Black Swamp Wildlife Area, Paulding County Ohio October 2025
We’ve hiked at the Black Swamp Nature Center in Paulding County Ohio plenty of times, but this was our first visit in the fall—and wow, what a difference! The last time we were here was in the spring of 2024, and it was exceptionally wet. A lot of the area was underwater due to a series of heavy rain events in April. But today it was totally different. The paths were dry, and as we walked, we could hear the leaves crunching and rustling beneath our feet. Such a perfect fall sound!
We soon made our way to Flatrock Creek and then back to the old Sugar Beet Dam. There wasn’t any water running over it this time, which was a bit disappointing. From there, we hopped back on the trail and kept going.
The whole area felt alive—birds were everywhere, darting across the path right in front of us. As we got closer to the end of the trail, we noticed that the usual spot to the right, which is often full of standing water, was completely dry.
Before heading back, I took a little break on a bench to check out the leaves above me. My husband snapped a photo of me sitting there, soaking it all in. Then we made our way back to the car, feeling refreshed and grateful for such a beautiful fall day in the swamp.
Tucked away in Paulding County, Ohio, the Black Swamp Wildlife Area offers a glimpse into what was once one of the largest wetland systems in North America - the Great Black Swamp.
Once stretching across northwest Ohio and into Indiana, the Great Black Swamp was a dense, waterlogged forest that formed after the last Ice Age. Today, only small fragments remain. One of those fragments is the Black Swamp Nature Preserve, a 51-acre mix of woodlands, wetlands, meadows, and ponds. Once part of a sugar beet factory site, the land has been gradually restored since the 1950s. Trails now wind through forests and along Flat Rock Creek, offering opportunities for birding, fishing, and peaceful walks. This beautiful preserve plays a key role in water filtration, wildlife habitat, and regional conservation.
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