Cowan Lake State Park: Emerald Woods Trail (Blog Hike #52)

Trail: Emerald Woods Trail

Hike Location: Cowan Lake State Park

Geographic Location: southwest of Wilmington, OH (39.37891, -83.89102)

Length: 1.2 miles

Difficulty: 2/10 (Easy)

Dates Hiked: August 1999, July 2016, October 2022

Overview: An easy walk through beautiful mature forest ending with a view of Cowan Lake.

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

Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=797255
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video:

Directions to the trailhead: From downtown Wilmington, take US 68 south to SR 350 and go west on SR 350.  Take SR 350 west for about 2 miles to Beechwood Road and turn right.  Take Beechwood Road about 0.25 miles to Yankee Road and turn left.  Where Yankee Rd. takes a sharp left, go right to enter the park.  Park in the second parking lot on the right. The trail starts at the rear of the parking lot.

The hike: For my comments on Cowan Lake State Park, see the Lotus Cove Trail blog entry.  The Emerald Woods Trail derives its name from the mature forest that it traverses.  Indeed, this patch of forest is some of the most beautiful in the park.  Despite this feature, the trail is not heavily traversed, so it still offers some peace and solitude for the hiker.  You should note that this is a linear trail and does not form a loop.  Thus, the hiker must walk the trail both ways, arrange a two-car shuttle, or walk the park road back to the trailhead.

Trailhead: Emerald Woods Trail

            Leaving the parking lot, the trail immediately heads east into the deep woods.  This trail is marked by a brown hiker symbol painted on small metal disks.  The forest here is composed mostly of mature beech and maple trees with a few shagbark hickory.  The trail dips through a shallow ravine, crosses the first of three wooden bridges, and makes a hard left turn as it climbs the opposite side. 

            Meandering through more mature forest for a few hundred yards, the trail crosses another shallow ravine on the second wooden bridge.  This one seems to be a bit shaky and will probably need to be replaced in a few years.  The trail has now turned northward, heading for the lake.  As you get closer to the lake, some Canadian goose feathers begin to appear on the trail along with some other reminders that these birds have been in the area. 

Cowan Lake, as seen from south shore

Water lily colony across lake

            The last couple hundred feet of trail is more encumbered with shrubs on either side.  The trail comes out along the park road not far from the park office with a view of the lake.  If you wish, you can turn right and walk about 0.1 miles to the lake and get a view of the American lotus (water lily) colony that makes this park locally famous.  When you are done admiring the lilies, either retrace your steps along the trail back to the trailhead or walk back along the park road to the parking lot.  If you choose the second option, walk west on the park road and turn left at each intersection.