Birding at Goll Woods State Nature Preserve

General Information

Address

County Rd 26, Archbold, OH 43502

County/Counties

Fulton

DeLorme Page Number and Coordinates

(7th Edition and earlier) page 25; D-5

Nearest Town or City

2 miles northwest of Archbold, Ohio.

Directions from Nearest Town or City

Entrance is on east side of Township Road 26 about ¼ mile south of County Road F. Location is about 3 miles west of State Route 66, in German Township.

About Goll Woods State Nature Preserve

Goll Woods is a 321-acre state nature preserve, owned and managed by the Division of Natural Areas and Preserves of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. It is perhaps the finest remaining example of an old-growth forest in Ohio, with some oak trees as old as 400 years and up to 4 feet in diameter. There is also an excellent display of spring wildflowers.

 

Visiting Goll Woods gives visitors a sense of what the primeval pre-settlement woods that cloaked the Great Black Swamp region of Ohio must have been like. There is an excellent trail system through the preserve, which is easily accessed from the main parking area. As the woods is in a heavily agricultural area, both spring and fall migration can be excellent for a wide variety of passerines, to which the woods stands out like a beacon among all the barren fields. Noteworthy breeding birds include Barred Owl, Red-headed Woodpecker (year-round), Scarlet Tanager, and Rose-breasted Grosbeak.

Visiting Information

Closed hours/season

Open all year during daylight hours.

Parking Areas

Well maintained parking lot.

Fees/Permits

None.

Restroom Facilities

None.

Harmful Insects, Poisonous Plants, or Animals

Goll Woods is a swamp woods, thus mosquitoes can be rather vicious at times. Bringing repellent is always wise.

Restaurants in the Area

Several in nearby Archbold.

Other Birding Spots in the Area

Oak Openings region.