Ohio’s state park system is developing more options to help people access nature.
They have an accessible trails guide, which is available both on their website and as a full-color printed publication that can be picked up at state parks. They define accessible trails as three-feet wide, flat surfaces without steps or steep slopes that are also maintained to remain clear for wheelchairs and strollers.
In addition to the trails, some of the state’s 76 parks serve sensory needs like vision loss and provide accessible kayak launches and fishing piers.
Below are some of the jewels of the Northeast Ohio area with accessible trails.
Wingfoot State Park
The former Goodyear property in Mogadore still overlooks the blimp hangars, which provide a beautiful view from one of the park’s many accessible perches. This park is the only one in the state that has all of its trails paved or graveled for access for those using strollers, wheelchairs and other mobility assistance devices. It features a soon-to-be unveiled Braille trail for people with vision impairment to explore nature in new ways, a play pad for children with sensory sensitivities and wide berth boardwalks for fishing and wheelchair-friendly kayak launches at all their docks on Wingfoot Lake.
Johnson Woods State Nature Preserve
This nature preserve in Marshallville, a village in northeast Wayne County, boasts one of the great old growth forests available in Ohio, with trees that date back to before the arrival of the pilgrims on the Mayflower. Johnson Woods is open to the public every day from a half an hour before sunrise to a half an hour after sunset. Its main accessibility feature is a 1.4 mile boardwalk that provides an amazing trip through the massive trees.
Geneva State Park
This multiuse park has campsites and access to Lake Erie beaches as well as freshwater marshes. As a part of Geneva-on-the-Lake in Ashtabula County, this is a popular vacation spot and one of the state’s busiest parks. The main accessibility offering is the 2 mile Orange Trail, a paved path that connects the park's main features, including campsites, to the wetlands, the beach and the forest areas.
Punderson State Park
Located in Geauga County in Newbury, Punderson is another popular multiuse park with a lot of camping options and other activities to offer. With a small beach on Punderson Lake, there’s a boardwalk trail, which is accessible and sits on a naturally occurring kettle lake, left behind by glacier withdrawal. This park also has a gem in the Iroquois Trail, a .7 mile gravel stretch.
Headlands Dunes State Nature Preserve
At the tip of the state in Mentor sits another magnificent nature preserve managed by ODNR. Headlands Dunes has a short (.2 mile) accessible trail with great lighthouse and coastal views. Open from a half an hour before sunrise to a half hour an after sunset, this trail provides some of the most picturesque views in the state, but no pets are allowed on the preserve.
Mosquito Lake State Park
Sitting on the banks of the 7,000-acre Mosquito Creek Lake, this is a multiuse park in Trumbull County with a variety of camping and other activities available, including a storybook trail for kids. The Lakeview Nature Trail provides a half-mile gravel stretch that winds through the woods with lake and forest views.
