1 Cottonwood to Toadshade Loop

Goll Woods State Nature Preserve

The 170-acre near-virgin forest is a remnant of the Great Black Swamp, characterized by towering trees 200 to 400 years old, with a few specimens as old as 500 years. Hike around the preserve on a 3-mile outer loop; it won’t take long to see that you’re in a special place. Unusually tall and broad tree specimens include cottonwood, oak, tulip tree, ash, maple, beech, hickory, and linden (basswood). The dark and clear understory is quite swampy in areas and gives you a taste of what the Great Black Swamp was once like, all the way down to the mosquitoes. Take a respite from everyday living to view the process of life, death, and rebirth in a natural ecosystem.

Start: Trailhead next to the parking lot and restrooms

Distance: 3-mile loop

Hiking time: About 1 to 1.5 hours

Difficulty: Easy; flat and clear

Trail surface: Dirt and stone trail

Blaze: None; all junctions are marked.

Best season: Spring and fall, when there’s a night frost to keep the mosquitoes down

Other trail users: Hikers only

Canine compatibility: Dogs not permitted

Water: The spigot at the trailhead is dry; bring your own water.

Land status: State nature preserve

Nearest town: Archbold

Fees and permits: None

Schedule: Open daily from dawn to dusk

Maps: Trail maps are usually available at the trailhead kiosk. USGS quad: Archbold

Trail contact: Goll Woods Nature Preserve, Archbold; (419) 445-1775; www.dnr.state.oh.us/location/dnap/goll_woods/tabid/942/Default.aspx

Finding the trailhead: From the junction of SR 2 and SR 66 north of Archbold, continue north on SR 66 for 1 mile to CR F. Turn left (west) and drive 2.8 miles to CR 26. Turn left (south) and drive 0.2 mile to the parking lot on the left. DeLorme: Ohio Atlas & Gazetteer: Page 25 D5. GPS: N41 33.29' / W84 21.69'.

The Hike

When the Goll family purchased land for a homestead in northwest Ohio in 1837 (for $1.25 per acre), they probably couldn’t have imagined that in less than 150 years their land would be designated a natural treasure—simply because the trees hadn’t been cut. In fact, the only reason this small tract of magnificent forest exists is because the Goll family preserved the woods through four generations before selling it to the state in 1966.

The forest at Goll Woods is characterized by towering trees 200 to 400 years old, thick clouds of mosquitoes, and everything in between. This area was the last to be settled east of the Mississippi. It was eventually drained with the help of an extensive ditching project and now is home to almost a million acres of productive farmland. Getting to Goll Woods requires a long drive through what seems to be ceaseless cornfields, making it hard to imagine the vast expanse of forest that once existed here. Goll Woods was left untouched until World War I, and even then only a few trees were cut. The entire preserve encompasses 321 acres, and the 170 acres of near-virgin timber within the preserve are listed as a National Natural Landmark.

Start the hike just past the trailhead kiosk, which may have self-guided nature trail brochures stocked. Begin by taking a left onto the Cottonwood Trail to make a clockwise loop around the preserve. Unusually tall and broad trees, including the namesake cottonwood as well as oak, tulip tree, ash, maple, beech, hickory, and linden (basswood) tower above, creating a dark and clear understory that’s quite swampy in areas. The dark forest and dark swampy bottomlands are what gave the Great Black Swamp its name. This wide variety of evenly distributed tree species is known as a mixed mesophytic forest. Although the land is quite flat, look for very subtle changes in elevation. The wetter soil supports elm and ash, while the drier soil is home to beech and maple. As the swamp was drained over the years, beech and maple trees began to take hold. As the soil continues to become drier, the beech-maple community will eventually dominate this forest.

Continuing to the Burr Oak Trail, take note of the most impressive big trees, a few of which are estimated to be almost 500 years old. (See the “elder of the woods” at Post 8, which was growing here in the sixteenth century!) Snags stand here and there, providing habitat and food for birds and other animals. Other trees have been blown down during storms and left to rot, helping to create the rich soil that supports this forest. Look and listen for the red-headed woodpecker, common to Goll Woods but not so common elsewhere. In the understory look for the native pawpaw tree and the strong-smelling spicebush, both of which can grow in low light conditions.

The next portion of the route is the Tuliptree Trail, named for the tree that produces yellow-and-orange tulip-like flowers in the spring. Look on the trail for fallen flowers, because you won’t be able to see them in the trees themselves—the tall, straight tulip tree prunes itself, and the first branches are 40 to 50 feet above the ground. The tulip tree is one of the oldest tree species on the planet. Fossil records show evidence of tulip trees growing 100 million years ago. Tulips are excellent lumber trees, but they were often just burned as settlers cleared the Great Black Swamp.

These remnant tracts of virgin forest are important to scientists and the rest of us because they provide a living record of history, including natural history of fires, droughts, wet years, and so on. These forests also provide a benchmark for what a natural, healthy forest should look like, which is critical when land managers undertake restoration projects. And, of course, these forests are simply remarkable, beautiful places in and of themselves, whether or not we visit them for a respite from everyday life.

The final leg of the loop is on the Toadshade Trail, which parallels the Tiffin River for a stretch. Toadshade is a common name for a maroon or green trillium with mottled leaves. Other spring wildflowers found here include bloodroot, columbine, cut-leaf toothwort, phlox, Dutchman’s-breeches, wood anemone, miterwort, and the uncommon dwarf ginseng. Later in the year expect to see black-eyed Susan, thistle, jewelweed (spotted touch-me-not), and tick trefoil. As the trail turns away from the river, it enters a pine plantation. This is a fragrant portion of the trail and offers a much-needed respite from the mosquitoes. It’s nonnative, however, and will someday be naturally displaced by the native deciduous trees.

Goll Woods is home to the state champion rock elm tree; that is, the largest of that species in the state.

Miles and Directions

0.0Start at the trailhead located beyond the restrooms and the trailhead kiosk. The trail begins at a fork. Take the left fork to begin a clockwise loop around the entire preserve, starting with the Cottonwood Trail.

0.2Pass a junction with the Burr Oak Trail on the right. Continue straight. Option: Take a right to do only the Burr Oak Trail, a 1.5-mile loop.

1.1At the end of the Cottonwood Trail, come to another fork for the Burr Oak Trail. Take a left.

1.3Come to another fork. Take a left to begin the Tuliptree Trail. Option: Take the right fork to return directly on the Burr Oak Trail for a 2.2-mile loop.

1.4Cross CR 26 and pick up the trail on the other side, a little bit to the right.

1.9Arrive at the junction with the Toadshade Trail. Continue straight. (The Tuliptree Trail continues to the right.)

2.0Pass a junction with an access trail from the left.

2.2Come to CR F. Turn right and walk about 100 yards along the road and then pick up the marked trailhead on the other side.

2.6Pass a seasonal river-overlook deck on the left.

2.7Cross CR F again.

3.0Arrive at CR 26. Cross the road and return to the parking lot where you began.

Hike Information

Local information: Wauseon Chamber of Commerce, (419) 335-9966, www.wauseonchamber.com

Local events and attractions: Sauder Village historical farm and crafts, Archbold; (800) 590-9755; www.saudervillage.com

Accommodations: Sauder Village has an inn and a campground; (800) 590-9755.

Restaurants: Homestead Ice Cream, (419) 446-2663, www.homesteadicecream.com; try their Black Swamp flavor.

The Barn at Sauder Village, (800) 590-9755

Organizations: Toledo Naturalists Association, www.toledonaturalist.org