Sheldon Marsh State Nature Preserve
Erie County, Ohio · 2 trail miles in ODNR's guide
Our take written by Nature Awed
Sheldon Marsh in Erie County keeps a stretch of undeveloped Sandusky Bay shoreline: old field, hardwood forest, woodland swamp, cattail marsh, barrier sand beach and open water.
ODNR says nearly 300 bird species have been drawn to it, with migrants resting there before crossing Lake Erie, and that woodland wildflowers bloom from the middle of April into June, followed by cardinal flower in summer. There are 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
Sheldon Marsh State Nature Preserve and contiguous wetlands comprise some of the last remaining undeveloped stretches of shoreline in the Sandusky Bay region. As Ohio's once expansive coastal wetland habitat continues to disappear in the face of encroaching development, the importance of Sheldon Marsh increases immensely. Preservation of habitat is seen as the key to survival of wild plant and animal communities, and this preserve contains many types of habitats such as old field, hardwood forest, woodland swamp, cattail marsh, barrier sand beach and open water-lake. All are relicts of the lake-marsh-forest ecosystem which originally encompassed thousands of acres along Lake Erie's western basin.
This 472-acre preserve is known to attract nearly 300 bird species and provides habitat for many kinds of wildflowers. Spring is one of the best times to visit the marsh. From the middle of April into June, the woodland floor is covered with blooming wildflowers. Dutchman's breeches, cut-leaved toothwort and spring beauties are followed by trout lilies, trilliums, wild ginger and wild geraniums. Spring migration brings a variety of neotropical and shorebirds to Sheldon Marsh.
Before crossing Lake Erie these birds stop briefly to rest and feed among the lush vegetation of the forest. Along the barrier sand beach, numerous shorebirds are frequently seen searching for food at the water's edge. Summer residents include great blue herons, red-tailed hawks, black-crowned night-herons, wood ducks, common terns, woodcocks, great horned owls and numerous songbirds. Perhaps the most spectacular summer event is the blooming of the cardinal flower in the woodland swamp. Often described as America's most beautiful wildflower, its tall and brilliant red spikes are a magnificent sight.
Trails
2 miles of hiking trails
In ODNR's preserve guide
| Address | 2715 Cleveland Rd W, Huron, 44839 |
|---|---|
| Trails (miles) | 2 (marked ~: A portion of the trail system is accessible.) |
| Visitor information | Seasonal portable restroom |
Sheldon Marsh Erie 2715 Cleveland Rd W Huron, 44839 2~ Seasonal portable restroom
Access permit
Sheldon Marsh 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sheldon Marsh State Nature Preserve | ERIE | Dedicated Nature Preserve | 470.03 | Division of Natural Areas and Preserves |
| Mapped acres | 470.03 (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 | 41.4215, -82.6118 (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: Sheldon Marsh 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.
- Dupont Marsh State Nature Preserve · Erie County · about 4.9 miles
- Old Woman Creek State Nature Preserve and NERR · Erie County · about 6.1 miles
- Erie Sand Barrens State Nature Preserve · Erie County · about 6.6 miles
- Lakeside Daisy State Nature Preserve · Ottawa County · about 9.3 miles
- North Pond State Nature Preserve · Erie County · about 14 miles