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photo by Deana Petersen
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photo provided by Ohio History Connection
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photo by Deana Petersen
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photo by Deana Petersen
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photo by Deana Petersen
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photo by Deana Petersen
The moment you embark on the Yellow Trail at Nelson-Kennedy Ledges State Park, you’re amid geological wonders.
“Once you get under the trees, you see the beauty of the stones,” says John Trevelline, park manager of the 167-acre Nelson Township property.
The last Ice Age in Ohio, about 24,000 years ago, resulted in erosion that wore away at softer rock layers. This caused large rock pieces called slump blocks to break off — forming rugged ledges. Trevelline advises that if you look closely under the 50-foot-plus-tall ledges, you can spot patterns that match where the slump blocks fell.
“You can see exactly how the pieces paired together at one point,” Trevelline says of the Sharon conglomerate formations, which contain sandstone and quartzite pebbles.
While it instantly gifts hikers with astounding sights, the moderate 0.2-mile Yellow Trail requires sure footing and tricky maneuvers to traverse. Early on in the trek, gingerly climb down boulders to reach Cascade Creek. Using rocks and logs, cross it to arrive at the roughly 50-foot-deep Gold Hunter’s Cave — with the approximately 40-foot-tall Cascade Falls rushing over top of it. (Pay attention to the ledge before the cave — it’s the oldest exposed rock in the park. The bluish-gray Meadville shale has been uncovered for several millions of years.) Formed partly by erosion from the waterfall, Gold Hunter’s Cave’s name says it all.
“In the 1800s … there was a brief gold rush here, where people thought they were pulling gold out,” says Trevelline, adding that you can see hollowed-out spots where they mined the cave. “It turned out to be fool’s gold.”
For over 130 years, leisure seekers have been drawn to these natural wonders. Starting around the late 1800s, horse-and-buggy travelers voyaged to the Cascade House — a carriage house across the street from the ledges.
“People were automatically attracted to this stuff,” Trevelline says. “Being able to touch a waterfall, get underneath it … it’s spectacular.”
Nearby, uniquely positioned slump blocks create the cool, cave-like Old Maid’s Kitchen, containing a waist-high flat rock.
“This is like a natural table,” Trevelline says. “It’s very evident this area was used by Native Americans.” The ledges’ location, near the watershed divide between the Ohio River and Lake Erie, made it a trading hub for tribes and pioneers.
Next, encounter Dwarf’s Pass — where slanting ledges leave only a slight triangular opening over a stream of spring water and stormwater. You must crawl over a boardwalk or balance on a log in the water, inching sideways along ledges to squeeze through the crevice.
“Like an obstacle course,” Trevelline says, “you’re putting your hands on the ledges, navigating your way around it — an immersive experience.”
Following stunning natural views — trees with vertical root ladders growing down the sides of ledges and dangling Christmas and maidenhair ferns — the shimmying continues as you reach a beech-maple forest. Shuffle sideways through moss-covered rocks separated only by a narrow shoulder-high joint. Journey through the entire park in under two hours, passing through several narrower squeezes and by another waterfall.
It takes effort to hike Nelson ledges, but the area has an enduring appeal because of the incredible rewards nature offers.
“They’ve known it for hundreds of years — parks are good for your mental health,” Trevelline says. “I’ll listen to waterfalls. I’ll listen to nature. I feel better no matter what is on my plate.”
12440 state Route 282, Nelson Township, ohiodnr.gov
