Nature Awed

Rhododendron Cove State Nature Preserve

Fairfield County, Ohio · 1.2 trail miles in ODNR's guide

Our take written by Nature Awed

Rhododendron Cove is a 75-acre preserve in the Sugar Grove area of the Hocking Hills, where a strenuous climb up a horseshoe-shaped ridge gives a view east over the Hocking River Valley.

The dry ridge holds chestnut oak, pitch pine and flame azalea, and the cool north slopes below the cliffs hold hemlock and great rhododendron, which ODNR says typically peaks in late June and early July. There are 1.2 miles of hiking trails.

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 75-acre preserve is within the Sugar Grove Region of the Hocking Hills. A relatively strenuous hike to the top of the dry ridgeline affords a view of the Hocking River Valley to the east. This dry ridge forms a horseshoe shape, supporting a significant chestnut oak community with Virginia and pitch pine, sourwood and a well-developed heath layer of mountain laurel, blueberry, deerberry, and state listed flame azalea (Rhododendron calendulaceum).
ODNR: Rhododendron Cove State Nature Preserve · our check found this text on October 14
The cooler north facing slopes below the cliff lines form an environment better suited to eastern hemlock, black birch and another state listed member of the heath family – the great rhododendron (Rhododendron maximum). This is likely the home of the largest native population of this native rhododendron in Ohio. Peak blooming is typically during late June and early July.
ODNR: Rhododendron Cove State Nature Preserve · our check found this text on October 14

Visiting

ODNR's visitor notes
  • The preserve is adjacent to Wahkeena Nature Preserve.
ODNR: Rhododendron Cove State Nature Preserve · our check found this text on October 14

Trails

ODNR's trail notes
  • 1.2 miles of hiking trails
ODNR: Rhododendron Cove State Nature Preserve · our check found this text on October 14

In ODNR's preserve guide

Our table of the guide's row for Rhododendron Cove (Fairfield County). The row as printed is quoted below.
Address2730 Pump Station Rd SE, Lancaster, 43130
Trails (miles)1.2
Visitor informationAdjacent to Wahkeena State Nature Preserve
The guide's row
Rhododendron Cove Fairfield 2730 Pump Station Rd SE Lancaster, 43130 1.2 Adjacent to Wahkeena State Nature Preserve
ODNR: Ohio State Nature Preserves & Natural Areas Guide (PDF) · our check found this text on October 14

Access permit

Rhododendron Cove 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

Field values as ODNR's GIS lands layer returns them (one row per mapped feature; our checker found them on October 14).
LANDS_NAMECOUNTYPROP_TYPESUM_CALC_ACRESMANAGING_AGENCY
Rhododendron Cove State Nature PreserveFAIRFIELDDedicated Nature Preserve74.84Division of Natural Areas and Preserves
Our calculations from those features, re-computed at each check.
Mapped acres74.84 (our sum of the parcels ODNR's GIS layer maps under this name)
Access permitNo whole-preserve permit requirement identified in the sources we check; named-area or activity permits may still apply
Centre of mapped land39.6357, -82.5641 (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.
ODNR: Ohio State Nature Preserves & Natural Areas Guide page · our check found this text on October 14

Check before you go. Verify current hours, access and trail information on ODNR: Rhododendron Cove 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.