All rivers, large and small, have to start somewhere.

The Black River, whose watershed encompasses 467 square miles in parts of five counties, has its headwaters in southwestern Medina County’s Harrisville Township. Medina County Park District is committed to protecting the water quality and rich habitats of one of Northeast Ohio’s great rivers while providing visitors opportunities to explore and enjoy nature.

Black River Nature Preserve is comprised of three park district sites totaling more than 400 acres in the headwaters area: Hidden Hollow Camp (opened 1984), Bluebell Valley (opened 2020), and the future East Fork area.

The East Branch of the Black River is formed by the confluence of two tributaries that flow through these park sites: the East Fork and the West Fork. The streams come together just north of US-42, flowing through Spencer Township and into Lorain County, where the Black River meets Lake Erie at Lorain Harbor.

Along the way, the Black River helps supply drinking water for some of the watershed’s 180,000 residents and provides high-quality habitat for several state-listed endangered or threatened plant and animal species.