Guided Wildflower Hike

Guided Wildflower Hike - April 23, 2026

Join Heritage Trails Park District Volunteer ShelbyDawn Oakes for an interpretive spring wildflower hike at the Dr. Elizabeth Yahl Kuffner Nature Preserve on Thursday, April 23rd at 6:30pm. All are invited for this stroll along the boardwalk trail as Shelby teaches us about Ohio's native wildflower species. This guided hike will be slow paced, under 1 mile in length, and last approximately 45 minutes ---- perfect for all ages & hiking abilities. Take a rest on the newly added park benches, enjoy some birdwatching, and spend some quality time outdoors. Kuffner Nature Preserve is located at 14840 County Rd 66A, just north of St. Marys, Ohio.

(Please note: parking is limited for this program, and is first come, first serve. Restrooms & trashcans are not available.)

Self-guided hikes will also be offered dawn to dusk, April 20th thru May 4th. Interpretive signage will be located along the trail to help you identify wildflowers first-hand and learn fun facts about each species. Don't let springtime pass you by! Join Heritage Trails Park District while we watch Ohio's springtime season unfold!

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Heritage Trails has wheels!
New benches & trail signage installed at Kuffner Nature Preserve

New benches & trail signage at Kuffner Nature Preserve

By Terry McDonald • November 10, 2025
New memorial park benches and trail signs have recently been installed at the Dr. Elizabeth Yahl Kuffner Nature Preserve
2026 April Showers Cabin Fever Hike - St. Marys, Ohio

2026 April Showers Cabin Fever Hike

By Terry McDonald • November 10, 2025
Join Heritage Trails Park District on Sunday, April 12th for our April Showers hike along the Miami Erie Canal! Bring the whole family! Pets on a leash are welcome as well. Meet at Noble Township Hall, located at 16586 CR 66A, just north of St. Marys from 1pm-3pm.
April 20 - May 4, 2026

Self-guided Wildflower Hike

By Terry McDonald • November 9, 2025
Heritage Trails Park District invites you to explore the Dr. Elizabeth Yahl Kuffner Nature Preserve for a spring wildflower hike! Enjoy a self-guided hike along the wooded trails of this unique nature preserve, where numerous species of Ohio’s native wildflowers can be found, including the official State Wildflower of

Boardwalk Ribbon Cutting at Kuffner Preserve

By Terry McDonald • October 17, 2025
The ribbon has officially been cut for the new boardwalk trail at Dr. Elizabeth Yahl Kuffner Nature Preserve! We are grateful to the Yahl Kuffner & Hartung families for their generous donations to help make these wonderful trail improvements happen. Heritage Trails Park District invites everyone to explore this amazin

Kuffner Nature Preserve is OPEN!

By Terry McDonald • September 18, 2025
The Dr. Elizabeth Yahl-Kuffner Nature Preserve has re-opened to the public! Thanks to generous donors, a brand new boardwalk has been installed to enhance accessibility to all hikers. In the coming weeks, new benches, trail signage, and informational kiosk will also be added to further improve this amazing Auglaize

2025 Autumn Newsletter

By Terry McDonald • September 15, 2025
To sign-up to receive our quarterly newsletter, please email info@htparks.org

Heritage Trails Park District - 2025 Stahr Award Winner!

By Terry McDonald • May 28, 2025
Earlier this month, Heritage Trails Park District was presented with the ⭐️STAHR AWARD⭐️ from Ohio's Grand Lake Region Visitors Center! We are so grateful to receive such an honor! Thank you! Each year, the Stahr Award is given to one group, organization or business for its outstanding contributions to the development and promotion of tourism in the Auglaize & Mercer County area. The granting of this award began in 1998, named for former Visitors Center Trustee, the late Bill Stahr. 💫 Pictured here:🏆 Heritage Trails Park District Executive Director PJ Fought along with Ambassador Award winner Matt Tuttle and Past President Award winner Jared Ebbing.

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Progress Report for Heritage Trails Park District (By: Administrative Assistant Terry McDonald) Heritage Trails Park District has been moving forward in leaps & bounds during the past year, fueling our mission to create and preserve park lands in Auglaize County for conservation, leisure and educational purposes for everyone to enjoy. Our park district is currently comprised of six areas of park lands in Auglaize County, Ohio, including Lock 14 Park, Deep Cut Historical Park, Bloody Bridge Trail Head, Dr. Elizabeth Yahl-Kuffner Nature Preserve, eight miles of Towpath Trail along the Miami Erie Canal, and the future site of the E.J. Mackenbach Preserve. In 2024, Heritage Trails Park District acquired the E.J. Mackenbach Preserve, approximately 70 acres of historic property just north of St. Marys, Ohio. This preserve features 34 acres of woodland, 36 acres of fields and amazing views of the Miami Erie Canal. Plans are in place to restore the agricultural fields to wetland and meadow habitats, with plantings

THE STORY OF THE BLOODY BRIDGE

By HTPARKS • February 23, 2021
A tale of a lovers quarrel, and murder. Visitors say they can see the ghostly images of a headless man walking along the bridge at sundown, and drowned woman in the canal below. Making the Bloody Bridge a notorious attraction for those who seek the paranormal.