedge marsh, and a buttonbush marsh. More than 96 bird species have been identified there; there is also a great blue heron colony and a bald eagle nest. Wildlife sightings may vary by season. A 300-foot-long raised boardwalk with railings supplements the trails.
Loop Trails and Nature in the Mohican Area
Mohican-Memorial State Forest lies in southern Ashland County. A mountain biking trail runs through the state forest and Mohican State Park, forming a loop of more than 24 miles with two possible starting points. The forest is open to visitors daily from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. and can be reached via Interstate 71 and State Routes 97 and 3. Visitors interested in other trails will also find more than 27 miles of bridle trails there.
Education is the focus at Discovery Forest at Mohican: the publicly accessible educational area includes a 1.5-mile interpretive trail through areas managed with sustainable forestry practices. The Memorial Shrine offers a different focus. It is accessible to visitors with disabilities. The shrine and the surrounding 270 acres of Memorial Forest were approved in 1945 to honor the men and women from Ohio who died defending their country in World War II and all subsequent conflicts in which they were involved.
Trails Along the River, Ponds, and Wetlands
The Ashland County Park District manages 17 ponds, more than 30 miles of trails, and more than 2,400 acres of land. The River Walk Nature Area covers 11 acres along the Jerome Fork of the Mohican River and offers more than 1,500 feet of river access. A three-quarter-mile trail invites visitors to hike, bird-watch, and observe spring wildflowers. Canoeing and kayaking are also possible on the Jerome Fork.
At the approximately 80-acre Tom Kruse Wildlife Conservation Park, gently rolling meadows meet a wooded ravine and a pond. The park includes important wildlife habitats and is open for fishing, hiking, bird-watching, and nature observation. At Hurdle Waterfowl Park, two miles of trails run alongside three bodies of water of different sizes: a 4.5-acre fishing pond, a 12-acre complex of shallow ponds, and a 2.5-acre duck pond.
Byers Woods combines more than three miles of trails through forests, grasslands, wetlands, and areas with fishing ponds. Fishing at the four ponds is permitted without a fishing license, but only on a catch-and-release basis. A total of 161 different bird species have been identified there; future surveys may change this number. Another park with diverse landscapes is Avian Acres Farm Park: its 300 acres include woodland and farmland, wetlands, a fishing pond, and a historic barn. The Jerome Fork runs along one corner of the park.
Historic Sights on Foot
Alongside nature trails, the Ashland County Historical Society offers a glimpse into the region’s history. It preserves four historic buildings and makes them available to visitors as an educational experience. It also offers self-guided tours of the Center Street Historic District and along Ashland Main Street. A visit can thus be extended with self-guided walks focused on history.
Discover More Destinations
Discover more destinations: Ashland, Sandusky County, Wood, Hocking County, Wyandot County, Stark, Lawrence, Butler.
Return to the main travel overview: Ohio.
