Wintergarden Woods and Saint Johns Nature Preserve

Wintergarden Woods and Saint Johns Nature Preserve

615 South Wintergarden Road Bowling Green, Ohio 43402

Official Website

Also, see all the hotspots at:
Wood County Birding Drive

About this Location

Bowling Green was once part of the Great Black Swamp that covered most of northwestern Ohio. The area was teeming with wildlife and had huge forests with stands of Oak, Maple, Ash, and Hickory trees. Intermingled with the forests were prairies and savannas where grasses and flowering plants covered forest floors and opened into sunlit areas hundreds of acres in size. The deforestation and drainage in the area provided excellent farmland for the early settlers and it continues to provide for farmers today.

When the City of Bowling Green acquired Wintergarden Woods just after the Second World War, it provided a space for residents to engage in passive recreational opportunities. Wintergarden Woods was just the beginning. Over the years a lodge was built through community support. Originally designed to cater to overnight groups and youth hostellers, the lodge is now the Rotary Nature Center which serves to educate residents on all facets of natural resources within our community. Additional properties were purchased, including St. John’s Woods, Bordner Meadow, Twyman Woods, and most recently, 19.7 acres that were formerly owned by the Sader family (now called Tucker Woods).

Notable Trails

Wintergarden Woods Trails
Approximately two miles of walking trails meander through this 103-acre preserve. One can choose from a variety of trail loops to go for a 15-minute walk or an hour-long hike. Trails begin and end at the Rotary Nature Center.

Features

  • Restrooms on site

Content from Official Website