Desonier State Nature Preserve
Athens County, Ohio · 2.7 trail miles in ODNR's guide
Our take written by Nature Awed
Desonier is a 491-acre Appalachian preserve in Athens County, cut by Jordan Run, a tributary of the Hocking River, with elevations from 680 to 900 feet.
Big beech and oak grow in the cool ravines and oak-hickory forest on the uplands, with sandstone outcrops along the trail. ODNR names weak aster, green adder's-mouth orchid and Virginia meadow-beauty among the plants. The page lists 2.5 miles of hiking trails, and the guide prints 2.7.
Our plain-language reading of the ODNR text quoted on this page. It adds no facts of its own.
Verify current visiting hours and access restrictions with ODNR's page for this preserve and ODNR's permit page before relying on this summary.
What ODNR says about it
This 491-acre preserve encompasses a variety of habitats typical of Appalachian Ohio. The area is diverse in vegetation and ranges from various successional stages to mature forests in the deep ravines and on the steep hillsides. The area is dissected by Jordan Run, a tributary of the Hocking River, and has steep topography, varying from 680 to 900 feet in elevation. Large beech and oak trees are found in the cool moist ravines while the drier uplands are dominated by oak-hickory forests, typical of the region. Occasional sandstone outcrops occur along the trail.
Due to the diversity of the landscape, a large variety of ferns and wildflowers abound. Some of the more interesting plants include weak aster, green adder's-mouth orchid and Virginia meadow-beauty. Mistletoe, a parasitic plant on trees, has also been reported from this preserve.
The preserve was a gift of Henry I. Stein, who gave the area to the Division of Natural Areas and Preserves in 1974 as a memorial to his sister, Marie J. Desonier.
Visiting
Open 1/2 hour before sunrise to 1/2 hour after sunset
Stay on designated trails
Pets are not permitted
No restrooms
Verify current visiting hours and access restrictions with ODNR's page before relying on these hours.
Trails
2.5 miles of hiking trails
In ODNR's preserve guide
| Address | 3385 Deep Hollow Rd, Coolville, 45723 |
|---|---|
| Trails (miles) | 2.7 |
| Visitor information | none printed |
Desonier, Marie J. Athens 3385 Deep Hollow Rd Coolville, 45723 2.7
Access permit
Desonier State Nature Preserve is not on ODNR's list of preserves that require an access permit, and its ODNR page as quoted here doesn't call for one. ODNR also says: An access permit is required to leave trails within a state nature preserve.
(ODNR: State Nature Preserves Access Permit).
The land on ODNR's map
| LANDS_NAME | COUNTY | PROP_TYPE | SUM_CALC_ACRES | MANAGING_AGENCY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Desonier State Nature Preserve | ATHENS | Dedicated Nature Preserve | 496.17 | Division of Natural Areas and Preserves |
| Mapped acres | 496.17 (our sum of the parcels ODNR's GIS layer maps under this name) |
|---|---|
| Access permit | No whole-preserve permit requirement identified in the sources we check; named-area or activity permits may still apply |
| Centre of mapped land | 39.2388, -81.8700 (our calculation; not an entrance or parking lot) |
Statewide rules
Ohio Administrative Code chapter 1501:17 sets rules for nature preserves and natural areas under ODNR's supervision or its designated custodian, on pets, drones, picnics, collecting and more. Can I…? quotes them rule by rule, with their exceptions.
Pets are prohibited at all state nature preserves, except Blackhand Gorge State Nature Preserve where leashed pets are only allowed on the multipurpose paved trail.
Check before you go. Verify current hours, access and trail information on ODNR: Desonier State Nature Preserve and ODNR: State Nature Preserves Access Permit; our checker last found the quoted words there on October 14.
Nearest other preserves
Straight-line miles between the centres of mapped land (our calculation), not driving distance.
- Woodland Fernleaf False Foxglove State Nature Preserve · Athens County · about 2.6 miles
- Ladd Natural Bridge State Nature Preserve · Washington County · about 5.6 miles · permit
- Acadia Cliffs State Nature Preserve · Washington County · about 6.2 miles
- Boord State Nature Preserve · Washington County · about 12 miles
- Riddle State Nature Preserve · Athens County · about 13 miles