Stratford Woods State Nature Preserve
Delaware County, Ohio · 1.3 trail miles in ODNR's guide · access permit required
Our take written by Nature Awed
Stratford Woods in Delaware County is an oak-hickory-ash-maple woodland split by a gravel driveway, with buttonbush swamps on the flat north side and a ravine into Delaware limestone on the south.
ODNR places a profusion of spring wildflowers along the north side of the stream, with trilliums, mayapple, larkspur and phlox in April and May. Stratford Ecological Center manages it and issues its access permits, and the guide prints its opening hours.
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
The woodland is mainly oak-hickory-ash-maple but also includes riparian, swamp and transitional species occur here. Large beech trees are located near the stream and wildflowers abound. More than 30 species of trees have been recorded. A gravel driveway divides Stratford Woods into north and south sections.
North of the driveway, where the land is flat, there are two buttonbush swamps associated with pin oak and swamp white oak. South of the driveway, the land is better drained, forming a ravine system that deepens as it flows east of the preserve, exposing Delaware limestone bedrock. The stream enters the Olentangy State Scenic River at Stratford. The greatest profusion of spring wildflowers is seen along the north side of the stream, south of the parking lot. Large-flowered, drooping and sessile trillium are joined by mayapple, dwarf larkspur, blue phlox, wild hyacinth and many other wildflowers in April and May.
The preserve is part of the Stratford Farm and Ecological Center. Please visit their website for the latest information on when and how to visit the state nature preserve.
Trails
4 miles of hiking trails
In ODNR's preserve guide
| Address | 3083 Liberty Rd, Delaware, 43015 |
|---|---|
| Trails (miles) | 1.3 |
| Visitor information | Managed by Stratford Ecological Center • Open Mon-Fri, 9-5 all year, and Sat. Feb-Nov, 9-1. • stratfordecologicalcenter.org |
Stratford Woods Delaware 3083 Liberty Rd Delaware, 43015 1.3 Managed by Stratford Ecological Center • Open Mon-Fri, 9-5 all year, and Sat. Feb-Nov, 9-1. • stratfordecologicalcenter.org
Verify current visiting hours and access with ODNR's page before relying on these guide hours.
Access permit required
Stratford Woods Delaware 95 Stratford Ecological Center
ODNR's permit list names Stratford Ecological Center as the issuer; ODNR's permit page doesn't print that organization's application process.
Verify the current permit details with ODNR: State Nature Preserves Access Permit before you rely on them.
How the access permit works, and every preserve on the list →
The land on ODNR's map
| LANDS_NAME | COUNTY | PROP_TYPE | SUM_CALC_ACRES | MANAGING_AGENCY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stratford Woods State Nature Preserve | DELAWARE | Dedicated Nature Preserve | 94.3 | Stratford Ecological Center |
| Mapped acres | 94.30 (our sum of the parcels ODNR's GIS layer maps under this name) |
|---|---|
| Access permit | Required, per ODNR's permit list |
| Centre of mapped land | 40.2572, -83.0777 (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: Stratford 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.
- Seymour Woods State Natural Area · Delaware County · about 2.3 miles
- Hutchins (Highbanks) State Nature Preserve · Delaware and Franklin counties · about 8.7 miles
- Edward S. Thomas State Nature Preserve · Franklin County · about 11 miles
- Smith Cemetery State Nature Preserve · Madison County · about 17 miles
- Bigelow Cemetery State Nature Preserve · Madison County · about 21 miles