Blackhand+Gorge--Marie+Hickey+Trail

Also, see Blackhand Gorge State Nature Preserve
 * =Birding in Ohio=

Licking County
=Blackhand Gorge State Nature Preserve= =Marie Hickey Trail= Newark, Ohio 43056 Blackhand Gorge State Nature Preserve webpage Blackhand Gorge State Nature Preserve trail map

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Blackhand Gorge--Marie Hickey Trail
Coordinates: 40.0587274, -82.2385293 eBird links: Hotspot map View details Recent visits My eBird links: Location life list Submit data

About Marie Hickey Trail
The Marie Hickey Trail is a 2-mile loop. The trail may be accessed from the north parking lot on Rock Haven Road.

Tips for birding Blackhand Gorge State Nature Preserve
From Ohio Ornithological Society website

The main entrance near Toboso has a large paved parking lot and pit toilets. The west end of the Black Hand Gorge Trail has two gravel parking areas, the old one off of Brushy Fork Road, and a new one just south of the bridge on Brownsville Road (County Highway 668). There is also a gravel parking area at the Marie Hickey Trail, on Rock Haven Road. The Marie Hickey Trail is somewhat challenging, with some steep areas, but it yields excellent warbler birding in spring and fall. The Black Hand Gorge Trail is wheelchair accessible, and plans are in the works to re-pave it. From Margaret Bowman

About Blackhand Gorge State Nature Preserve

 * Geologically spectacular narrow sandstone gorge cut by the Licking River
 * Excellent display of spring wildflowers
 * 10 miles of trail including 4 miles of bike trail

The prime feature of this preserve is a narrow, east-west gorge cut by the Licking River through the famous Black Hand sandstone formation. It also boasts the only bike trail in Ohio's state nature preserve system; more than 4 miles of bike trail wind through the preserve.

The preserve is rich in natural as well as early Ohio history.The name Blackhand, for which the preserve is named, originated from a dark, hand-shaped Indian petroglyph which was engraved on the face of a massive sandstone cliff along the north side of the river. The engraving was destroyed in 1828 when canal builders dynamited the cliff face, during construction of the Ohio-Erie Canal, which runs through the gorge. Sections of the canal towpaths and canal locks may be seen from the trails along the river.

The dry hilltops are dominated by oak-hickory mature woods along with Virginia pine and mountain laurel. Yellow birch, cherry birch, and eastern hemlock grow on northerly exposures. It is an excellent site for viewing woodland spring wildflowers.

Located in Licking County 8 miles east of Newark on OH-16, exit southeast on OH-146 and proceed .25 mile to County Road 273. The preserve's entrance and parking lot are 1.5 miles south on County Road 273 just outside of Toboso. From Blackhand Gorge State Nature Preserve webpage

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