Adams Lake State Nature Preserve (Blog Hike #96)

Trails: Prairie Dock and Post Oak Trails

Hike Location: Adams Lake State Nature Preserve

Geographic Location: north of West Union, OH (38.81248, -83.52966)

Length: 0.6 miles

Difficulty: 2/10 (Easy)
Dates Hiked: June 2001; October 2015; October 2022

Overview: A unique hike, first through a prairie opening, then through some second growth hardwoods.

Park Information: https://ohiodnr.gov/wps/portal/gov/odnr/go-and-do/plan-a-visit/find-a-property/adams-lake-state-park

Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=940197

Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: 

Directions to the trailhead: From West Union, take SR 41 north 2 miles to the park entrance on the left, marked by a large beige park sign.  From SR 32, go 11 miles south on SR 41 to the park entrance, which would be on the right from this direction.  Follow the main park road past the park office for a total of 0.5 mile.  Watch for the preserve sign uphill to the left and park in the parking lot adjacent to the picnic area on the right.

The hike: One of the most interesting short hikes in greater Cincinnati can be found at Adams Lake Prairie State Nature Preserve.  The preserve is contained within Adams Lake State Park, which is popular for picnicking, fishing, and boating.  The state park itself does not contain any trails but does provide facilities such as restrooms and water for the preserve.

            At only 22 acres, the state nature preserve is one of the smaller preserves described in this blog.  Likewise, at 0.75 miles, some may argue that this hike alone may not be worth the 2 hour drive from Cincinnati to central Adams County.  What this hike does offer is one of the most beautiful, unspoiled examples of a prairie opening in the region.  If more hiking is desired, consider hiking trails at nearby Buzzardroost Rock, Chaparral State Nature Preserve, or Davis Memorial, all of which are described elsewhere in this blog.

            A prairie opening is a unique, complex habitat very different from the tallgrass prairie plantings found in some of our metroparks.  Also called xeric, barren, or shortgrass prairies, the land of a prairie opening is drier and supports more broad-leaf shrubs than its tallgrass counterpart.  One similarity is that controlled burns must be executed every 2 to 3 years in both environments so that forest, the natural habitat for most of southwestern Ohio, does not overgrow the prairie.

            Two short interpretive trails access the preserve.  This hike will use both trails in their entirety, starting with the Prairie Dock Trail, which traverses the preserve’s small prairie opening, then moving on to the Post Oak Trail, which covers some more mature woodland.  As with other trails in Adams County's state nature preserves, these trails are unmarked, well-signed at intersections, and feature small black signs interpreting some of the sights along the trail.

Trailhead: Adams Lake Prairie

            Start from the preserve sign and the nearby information kiosk across the park road from the picnic area.  Take the trail going straight behind the kiosk and hike uphill into young cedar woods, stepping over a couple of erosion controls.  In only 80 yards you will come out at the edge of the prairie opening.  When the trail forks, turn right and begin the Prairie Dock Trail as it loops through the small prairie opening.  The prairie opening at nearby Chaparral State Nature Preserve is many times the size of this one.  However, Adams Lake’s prairie opening is special because it is surrounded on all sides by tall deciduous trees, keeping the xeric prairie away from the sights and sounds of development.

Entering the prairie

            Probably your first observation will be the large 2 foot high mounds of dirt scattered throughout the prairie opening.  These mounds are actually large anthills, home of the Allegheny red ant.  One mound can house up to 100,000 ants.  These ants are among the most aggressive ants in the world, and their strong jaws give their bites quite a sting.  The ants usually will not attack humans unless they feel their home is endangered.  Nevertheless, it is best to keep some distance between yourself and the mounds.

Xeric Prairie

            You should also notice the large-leafed plants that cover much of the ground in the prairie opening.  This is prairie dock, the plant for which this trail is named.  Prairie dock is the most common plant on the xeric prairie.  Other flowering prairie plants to look for include blazing star, coreopsis, rosinweed, and gentian.  The prairie plants seem to attract a large number of butterflies in the summer.  The flowers are at their height in late summer, so plan a visit between late July and early September to see a real show of color.

            Just before closing the loop of the Prairie Dock Trail, our hike takes a right turn to begin following the Post Oak Trail.  This trail quickly leaves the prairie and winds through the upper reaches of several small drainages.  The larger trees in the forest are oaks and hickories, but the younger saplings in the understory are all maples.  The oak trees seem to be having a tougher time reproducing than the maples. If this trend continues, over time this forest will cease to be an oak-hickory forest and become dominated by maples.

Hiking the Post Oak Trail

            The trail gently curves left and descends moderately almost to park road level, passing some very large oak trees.  Now heading west, the trail crosses the lower reaches of the same ravines and soon ends at the Prairie Dock Trail.  A right turn here and a short walk down the hill and across the park road will complete the hike.