Nature Awed

Springville Marsh State Nature Preserve

Seneca County, Ohio · 0.8 trail miles in ODNR's guide

Our take written by Nature Awed

Springville Marsh in Seneca County is a 267-acre inland wetland fed by cool, calcium-rich springs, with sedge meadows, shrubby thickets and wide areas of cattail marsh.

ODNR names Canadian and Atlantic coastal plain plants that arrived after the Ice Age, and fen orchids, bottle gentian, Kalm's lobelia and twig-rush along the boardwalk. The boardwalk runs 0.8 mile, and there are no restrooms.

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

Visitors to the 267-acre Springville Marsh State Nature Preserve have a unique opportunity to observe and study the beauty of nature and to reflect on the past. Three factors have had a marked effect on this resource. First, abundant groundwater, which has surfaced as many cool, calcium-rich springs, continues to nourish the special plant life found here. Also, many Ice Age plant species and others that are newcomers, provide this preserve with a remarkable and diverse inventory of flowering plants. Third, the uniqueness of the marsh has survived despite past agricultural and industrial disruption.
ODNR: Springville Marsh State Nature Preserve · our check found this text on October 14
Springville Marsh is an unequaled nature preserve in northwestern Ohio. It is the largest inland wetland in this part of the state.
ODNR: Springville Marsh State Nature Preserve · our check found this text on October 14

Visiting

ODNR's visitor notes
  • The preserve is notable for several reasons:
  • Growing within the preserve are several Canadian and Atlantic coastal plain species, which became established here shortly after the Ice Age. Some of these plants are threatened and endangered species in Ohio.
  • Fen orchids, bottle gentian, Kalm's lobelia and twig-rush can be seen along the boardwalk.
  • There are also smaller areas of more northern plants, such as Ohio goldenrod, grass-of-Parnassus and shrubby cinquefoil.
  • The sedge meadows, shrubby thickets and vast areas of cattail marsh provide excellent opportunities to observe wildlife.
  • Open 1/2 before sunrise to 1/2 hour after sunset
  • Stay on designated trails
  • Pets are not permitted
  • No restrooms
ODNR: Springville Marsh State Nature Preserve · our check found this text on October 14

Verify current visiting hours and access restrictions with ODNR's page before relying on these hours.

Trails

ODNR's trail notes
  • 0.8 mile boardwalk
ODNR: Springville Marsh State Nature Preserve · our check found this text on October 14

In ODNR's preserve guide

Our table of the guide's row for Springville Marsh (Seneca County). The row as printed is quoted below.
Address12250 Township Rd 24, Carey, 43316
Trails (miles)0.8
Visitor informationnone printed
The guide's row
Springville Marsh Seneca 12250 Township Rd 24 Carey, 43316 0.8
ODNR: Ohio State Nature Preserves & Natural Areas Guide (PDF) · our check found this text on October 14

Access permit

Springville 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

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
Springville Marsh State Nature PreserveSENECADedicated Nature Preserve268.84Division of Natural Areas and Preserves
Our calculations from those features, re-computed at each check.
Mapped acres268.84 (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 land41.0006, -83.4033 (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: Springville 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.