oak openings horse trail · oak openings is unlike any other habitat in ohio. the metropark is...
TRANSCRIPT
For your convenience, a Horse Riders Center is located on Jeffers Road with ample parking for trailers, restrooms, water, hitching posts and a picnic shelter with grills. Two other rest areas are located at Evergreen Lake and Springbrook Lake, where restrooms and water are available, as well as access for horses to drink from the lake.
Oak Openings is unlike any other habitat in Ohio. The Metropark is named for the surrounding region made up of eastern hardwood forest and western prairie. This combination forms a rare and beautiful blend of habitats and species found only a few places in the world. And it is home to about one-third of all rare and endangered species in the state.
Just a few examples of the wildlife you may observe here include deer, coyotes, flying squirrels, mink, badgers, hognose snakes, turtles, wild turkey, hawks, owls, flickers, indigo buntings, goldfinches and woodpeckers. The area is noted for the number and variety of birds that nest or rest here at various times of the year, including the lark sparrow, an endangered species that nests in the dunes.
The Oak Openings is also known for its array of wildflowers and other plants. Look for these species during your ride: wild lupine, big bluestem, blazing star, little blue stem, bush clover, bergamot, sweet fern, tall coreopsis, cardinal flower, wild asters, Indian grass, trillium, May apple, columbine, iron weed, black-eyed Susan, grey headed coneflower, tall meadow rue, prickly-pear cactus, golden rod, tick trefoil, marsh marigolds and spring beauties.
Metroparks manages certain areas of the park by mowing, burning and removing non-native trees and other plants. You may see areas where these land management techniques have been used to enhance or restore the natural oak savanna habitat. The pine trees you will encounter were planted here in the 1940s and are not native to the region.
Nearby• Maumee State Forest, over 3,000 acres
adjacent to Oak Openings Preserve, has 15 miles of bridle trails and horse-trailer parking on Neowash Rd. Parking is also available on State Route 64, with a trail leading into Oak Openings.
• Mary Jane Thurston State Park is located along both sides of the Maumee River, south of Oak Openings. The park’s North Turkeyfoot Area has six miles of trails for horseback riding, backpacking and mountain biking.
Things You Should Know• Oak Openings is a day-use park open every
day of the year from 7 a.m. to dark.
• Horses are permitted only on the marked horse trail and not on roads, fire lanes or trails designated for walking, biking or skiing. Horses may not be ridden in picnic areas and should be kept away from ditch banks and ravines.
• Bicycles are not permitted on the horse trail.
• Alcohol is not permitted in any area of the park.
• Dogs must be on leashes no longer than eight feet long at all times.
• Hitching posts are provided to tie horses. Please do not tie horses to trees or fences.
• Call 419-407-9710 to obtain a free group permit for all organized events involving horse trail and horse facility use.
• Insect repellent is recommended in late spring and summer to protect against mosquitoes, deer flies and horse flies.
Note: In an emergency, call the number below for the Lucas County Sheriff Dispatcher.
Calling 911 from a cell phone will connect you with the Ohio Highway Patrol.
Oak Openings Preserve Metropark4139 Girdham RoadSwanton, OH 43558
Ranger Cell Phone: 419-360-9179
Emergency– Lucas County Sheriff: 419-213-4977
Oak Openings Preserve Metropark
Oak Openings Horse Trail
Oak Openings Preserve Metropark
Oak Openings Horse Trail
Welcome to the Oak Openings Preserve
Horse Trail. The 22.1-mile trail winds
through sand dunes, wet prairies, wet
woods, pine forests and oak savannas of
the 4,000-acre Metropark. With its flat
terrain, the trail is accessible to riders
and horses of all abilities.
7
8
56
9
10
4
3
12
16
15 14
13
12
11
Met
ropa
rks
Rule
s an
d Re
gula
tions
9.1
Ridi
ng P
erm
it an
d A
rea
Mis
use
Pers
ons
shal
l onl
y us
e, ri
de o
r driv
e an
y ho
rse
or o
ther
ani
mal
upo
nbr
idle
pat
hs d
esig
nate
d an
d es
tabl
ishe
d fo
r hor
seba
ck ri
ders
whi
lew
ithin
the
park
. (M
M)
9.2
Are
as W
here
Hor
ses
Are
Per
mitt
edHo
rseb
ack
rider
s sh
all s
tay
on th
e de
sign
ated
brid
le tr
ails
whe
naw
ay fr
om th
e st
able
are
as a
nd a
re n
ot p
erm
itted
els
ewhe
re in
the
park
. (M
M)
9.3
Hor
seba
ck R
idin
g Sa
fety
No
pers
on s
hall
ride
a ho
rse
alon
g an
y br
idle
trai
l with
out d
uere
spec
t for
oth
er ri
ders
, veh
icles
, or p
edes
trian
s or s
o as
to e
ndan
ger
the
life,
lim
b, o
r pro
perty
of a
ny p
erso
n w
hile
in la
wfu
l use
of t
hepa
rk. (
MM
)
9.4
Leav
ing
Hor
ses
Una
ttend
edN
o pe
rson
sha
ll le
ave
a ho
rse
unat
tend
ed w
ithin
the
park
oth
erth
an fo
r pur
pose
of s
tabl
ing
at a
des
igna
ted
stab
le a
rea.
(MM
)
9.5
Mis
trea
tmen
t of H
orse
sN
o rid
er o
r oth
er p
erso
n sh
all m
istre
at, o
verri
de c
ruel
ly b
eat,
mut
ilate
, or t
ortu
re a
ny h
orse
with
in th
e pa
rk. (
MM
)
9.6
Hor
seba
ck R
idin
g O
nly
No
pers
on s
hall
use,
ride
, or d
rive
any
hors
e or
oth
er a
nim
al d
riven
cart,
wag
on, s
led
or o
ther
con
veya
nce
upon
any
par
k tra
ils. (
MM
)
20.3
5 M
otor
Veh
icle
Rig
ht o
f Way
to H
orse
sN
o pe
rson
whi
le o
pera
ting
a m
otor
veh
icle
on
a ro
adw
ay in
or
adja
cent
to th
e pa
rk s
hall
fail
to s
low
dow
n an
d st
op th
e ve
hicl
ew
hen
sign
aled
to d
o so
upo
n m
eetin
g or
ove
rtaki
ng a
hor
se-d
raw
nve
hicl
e or
per
son
on h
orse
back
and
to re
mai
n st
atio
nery
unt
il th
eve
hicl
e or
per
son
has
pass
ed p
rovi
ded
the
sign
al to
s to
p is
giv
enin
goo
d fa
ith u
nder
circ
umst
ance
s of
nec
essi
ty a
nd o
nly
as o
ften
and
for t
hat l
engt
h of
tim
e as
is re
quire
d fo
r the
veh
icle
or p
erso
nsto
pas
s w
heth
er it
is a
ppro
achi
ng fr
om th
e fro
nt o
r rea
r. (M
M-1
stof
fens
e; 2
nd o
ffens
e-ci
te u
nder
ORC
4549
.01A
)
20.1
Est
ablis
hed
Way
s of
Tra
vel
No
pers
on b
y fo
ot, v
ehic
le, m
otor
veh
icle
, or
ani
mal
sha
ll us
e an
ypo
rtion
of t
he p
ark f
or m
eans
of t
rave
l exc
ept d
rivew
ays,
road
way
s,st
reet
s, h
ighw
ays,
trai
ls o
r any
oth
er m
eans
of t
rave
l est
ablis
hed
for s
uch
purp
oses
. Veh
icle
s an
d pe
rson
s sh
all n
ot e
nter
the
park
exce
pt b
y es
tabl
ishe
d w
ays
of tr
avel
. NOT
E: In
divi
dual
s w
ho u
sem
obili
ty a
ssis
t veh
icle
s ar
e ex
empt
from
this
regu
latio
n. (M
M)
20.4
6 M
ulti-
Trai
l Use
Rig
ht o
f Way
Whe
n tra
il co
nditi
ons r
equi
re a
righ
t of w
ay fo
r saf
e pa
ssag
e, h
orse
rider
s ha
ve th
e pr
imar
y rig
ht o
f way
, hik
ers
next
and
then
cyc
lists
whi
le o
n pa
rk d
istri
ct p
rope
rty tr
ails
. (M
M)
8.1
Dog
s, C
ats
and
Oth
er A
nim
als
Dogs
, cat
s an
d ot
her d
omes
tic p
ets,
hou
seho
ld o
r exo
tic a
nim
als
are
proh
ibite
d in
the
park
s ex
cept
und
er th
e co
nditi
ons
stat
edbe
low
or i
n ar
eas d
esig
nate
d by
the
Dire
ctor
. No
pers
on sh
all s
uffe
ror
per
mit
such
pet
or a
nim
al to
ent
er a
par
k or
run
at la
rge
in a
park
or r
emai
n un
atte
nded
at a
ny ti
me
whi
le in
the
park
. All
such
pets
and
ani
mal
s sh
all b
e co
ntro
lled
at a
ll tim
es w
hen
perm
itted
in th
e pa
rk o
n a
leas
h no
t mor
e th
an e
ight
feet
long
una
ttend
edby
and
und
er th
e im
med
iate
con
trol o
f the
ow
ner o
r ano
ther
. The
owne
r of s
uch
a pe
t or a
nim
al s
hall
rem
ove
anim
al w
aste
from
any
area
s of
the
park
gro
unds
and
mus
t car
ry a
t all
times
a v
isib
lem
eans
of c
olle
ctin
g an
d di
spos
ing
was
te p
rope
rly in
des
igna
ted
area
s. O
wne
rs m
ust c
ompl
y w
ith a
ll st
ate
and
loca
l hea
lth a
ndlic
ensi
ng re
quire
men
ts a
nd a
ny c
onst
rain
ts im
pose
d by
law
,or
dina
nce
or re
gula
tion.
Was
te re
mov
al s
hall
be w
aive
d fo
r the
owne
r of a
n as
sist
dog
. (M
M)
4.6
Poss
essi
on o
f Alc
ohol
ic B
ever
ages
No
pers
on s
hall
be u
nder
the
influ
ence
of a
ny in
toxi
catin
g liq
uor
or a
lcoho
lic b
ever
age
with
in th
e pa
rk, n
or h
ave
in h
is/he
r pos
sess
ion
cons
ume
(drin
k) a
ny in
toxi
catin
g liq
uor o
r alc
ohol
ic b
ever
age
with
inth
e pa
rk e
xcep
t in
certa
in e
nclo
sed
or d
esig
nate
d ar
eas.
(MM
)(O
RC 4
301.
62B3
)
Ho
rse
Res
t Are
a
3765
acr
es
Air
po
rt H
igh
way
To S
wan
ton
Priv
ate
Pro
per
ty
Priv
ate
Pro
per
ty
Girdham Rd.
S.R
. 2To
To
led
o
Sag
er R
d.
Du
nes
Ree
d R
d.
Priv
ate
Pro
per
ty
S.R
. 64
Gro
up
Cam
p
Ran
ger
s an
dM
ain
ten
ance
Lod
ge
Ran
ger
Sta
tio
n
To W
hite
hous
e
S.R. 64
S.R. 295
Priv
ate
Pro
per
ty
Priv
ate
Pro
per
ty
Priv
ate
Pro
per
ty
Priv
ate
Pro
per
ty
Priv
ate
Pro
per
ty
Priv
ate
Pro
per
ty
Swan Creek
Wilkins Rd.
Sp
rin
gb
roo
kG
rou
p C
amp
S.R. 64
S.R. 295
Eve
rgre
enLa
ke A
rea
Pic
nic
Are
aR
estr
oo
ms
Pin
e R
idg
e A
rea
Mau
mee
Sta
teFo
rest
Manore Rd.
Priv
ate
Pro
per
ty
Swan Creek
Sw
anC
reek
Du
nes
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nes
Mo
ncl
ova
Rd
.
Hors
e R
ider
Cen
ter
Ho
rse
Trai
ler
Park
ing
Pic
nic
Are
a
Jeffers Rd.
S. Wilkins Rd.
Sp
rin
gb
roo
kLa
ke A
rea
Pic
nic
Are
aR
estr
oo
ms
Dri
nki
ng
wat
erO
ak O
pen
ing
s H
ikin
gTr
ailh
ead
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terg
reen
Lak
e
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ite
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psi
teP
icn
ic A
rea
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y A
rea
Res
tro
om
s
Wab
ash
-Can
no
nb
all
Trai
l to
Falle
n T
imb
ers
Nat
ion
al B
attl
efie
ld
Trai
lsR
ou
nd
Trip
Mile
s
Res
tric
ted
–No
ho
rses
Gra
ssla
nd
s &
Th
icke
tsW
oo
dla
nd
& S
avan
na
Eve
rgre
en F
ore
stTr
ail m
aps
Trai
lhea
d
Ho
rse
Ho
rse
Trai
l
1
4.5
Wab
ash
-Can
no
nb
all H
ors
e
Tra
il C
on
nec
tor
Wab
ash
-Can
no
nb
all T
rail
Ho
rses
res
tric
ted
to
des
ign
ated
tra
il.Tr
aile
r p
arki
ng
on
Jef
fers
Rd
.
Mau
mee
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teFo
rest
S.R
. 2A
irp
ort
Hig
hw
ayTo
led
o E
xpre
ss A
irp
ort
Mo
ncl
ova
Rd
.
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d R
d.
Ob
ee R
d.
Ree
d R
d.
Mau
mee
Sta
te F
ore
st
S.R. 64
Girdham Rd.
Wilkins Rd.
S.R. 295
Manore Rd.
JeffersRd.
Ho
rse
Rest
Are
a
Wate
rS
top
Mau
mee
Sta
teFo
rest
Mau
mee
Sta
teFo
rest
Oak
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ning
sPr
eser
veM
etro
park
3765
acr
es