Ottawa County: Marshlands, Trails and History

Marshlands, paddling routes and historic sites offer different ways to enjoy a stay in Ottawa County. You can explore nature preserves and trails, plan a water route or learn about the region’s history. For planning, find specific details about routes, landscapes and visiting hours.

Nature Preserves and Trails in the Marshlands

The Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge encompasses 9,700 acres of marshland, higher ground and wooded wetlands that remain from the Great Black Swamp. The visitor center parking lots and refuge trails are open daily from sunrise to sunset. The Lakeside Daisy State Nature Preserve protects the only natural population of lakeside daisies in the United States. It is located on the site of a former limestone quarry and covers 19 acres. A short trail runs through the preserve, which also has a parking lot. Check the preserve rules before your drive.

The landscapes along Sandusky Bay also vary. The Dempsey Wildlife Area borders the bay along the southern shore of the Marblehead Peninsula. The Great Egret Marsh Preserve encompasses more than 150 acres of marshland and adjacent higher ground in Ottawa County. Meadowbrook Marsh is a 190-acre nature preserve near the shore of Sandusky Bay on the Marblehead Peninsula. Its protected areas include woods, open meadows, marshland and open water.

Water Trails and Longer Routes

The Portage River Water Trail is a scenic, 36-mile route that runs through Ottawa County and drains into Lake Erie. There are several paddling access points along the water trail. For specific directions, use the Lake Erie Beach Access: a trailhead marker is located on Jefferson Street near the Waterworks Park public parking lot in Port Clinton.

The North Coast Inland Trail offers a different scale. This nearly 100-mile multi-use route runs from Lorain to Genoa through four counties, including Ottawa County. In the county, its section runs northwest from the Sandusky County line through Elmore to Genoa. The trail is also part of US Bike Route 30. This offers a comparison between two distinctly different route profiles: the 36-mile water trail with several paddling access points and the nearly 100-mile multi-use route.

East Harbor State Park offers another trail option. The park has a marina, and the Wetland Trail is 1.5 miles long and rated easy. Its length and rating give you a concrete guide to how much time to allow for the trail.

Lighthouse, Museums and History

Marblehead Lighthouse is the oldest continuously operating lighthouse on the Great Lakes. The grounds around the lighthouse offer picnic spots and views of Lake Erie, Sandusky Bay, Kelleys Island and South Bass Island. The grounds also include the Keeper’s House Museum and the Lifesaving Station Museum.

The Ottawa County Museum dedicates its exhibits to a wide range of regional topics. These include the Battle of Lake Erie, boatbuilding, nature, agriculture and commercial fishing, as well as early settlers, Native Americans, early clothing and children’s toys. From Memorial Day through Labor Day, the museum is open Tuesday through Thursday from 12 to 3 p.m. The rest of the year, it is open Wednesdays from 12 to 3 p.m. and by appointment. Check seasonal hours before your visit.

There is also a history experience for 2026: the History Mystery Ottawa County America 250 Tour is a self-guided Bandwango trail through historic sites, attractions and local stories in the county. On Johnson’s Island, the Confederate Stockade Cemetery is the only site open to the public; the island is privately inhabited. The site of the Johnson’s Island Civil War Prison was designated a National Historic Landmark in June 1990.

Discover more destinations: Port Clinton, Put-In-Bay, Wyandot County, Champaign County, Huron County, Defiance, Auglaize County, Pickaway County.

For the main travel overview: Ohio.