Lawrence Woods State Nature Preserve
Hardin County, Ohio · 1.1 trail miles in ODNR's guide
Our take written by Nature Awed
Lawrence Woods in Hardin County is a mature forest whose communities include oak-hickory, beech-maple, beech-oak-red maple and maple-ash-oak swamp, with buttonbush swamps flooded for much of the year.
ODNR names heart-leaf plantain, an endangered species known from three sites in Ohio, and calls it a place to see birds and spring wildflowers. A 1.1-mile accessible boardwalk crosses the woods.
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 site is significant because it is the largest known mature forest in this region and is home to a number of rare plant and animal species. Several plant community types are present within the forested area depending on the elevation. The highest and driest sites have an oak-hickory forest type. On the slightly less dry ground, the community grades into beech-maple, beech-oak-red maple, and maple-ash-oak swamp communities.
The forest has large trees of many species including white, yellow, red and bur oaks, as well as beech, white ash, shagbark hickory, red maple, sugar maple and sycamore. There are substantial buttonbush swamps within the forest in areas which are inundated for most of the year. Heart-leaf plantain (Plantago cordata) occurs in Lawrence Woods. This endangered species is only known from three sites in the state. This is an excellent spot for viewing birds and spring wildflowers.
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
1.1 miles of accessible boardwalk
In ODNR's preserve guide
| Address | 13278 County Rd 190, Kenton, 43326 |
|---|---|
| Trails (miles) | 1.1 |
| Visitor information | none printed |
Lawrence Woods Hardin 13278 County Rd 190 Kenton, 43326 1.1
Access permit
Lawrence Woods 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lawrence Woods State Nature Preserve | HARDIN | Dedicated Nature Preserve | 1036.21 | Division of Natural Areas and Preserves |
| Mapped acres | 1,036.21 (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 | 40.5660, -83.6196 (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: Lawrence Woods 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.
- Mccracken Fen State Nature Preserve · Logan County · about 20 miles
- Owens Fen State Nature Preserve · Logan County · about 23 miles
- Gross Memorial Woods State Nature Preserve · Shelby County · about 24 miles
- Siegenthaler-Kaestner Esker State Nature Preserve · Champaign County · about 26 miles
- Daughmer Savannah State Nature Preserve · Crawford County · about 30 miles