Chaparral Prairie State Nature Preserve (Blog Hike #97)

Trail: Hawk Hill Trail

Hike Location: Chaparral Prairie State Nature Preserve

Geographic Location: north of West Union, OH (38.84032, -83.57379)

Length: 0.75 miles

Difficulty: 1/10 (Easy)

Dates Hiked: June 2001, October 2015

Overview: An easy walk through one of the largest xeric prairies in the region.

Preserve Information: https://ohiodnr.gov/wps/portal/gov/odnr/go-and-do/plan-a-visit/find-a-property/chaparral-prairie-state-nature-preserve

Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=940196
Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: From West Union, go north on SR 247 0.7 miles to Chaparral Rd.  The street sign was obscured by bushes when I drove to the trailhead, so be on the lookout.  Turn left on Chaparral Rd.  Take Chaparral Rd. 2.7 miles to its intersection with Hawk Hill Rd.  Take a very soft right onto Hawk Hill Road, as Chaparral Rd. curves sharply to the left.  Go 0.2 miles on Hawk Hill Rd.to the preserve maintenance building and trailhead on the left.  Park in the blacktop lot.  The trail begins at an information kiosk behind the maintenance building.

The hike: At first glance, the rolling, barren land of Chaparral Prairie State Nature Preserve looks rather uninviting for a hike.  There are no stately trees to admire, no stunning cliffs or sweeping views.  Indeed, to an all-too casual observer the preserve looks like a 66 acre weed patch.

            In reality, nothing could be further from the truth.  For starters, making its debut in 1984, Chaparral Prairie is one of the newest additions to Ohio’s nature preserves.  The fact that the land was farmed only shortly before the acquisition explains the absence of large old-growth trees.  In fact, the forests found along the trail here are some of the youngest forests described in this blog.  I would recommend returning every two or three years and watching this forest grow and gradually proceed through the various stages of field succession.

            The forest is not the main attraction at Chaparral, though.  Chaparral harbors one of the largest prairie openings in Ohio, and that is the focus of this hike.  The preserve offers an excellent opportunity to learn about the plants and wildlife of the prairie through several small, black interpretive signs scattered throughout the trail.  I suggest a late summer visit, as this is when the prairie will show its best color.

Information kiosk at trailhead

            The preserve is accessed by a single 0.75 mile loop trail, roughly in the shape of a square.  Go left from the information kiosk and begin hiking the trail clockwise.  The prairie unfolds downhill to the right as the mown-grass trail passes through a shallow ravine.  Look for prairie dock, rattlesnake master, blazing star, and coreopsis in the prairie.

Tiny turtle on the trail

            The origin of this prairie opening is somewhat of a mystery.  Most experts agree that Adams County's prairies have their roots some 5000 years ago during an unusually warm period of time called the Xerothermic Period.  Higher temperatures allowed prairie plants to migrate from the Great Plains eastward into Ohio.  When temperatures cooled down, most of the land was retaken by forest.  Still, a few pockets of prairie such as this one remain for our habitat diversity and enjoyment.

            The trail soon passes underneath a power line and climbs into the preserve’s young forest before making a sharp right turn.  Most of the forest is still red cedar, one of the first hardwood species to move into a reverting field.  Over time, juniper, ash, and black cherry will begin the broadleaf invasion, followed by maple, hickory, oak and beech.

Hiking through the woods

            The trail descends slightly, passing back underneath the power line, then crosses a couple of small ravines on wooden footbridges.  As the trail curves right again and begins heading back uphill, pass an interpretive sign describing some lichens living on a rock.  Lichens are unusual beings in that they consist of both an algae and a fungus.  The algae derive their energy from photosynthesis, the process of turning carbon-dioxide into oxygen, while the fungus performs respiration (turning oxygen back into CO₂).  This symbiotic relationship allows the combined entity to live in extremely harsh environments, such as on rocks.

Hiking through the prairie

            A couple of times the trail crosses what appears to be another grassy trail.  Actually, this other “trail” is a firebreak for use when park rangers perform controlled burns.  Every 2 to 3 years, rangers must burn various plants on the prairie so that the prairie plants are not overtaken by woody forest plants.  Firebreaks placed at appropriate places help keep the flames under control.  Without such burning, the woody plants of the forest native to this area would out-compete the lower prairie plants for food and sunlight, causing the land to revert to forest.  Watch for black posts with white arrows to point you the correct direction at such intersections.

            First the old barn, then the modern maintenance building come into view uphill on the horizon, signaling we are approaching the end of the hike.  Just before closing the loop, notice an old hand water-pump near the back of the barn.  Only 50 yards later, the trail comes out at the blacktop maintenance road behind the building, thus completing the hike.