4139 Girdham Road, (two miles west of Toledo Express Airport), Swanton
(Entrances off Wilkins Road, SR 64 and SR 2)

Prickly-pear cactus, wild lupine and sand cherry bloom atop dry, hot sand dunes just yards away from orchids growing in low, wet swales. Such contrasts are what make the Oak Openings Region the subject of endless fascination for naturalists.

The richly diverse area west of Toledo is built on a clay foundation and covered by wind-swept sand. It is home to Lark sparrows and Karner blue butterflies – at least 180 rare species in all, more than any other region its size in Ohio. Badgers make their home in the sand, too.

• Habitats of the Oak Openings Region

Oak Openings Preserve, the largest Metropark, takes its name from the surrounding region, which is 23 times larger than the preserve. Wildwood Preserve and Secor Metroparks, the Maumee State Forest, two state nature preserves and a preserve owned by The Nature Conservancy are also located in the sandy region, forming a green ribbon through the Toledo area’s most unique natural area.

Oak Openings is a birder's paradise. It is the nesting place of bluebirds, indigo buntings, whippoorwills and many other species, as well as an excellent location to see migrating songbirds in the spring.

More than 50 miles of trails and fire lanes in the preserve make it easy to explore the variety of habitats that make up the Oak Openings Region, which The Nature Conservancy lists among the 200 “Last Great Places on Earth.”

The Buehner Center for the Oak Openings is an interactive nature center featuring displays designed to illustrate the formation and unique features of the Oak Openings Region.

Two areas are available for scout camping.

• Map
• Visit the Green Ribbon Initiative Web site
• Articles about Oak Openings
• Oak Openings
  From the WGTE documentary "Toledo Stories: Metroparks of the Toledo Area"

Living In The Oak Openings

Download a Homeowner's Guide to one of the World's Last Great Places. This book, published by The Nature Conservancy, provides important information about the natural surroundings of the Oak Openings Region and practical tips for those living in one of the most unique regions of the Midwest.

Download Guide