This 902-acre park protects the historic sandstone ledges of Ansel’s Cave, Silver Creek and its watershed, extensive wetlands and mature forests. The West Woods Nature Center is a popular attraction with its large wildlife feeding area and hands-on interpretive displays. Nine trails total 6.95 miles. Its name come from a story published in 1885: A.G. Riddle’s The Young Sugar Makers of The West Woods, which takes place at this very location.
With a nature center and a nature store, The West Woods is a place like no other in Geauga County.
Click here to make a reservation or learn more about a shelter. To learn more about a lodge, click the lodge’s name below.
Click here to learn more about, or reserve, a facility.
Click here to learn more about, or reserve, a campsite or lean-to.
The West Woods is home to a wide variety of activity trails for hiking, skiing and horseback riding.
Ansel’s Cave Trail – 1.5 – gravel
Neighbors Way – 0.1 – asphalt
Ansel’s Cave Link Trail – 0.2 – gravel
Discovery Trail – 0.3 – gravel
Pioneer Bridle Trail – 2.7 – gravel
Trout Lily Trail – 0.1 – mixed
Music Street Link – 0.7 – gravel
Affelder Link – 1.1 – gravel
Falls Trail – 0.25 – gravel
Make a day of exploring The West Woods' wildlife and you still may not see it all.
The natural diversity of The West Woods is not only pleasing to the eye; it provides refuge for a variety of wildlife. Wetlands, mature forests, reclaimed farm fields and Ansel’s Cave, which is composed of Sharon conglomerate sandstone ledges, provide habitat for a great number of plant and animal species. Three tributaries of Silver Creek – a high quality cold-water stream and a tributary of the Chagrin River – have been used by the Ohio Department of Natural Resource’s Division of Wildlife to successfully reintroduce a “threatened” species of native brook trout.
Several potentially threatened species have been identified here, including the butternut tree, closed gentian, blunt mountain mint wildflowers, tall manna grass and the Mourning Warbler. More than 100 species of fungi have been identified here, several of which are rare in North America.
As the forest continues to mature, the undisturbed habitat becomes increasingly valuable to wildlife, including woodland songbirds like tanagers, warblers, thrushes, vireos and flycatchers; Pileated Woodpeckers; and Barred Owls and others that depend on sizable forest stands with undisturbed interiors.
Frogs, toads and a large variety of salamanders benefit from the abundance of seeps, springs, streams and both naturally occurring and manmade wetlands located within the park.
| Event | Location | Date | Time | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| After Work Wildflower Walk | The West Woods | 04/25/2018 | 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm | Free |
| Maple Town Tune Traders | The West Woods | 04/26/2018 | 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm | Free |
| Astrotots: Reach for the Stars! (Ages 3-5 w/adult) | The West Woods | 04/27/2018 | 10:00 am - 11:00 am | Free |
| Astrotots: Reach for the Stars! (Ages 3-5 w/adult) | The West Woods | 04/27/2018 | 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm | Free |
| Nature Explorers: Amphibian Awakening (8-11) | The West Woods | 04/28/2018 | 10:00 am - 12:00 pm | Free |
| Nature Explorers: Amphibian Awakening (Ages 6-7) | The West Woods | 04/28/2018 | 10:00 am - 12:00 pm | Free |
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