Nelson Kennedy Ledges State Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Nelson-Kennedy Ledges State Park |
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| Location | Portage County, Ohio, United States |
| Nearest town | Garrettsville, Ohio |
| Area | 167 acres (68 ha) |
| Elevation | 1,010 feet (310 m) |
| Established | 1949 |
| Administered by | Ohio Department of Natural Resources |
| Designation | Ohio state park |
| Website | Nelson-Kennedy Ledges State Park |
Nelson-Kennedy Ledges State Park is a really cool place in Portage County, Ohio, United States. It's a big park, about 167 acres, where you can go hiking and have picnics.
The park is famous for its amazing rock formations. Some rocks are as tall as a 5-story building (50 to 60 feet high!), and there are deep cracks in the ground, also up to 60 feet deep. These awesome rock formations are made of sandstone. They were shaped over a very long time by wind, water, and ice. When softer rock wore away, big blocks fell, leaving behind the cool ledges you see today. You can get to the park easily from main roads like U.S. Route 422.
Park History
People have always loved visiting the Nelson-Kennedy area. To protect this special place, the state of Ohio started buying land here in the 1940s. The park officially became Nelson-Kennedy Ledges State Park in 1949. This was done to make sure everyone could enjoy its unique beauty for many years to come.
Plants and Animals
The park is home to a special kind of forest called a beech-maple forest. In this forest, you can find some trees that usually grow in colder places. These include the yellow birch, Eastern hemlock, and Canada yew. Some of these trees even grow right on the rock faces, with their roots pushing into every tiny crack!
Under the shade of these trees, you'll see lots of different ferns. Common ones are the Christmas fern and maidenhair fern. Other ferns, like the marginal shield fern, grape fern, wood fern, and common polypody, are more unusual for this part of Ohio.
The trees are also a great home for many kinds of songbirds. On the ground, you might spot small mammals like skunks, raccoons, and fox squirrels living in different parts of the park.
Fun Activities at the Park
Nelson-Kennedy Ledges State Park is open from when the sun comes up until it goes down. It's a great place for hiking! There are about 3 miles (5 km) of main hiking trails. You'll also find many smaller, unmarked paths, but these can be more challenging and even a bit dangerous.
To help you know where to go, the trails use a color-coding system on rocks and trees:
- White means the trail is pretty easy.
- Yellow and Blue trails are medium difficulty.
- Red trails are super difficult and might involve some rock climbing.
It's really important to be careful on the trails because of the cliffs and other hazards. Hiking at night is not a good idea because it's hard to see where you're going. Always stay on marked trails for your safety!
Images for kids
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Water flowing down the rocks following a spring rain
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Inside the narrow city of rocks.
