This delightful boardwalk takes you through a large coastal wetland complex faintly reminiscent of what the Great Black Swamp may have been like before it was drained and cleared for farmland in the 1800′s. The trees in this wetland forest are a bit smaller, but the species mix is similar: Green Ash, Cottonwood, Silver Maple, Red Maple, Elm, and Swamp White Oak.

• Length: 2 miles
• Duration: 2 hours
• Surface: boardwalk
• Type: Loop.
• Difficulty: easy
• Accessibility: Yes. There are ramps, and the boardwalk is wide enough to accommodate wheelchairs and strollers.
• Restrooms at Nature Center

Bird life is abundant in our coastal Ohio wetlands. Here you may see the Wood Duck, Redheads, Ruddy Ducks, and Pintails, as well as a number of woodpecker species, such as the Hairy Woodpecker. Great Blue Heron hunt in the shallow water for fish, while the Yellow Warbler, Swamp Sparrows, and other songbirds sing their praises to the great Lake Erie.

Maumee Bay State Park is a tribute to Lake Erie. This precious gift is one of the largest bodies of fresh water in the world and it reflects the diverse natural heritage of Ohio.

The history of Lake Erie began with the glacial period known as the Pleistocene. Massive sheets of ice gouged and scoured the bedrock of Ohio. Testimony of the ice’s force is found throughout the lake area. Small scratches in the rock surface known as glacial striations are common, while major grooves are rare but awesome.

The wetlands of the Maumee Bay area offer a vivid array of natural wonders. Wetlands contain more species of wildlife than any other habitat type, including fox snakes, northern water snakes, painted turtles, chorus frogs, green frogs, spotted salamanders, raccoons, muskrats, dragonflies, caddis flies, and water striders. Over 300 species of birds have been recorded with shorebirds such as snipe, great blue heron, common gallinule, and ring-billed gulls residing with waterfowl including Canada geese, pintails, redheads, and ruddy ducks. Songbirds include the red-winged blackbird, yellow warbler, killdeer, and swamp sparrow. Spring migration brings many others including the colorful warblers. The plant life is diverse as well. Cattails, buttonbush, phragmites, bur-reed, cottonwood, and black willow are just a few examples of marsh plants at the park.

In addition to marsh and swamp wetlands, several prairies add more diversity to the landscape. Ring-necked pheasants densely populate the meadow areas of the park.

The Lake Erie shoreline sets the stage for the comeback of the bald eagle in Ohio. Nesting pairs have been reported recently in Ohio with the majority being in the western basin of Lake Erie.