Fall in Love with Ohio's Natural Areas

Nestled in Wayne County, Brown’s Lake Bog offers a unique and enchanting nature experience. One of the highlights of the preserve is its floating sphagnum moss mat, which creates a surreal and otherworldly landscape. Enjoy a leisurely hike that leads through the forest and out to an overlook on the floating sphagnum moss mat and kettle hole lake.

The preserve is renowned for its rare and diverse plant life, making it a botanical treasure trove. In the fall, the lush ferns turn bronze and yellow and you'll encounter the fluffy plumes of tawny cottongrass (Eriophorum virginicum) popping up out of the bog mat. As you explore the wooden boardwalk that winds through the bog, you’ll encounter a variety of carnivorous plants, including state-threatened purple pitcher plant and sundew, which thrive in the acidic, nutrient-poor habitat. The bog was declared a National Natural Landmark in 1968 and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is honored to protect this unique habitat that has become an important part of the local community.

The Edge of Appalachia Preserve in Adams County is one of TNC's most biodiverse and scenic nature preserves in Ohio. Spanning more 20,000 acres, the preserve offers visitors a chance to explore a variety of habitats, from rugged hills and deep forests to prairies and waterfalls. During the fall season, Edge of Appalachia comes alive with a spectacular display of autumn colors as forests are set ablaze with hues of deep russet, burgundy and amber and the preserve's prairies blossom to life with the sunny shades of goldenrod and vibrant purple tones of tall ironweed, field thistle and aster.

As you hike through the preserve’s trail systems, you’ll be treated to breathtaking vistas, like that seen from the overlook of the Christian and Emma Goetz Buzzardroost Rock Preserve trail. Follow the moderatly difficult 5-mile round-trip trail to enjoy one of the best views of southern Ohio. If you're lucky, you might spot a buzzards gliding overhead or some of the migratory birds that use the preserve as an important stopover for food and rest as they pass through on their journey south for the winter. Wildlife enthusiasts will find plenty to marvel at, as the preserve is home to a rich array of fauna, like white-tailed deer, wild turkey and bobcat.

Herrick Fen Nature Preserve in Portage County is an ecologically significant natural area managed by TNC in partnership with Kent State University. The 140-acre preserve is one of the few remaining fens in Ohio, characterized by its alkaline, peat-forming wetlands. The preserve offers visitors a chance to explore a rare and delicate ecosystem that supports more than 20 state-listed plants. During the fall season, Herrick Fen transforms into a serene landscape with a palette of muted autumn hues as the fen’s grasses and sedges turn golden, contrasting beautifully with the deep greens of the surrounding forest. Birdwatchers can expect to see a variety of migratory birds passing through.

The 1.5 mile, round trip trail includes a boardwalk, from which you will pass several fens that feature a number of unusual plant species such as northern bayberry, poison sumac, tamarack, large cranberry and round-leaved sundew. Past the boardwalk, an earthen trail continues, looping through a beech-maple forest. The preserve's forest grows on a hill of sand and gravel, known as a Kame, that was deposited as the glaciers retreated during the last ice age.

Kitty Todd Nature Preserve in Lucas County is a gem in northwest Ohio's natural landscape. The 1,400-acre preserve is part of the globally rare Oak Openings Region and is known for its oak savanna and prairie habitats, which support a myriad of rare and endangered plants and animals in the state. 

Visitors to Kitty Todd Nature Preserve can expect a rich tapestry of biodiversity, especially during the fall season as the oak trees display a stunning array of autumn color, the prairie grasses turn golden as they sway in the season's cooler breeze and a diversity of migratory birds stop over on their southern migration. After all, the preserve harbors some 170 rare species in the Buckeye State. Many state and local organizations as well as individual landowners are working toward protecting and restoring this unique landscape, safeguarding it for future generations.

In the fall, the Lucia S. Nash Preserve in Geauga County offers a stunning display of nature’s beauty. The 650-acre preserve features Snow Lake, a small kettle lake surrounded by emergent marsh, sedge meadow and shrub swamp. The low hills around the lake are cloaked by upland forest, interspersed with vernal pools and swamp forest. A highlight of the preserve is the old-growth white pine boreal fen, the only one remaining in Ohio. 

Visitors can expect to see the vibrant colors of autumn reflected in the waters of Snow Lake and the surrounding wetlands. The preserve’s diverse habitats support a variety of wildlife, including birds preparing for migration and small mammals gathering food for the winter. Keep an eye out for blue-winged teal, common merganser and lesser scaup or river otter playing in the water. And enjoy the diversity of colorful fungus that blossom to life within the forest each fall.

The Big Darby Headwaters Nature Preserve near central Ohio includes a mix of wetlands and streamside forests that create the perfect backdrop to enjoy autumn’s colors. The coldwater springs and streams that run through the preserve flow into Big Darby Creek, which is one of the most biologically diverse aquatic systems in the midwestern United States.

This 1,000-acre preserve showcases the beauty of autumn in a way that other seasons cannot match, especially when changing leaves reflect off the waters of Big Darby Creek. And fall brings with it a display of late-blooming wildflowers and grasses within the preserve's prairies and wetlands, adding to its seasonal charm. Follow the trail into the preserve and younger visitors will find a nature play area furnished with elements like various-sized sticks and logs, tree cookies, rocks and boulders and a rudimentary mud kitchen with old cast-iron skillets, creating the perfect excuse to get the whole family outside.

Sitting along the Grand River, Morgan Swamp Preserve in Ashtabula County offers a little bit of everything including wetland, forest, river, prairie and pond habitats. Each fall, the preserve's prairies are bespeckled with the sunny hues of Ohio's native goldenrods and various shades of purple as asters and Joe-pye weed bloom. In the forest, greens mix with oranges, reds and yellows as trees change outfits for the season ahead.

Enjoy the showy fall colors as you float on the Grand River or hike the preserve's trails. With more than 100 bird species, 24 fishes, 26 reptiles and 24 mammals, you never know what you might spot. If you're lucky, you might catch a glimpse of beaver or otter on your visit. Visitors may also hear sounds of school children playing as they explore our Dr. James K. Bissell Nature Center on a field trip with their classmates.

The Ohio River has been an important part of human civilization for hundreds of years. Transportation of goods and people as well as supplying fresh drinking water and food are just some of the benefits the river has allowed. In the fall, the river may grow a little quieter, but no less inpiring. Visitors can enjoy observing the splendor of fall's colors reflecting off the river under blue skies. Watch closely for wildlife that call the river and its surrounding habitats home.

Happy Hiking!

We hope you'll join us this autumn season in hiking the trails at one of our nature preserves. Check out the map of our preserves below and plan your visit today. Be sure to share photos and findings with us on Facebook and Instagram. We can't wait to see what you discover!