We’d visited every (non-permit) park and preserve in Hocking county except one – Kessler Swamp. This weekend on the way home from a hike at Conkles Hollow, we stopped there. The parking lot for the preserve in a pull-off off of Hideaway Hills Road. A very short path leads you to an observation platform overlooking the swamp.
The preserve is a 20-acre site consisting mostly of the swamp which is fed by Durbin Run, a tributary of Rush Creek. When we visited we noted mostly waterfowl including ducks, geese, and some swans. I imagine this would be a great place to do some bird watching during the spring and fall migrations. Blue and green herons have been sighted here, as well as bald eagles. The land was donated to the state of Ohio by the Kessler family. This is the same family who generously donated the land that became the Boch Hollow State Nature Preserve.
Additional information
- ODNR: Kessler Swamp
- TrekOhio: Overview of Hiking Trails in the Hocking Hills
- TrekOhio: Hocking County Parks & Preserves
Location
- Address: 28749 Hideaway Hills Rd., Sugar Grove, Ohio 43155
- GPS Coordinates: 39.641083, -82.475967
- Google Maps: View on map or get directions
