Put-in-Bay Township Park District

Bench along the Jane Coates Wildflower Trail

The Jane Coates Wildflower Trail is a hiking trail which loops and winds over a half mile through the Ladd Carr Wildlife Woods. This area was the first island property to be protected as a natural area. The woods are an example of mature forested habitat found on the Lake Erie Islands. Sugar maple, hackberry, black cherry, basswood, Chinquapin oak, and blue ash are present. The area boasts a spectacular spring wildflower display with carpeted areas of Dutchman’s breeches, Jack in the Pulpit, wild hyacinths, blue phlox, and a large display of appendaged waterleaf in the late spring. A bench at the far end of the preserve offers an ideal place for wildlife watching. The footpath entrance and small parking area are located on Put-in-Bay Road near the Maple Leaf Cemetery.
The Ladd Carr Wildlife Woods is named for “Men of the Lakes”: Bob Carr was the captain of various lake freighters during his career on the Great Lakes, and Nate Ladd was a commercial fisherman in the western basin of Lake Erie. The Trail is named after Jane Coates, an island artist.

The Ladd Carr Wildlife Woods is a 2.1 acre wooded parcel located on Put-in-Bay Road. The property was preserved with a Clean Ohio Conservation Fund grant using matching funds from Mary Ladd Carr, Georgia Ladd McVean and Richard Gump.

The property was dedicated on Earth Day 2006. This was the first piece of island property purchased specifically to be protected as a natural area.

The woods is a good example of the forest habitat found on the Lake Erie Islands. Sugar Maple, Hackberry, Basswood, Chinquapin Oak and Blue Ash are all present, some because of the underlying dolomite that influences the composition of the soil.

The spectacular spring wildflower display continues after the Dutchman’s Breeches with Wild Hyacinths and Appendaged Waterleaf becoming dominant in May.

The Jane Coates Wildflower Trail and the Ladd Carr Woods were acquired in four separate acquisitions from 2006-2014 with funding from the Clean Ohio Conservation Fund Grant, NatureWorks Ohio, the Lake Erie Islands Conservancy, donations from foundations, and donations from Georgia Ladd McVean, Mary Ladd Carr, Richard Gump, and Vince Cox.

 

Location:

South Bass Island – Put-in-Bay Road

Parcel Size:

9.1 acres

Access:

Foot

Trails:

2,550 foot looped trail - rugged, natural hazards

Wild Hyacinths along Jane Coates Wildflower Trail
Ladd Carr Wildlife Woods - Put-In-Bay Ohio

Hope you visit and enjoy the Jane Coates Wilflower Trail and Ladd Carr Wildlife Woods!