Ackerman Nature Preserve — Local services in Fredericktown

My family and I had the opportunity to explore the new trail at Ackerman Preserve this evening - and what a treat! The new birding blinds are incredibly nice, with great views of the wetland area.

We saw a couple of frogs, two muskrats, a wood duck, a heron and an eagle, in addition to numerous other smaller birds. I was using the Merlin Bird App from Cornell University (a FREE app!) and it identified 12 birds from their calls over a 15 minute period. I would wonder how many more it could have picked up had I not had three rambunctious kids with me 😂 As we left the spring peepers were out in full force, it felt like hundreds of them were out singing their song!

We are relatively new to the area, so locating the trail took a little time but after a very quick response from the Ackerman Preserve page we found it. For those unfamiliar as well, the best way to find it is  from the parking area at the blind closest to the radio tower. Following the waters edge, walking east towards the other blind, continuing past that blind until you reach a field. There the path begins, and continues through the wooded area onto a dike almost until you hit rt 13. Its not a long walk, but it was a pleasant one! We are excited for the plans to create elevated walkways through the remainder of the woods and along rt 13 and the water, back to the parking under the radio tower.

The trail itself was cleared well, I would recommend it for walking only (no strollers or wheelchairs) as it is very new and hasn't been packed down through regular use yet. I recognized several species of wildflower along the trail; mayapples, phlox and jack-in-the-pulpit. It was so peaceful!

All in all, truly a gem here in our town. I can't wait to revisit as the season progresses and look for...

The Ackerman Nature Preserve in Fredericktown, Ohio is a frequently visited natural area for birders and nature enthusiasts in Knox County. This wetland site is a great place to see an abundance of waterfowl in the spring and fall seasons including duck species like Gadwall, American Widgeon, Wood Duck, Green-winged and Blue-winged Teal, Mallard, Northern Shoveler, Hooded Merganser, Ring-necked Duck, Bufflehead and many others. Other interesting species often encountered are the Bald Eagle, Sandhill Crane, herons and egrets, and Tundra and Trumpeter swans. In 2023 a pair of Osprey nested on top of the communications tower immediately adjacent to the preserve. Currently (March 2024) a small parking lot has just been installed at Ackerman and two bird blinds have also been erected for public use. Plans are also being made for a trail which will take visitors completely around...

I finally made it out to Fredericktown, Ohio to the beautiful Ackerman Nature Preserve.

"The Ackerman Nature Preserve in Fredericktown was owned by Fredericktown natives, John and Lori Ackerman and donated to the Fredericktown Recreation District in 2012.

This 52-acre property is home to a 22-acre pond and wetland area. Enjoy nature with walking trails, bird blinds, and diverse wildlife."

It was beautiful in the woods and I carried my essential oil bug spray because the mosquitos were out in full force. If you want this natural spray recipe, let me know!

I'm going to upload a couple shorts on my trail_ryder_grrrl YouTube channel for your viewing!

I only picked up four pieces of...