One of the largest examples of glacial striations in the world is at Kelleys Island State Park. Over 14,000 years ago, during the end of the last ice age, glaciers cut grooves into limestone bedrock that’s about 400 million years old.
“This whole part of Ohio and north of here was covered with a glacier that was nearly a mile thick,” explains Chris Ashley, Kelleys Island State Park manager with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. “You had water trying to flow under tremendous pressure because of the weight of this glacier — the water is what carved these grooves.”
Discovered during quarrying operations and excavated largely by hand, the Glacial Grooves State Memorial opened in the 1970s. Recently upgraded with a $2.2 million renovation, the grooves now have improved walkways, fencing and signage revealing facts such as that the bedrock contains fossils of corals, shells and more. Now known as the Glacial Grooves Geological Preserve, it’s a partnership between ODNR and the Ohio History Connection.
The state park is 677 acres and makes up a fourth of the island. From the late 1800s through the 1940s, quarrying was prominent on the island. On Horseshoe Lake, East Quarry has fishing and a 5.5-mile trail. The 0.4-mile Crusher Trail takes you from the grooves to the Stone Crusher Building, the oldest poured concrete structure in Ohio. It was part of the Kelley Island Lime & Transport Co. and is now known as the North Quarry. Look for state-endangered lakeside daisies, growing around the quarries.
Access the rare North Shore Alvar State Nature Preserve by the 1.2-mile North Shore Loop/Alvar Trail that takes you to different sections of the alvar on Lake Erie’s rocky shore.
“Alvar is a Norwegian term that describes bedrock that has no soil on it, and in our case, it’s because waves keep the soil off,” says Ashley.
The North Shore Alvar is the best-preserved intact alvar habitat in Ohio. See shallow glacial striations along with rare plants such as Pringle’s aster and the state-endangered northern bog violet, which only grows on Lake Erie islands in Ohio.
One of the last remaining lake embayment ponds in the Lake Erie Islands, the North Pond State Nature Preserve is a wetland with a boardwalk trail and observation tower.
“The lake water can move in and out of it when the levels are right,” Ashley says. “It’s a great bird-watching place.”
There’s an eagle’s nest, waterfowl and migrating birds, as well as unusual plants like the cardinal flower and blue flag.
Near the water, the state park’s campground offers 129 sites including full-hookup and primitive spots, cabins and yurts. The nearby 150-foot sand beach features volleyball and kayaking. Other activities include boating, fishing for species such as walleye and more. Head into the downtown area for a bison burger at the Kelleys Island House and venture to the Kelleys Island Wine Co. for a glass of semi-dry Glacial White.
Don’t miss visiting one of the Pollinator Project’s plots by the Kelleys Island Land Field Airport. A partnership between ODNR and Kelleys Island School Field Station, the resident-led effort welcomes native blue vervain, coneflowers, goldenrod and more to attract bees, dragonflies, butterflies and more.
Ashley says a trip to Kelleys Island brings relaxation, calm and connection to nature through its parkland, preserves and more.
“They’re valuable to wildlife,” he says. “There’s a lot of breeding habitat, and the fact that it’s a stopover point crossing the lake — it’s so valuable for the birds to feed and for the insects to nectar.”
Erin Gulling
Erin Gulling
Erin Gulling
Erin Gulling
Erin Gulling
