North Kingsville Sand Barrens

North Kingsville Sand Barrens

Poore Road Conneaut, Ohio 44030

Official Website

Tips for Birding

The North Kingsville Sand Barrens is a stop on the Lake Erie Birding Trail.

About this Location

The North Kingsville Sand Barrens are a natural area of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.

The North Kingsville Sand Barrens is the only high-quality fossil dune ridge that has been preserved within northeastern Ohio. The 174-acre property supports three endangered plants, several rare invertebrates and a fine population of native lupine. It is one of three sites in Ohio for the state-endangered bead lily, the only site in Ohio for the endangered moss bug-on-a-stick and the only known Ohio nesting site for the white-throated sparrow. North Kingsville Sand Barrens is one of three Museum natural areas open to the public.

Take I-90 to the OH-193 exit. Follow OH-193 north to US-20 east. Take US-20 east to Poore Road. Travel north on Poore Road to the Conrail tracks. The preserve is on the west side of Poore Road just north of the railroad tracks. There is a sign located at the entrance.

In 1986, a routine inventory by the Cleveland Museum of Natural History botany department of Ashtabula County sand barrens revealed several rare plants on private property. Successive trips to the property documented the tract as one of the most significant sand barrens in northeastern Ohio. In December 1990, the tract was transferred to the Museum.

In 1993, Museum trustee William C. McCoy donated an additional 50 acres just west of the original tract. In 1996, a two-acre frontage lot on Poore Road was purchased; and in 1998, Mr. Ron Kister donated an eight-acre addition to the Barrens. In 2006, the Museum’s Natural Areas Division was awarded a Clean Ohio grant in the amount of $255,000, which was used to purchase the 12-acre Wing tract, as well as the 42-acre Rutter parcel.

Features

  • Restrooms on site

  • Wheelchair accessible trail

  • Entrance fee

  • Roadside viewing

Content from Official Website