Friends of Conneaut Creek Park

Friends of Conneaut Creek Park

27 Blakeslee Road Conneaut Ohio 44030

Official Website
Friends of Conneaut Creek Park map

Tips for Birding

Friends of Conneaut Creek Park is the second of the parks acquired in 2006 that is now getting some attention. The MetroParks has a goal of installing steps to get down to the floodplain. They keep a trail mowed around the edge of the meadow on top (much easier to walk than Hatches Corners). From the rim, I could hear almost every bird that I later encountered while walking through the floodplain (which was tough traversing if you didn’t want to follow a deer trail). Believe it or not, I saw no ticks. The neighbor is watching for trespassers, so please heed the posted signs when considering getting to the floodplain.

The floodplain is magnificent, once containing the state champion Red Oak, parts of which are still very prominent. The floodplain is a great example of a mature mixed mesophytic forest with multiple small oxbow wetlands and a couple of very rich wetlands at the toe of the steep slope. Very few invasives. Saw one patch of Mugwort, but a fair amount of young Multiflora Rose. Nearly a mile of creek frontage. Nice place to visit while going to and from the sandspit in the Conneaut Harbor.

About this Location

Conneaut Creek rises in western Crawford County, Pennsylvania, and initially, flows north-northwestwardly past Conneautville into western Erie County. Near Albion, it turns to the west-southwest and roughly parallels the shoreline of Lake Erie for some length, at a distance of about 5 mi (8 km) inland, into northeastern Ashtabula County, Ohio, where, at Kingsville, it turns to the northeast to flow into Lake Erie at the city of Conneaut.

This 79 acres of an exceptional and diverse representation of Ashtabula County’s natural habitats was acquired with Ohio Public Works Commission grant funds in 2007.

The highlights of the park are: approximately 3500’ of Conneaut Creek, a designated Ohio Wild and Scenic River, 34 acres of forested high-quality riparian wetland, 20 acres of upland mixed woodland, 16 acres of cultivated/successional to partially restore to meadow and forest, 4 Ohio listed plants, and a steep high bank overlooking the riparian area and creek below. It also has the foundation remnants of the pre-1800 Blakeslee homestead site.

Features

  • Restrooms on site

  • Wheelchair accessible trail

  • Entrance fee

  • Roadside viewing

Content from Official Website and Marc Hannerman