Great Egret Marsh Preserve

Ohio

View of wetlands covered in various plant species with its shore lined by trees. — Great Egret Marsh Preserve Looking across the wetlands. © Kent Mason

Phone: +1 614-717-2770
Email: ohio@tnc.org
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This preserve consists of more than 150 acres of marsh and surrounding upland.

Overview
Photos
Visit
Our Work

Overview

Description

Great Egret Marsh Preserve consists of more than 150 acres of marsh and surrounding upland in Ottawa County, across the road from East Harbor State Park.

The preserve’s marshes are part of the West Harbor Basin, a long, narrow pool of Lake Erie backwater that geologists believe was once the channel of the Portage River. As the last wave of glaciation receded and Lake Erie’s water level rose, the river naturally rerouted itself to empty into the lake at Port Clinton instead of nearby East Harbor State Park.

Created in 2013 with help from a Clean Ohio Conservation Fund grant, the preserve contributes to TNC’s goal to protect and restore an additional 10,000 acres of coastal habitat along Lake Erie.

Access

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Location

Catawba Island, Ohio

View Directions | Open in Maps

Hours

The preserve and trail are open year-round, daily from dawn to dusk.

Highlights

Activities include: kayaking, fishing, hiking, bird-and other wildlife-watching. A great place to watch migratory birds in the spring and waterfowl, like great egrets, year-round.

Size

150 acres

Resources

Great Egret Marsh Preserve Trail Map

Explore our work in this region

Photos from Great Egret Marsh Preserve

Whether hiking or kayaking, hundreds of marshland species can be spotted across the preserve's 150 acres from the ground or the water.

An adult paddle-boarding on water with trees in the backdrop.

A fenced-in area of preserve trail includes an interpretive sign. This area is the end of the trail and overlooks the marsh.

A green heron standing on a tree branch.

A sunset over a grass-lined body of water.

A red/orange-hued sunrise between trees.

Blooming flowers on water with lily pads behind it.

Great Egret Marsh Preserve: Interpretive signage gives the natural history of the preserve and explains the importance of wetlands. Learn about the plants and animals that benefit from this preserve. © Kent Mason

Paddle-boarding: Visitors to Great Egret Marsh Preserve can enjoy recreational activities like paddle-boarding, canoeing, kayaking, birding and hiking. © Ian Adams Photography

Breakwall: The breakwall at Great Egret Marsh Preserve protects the coastal land from the crashing waves of Lake Erie. © Kent Mason

Great Egret Marsh Preserve: In 2014, a trail and interpretive signage were installed at the preserve, which officially opened to the public in May of that year. © Kent Mason

Green Heron: Green herons frequent the Great Egret Marsh. © Laura McDermott

Great Egret: Great Egret Marsh receives many visitors throughout the year, including its namesake, the great egret. © Laura McDermott

Sunset at the Marsh: Sunset lowers beautifully over the waters of Great Egret Marsh Preserve. © Kent Mason

Great Egret Marsh: Kayaking is a common activity for preserve visitors. © Eric Albrecht

Sunrise: Visitors can enjoy vibrant sunrises over Great Egret Marsh. © Laura McDermott

Great Egret Marsh Preserve: The preserve’s marshes are part of the West Harbor Basin, a long, narrow pool of Lake Erie backwater that geologists believe was once the channel of the Portage River. © TNC

Visit

Great Egret Marsh Preserve, and the surrounding West Harbor Basin, is a haven for waterfowl and wading birds. One of the preserve’s defining features, great egrets congregate here in abundance. The large, white wading birds native to this part of Lake Erie can often be found in large clusters in the area’s shallow waters.

About half of the preserve is covered in classic Lake Erie marshland, blanketed each summer with water lotus.
The preserve is open to the public for bird-watching, fishing, hiking, kayaking and canoeing. An easy 1.2-mile loop trail guides visitors through the marsh and surrounding upland.
Our vision is of a world where people and nature thrive together. The Nature Conservancy encourages people of all ages, races, ethnicities, religions, gender expressions, and abilities to visit our preserves and has a zero-tolerance policy for racism and discrimination.

The following activities are NOT permitted at Great Egret Marsh:
- Biking and mountain biking
- Camping
- Driving an ATV or off-road vehicle
- Cooking or campfires
- Horseback riding
- Hunting
- Picking flowers, berries, nuts or mushrooms
- Removing any part of the natural landscape
- Snowmobiling
Great Egret Marsh is pet-friendly. Leashed pets (leash no longer than 6 feet) are welcome on the trail.

For information about the use of other power-driven mobility devices (OPDMDs) at our open preserves, please visit our OPDMD guidelines.

The Sound of the Great Egret

The calls of great egrets, the preserve's namesake, are commonly heard throughout the preserve.

Download Audio

A great egret's call.

Current Conservation Work

In 2018 an osprey tower was installed, a pipe draining ephemeral wetland habitat was removed and additional signage was installed.
In 2017 a portion of the perimeter dikes at Great Egret Marsh were rebuilt to improve the resiliency of the wetland’s water management infrastructure to protect wetland habitat.
In 2016 two new water control structures were installed, allowing improved water management capabilities as well as improved fish passage.
In 2015 the upland portions of Great Egret Marsh were planted with 15,000 native trees.
In 2014 a trail and interpretive signage were installed at the preserve, which officially opened to the public in May 2014.
In 2013 TNC was awarded a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to restore the old farm fields back to wetlands and improve fish passage in the existing diked marsh.
In 2013 planning began for a trail system and interpretive signage.
Ongoing work includes managing for invasive species. Portions of Great Egret Marsh are managed using herbicides in an effort to remove invasive Phragmites, reed canary grass, and Canada thistle. These non-native species provide little to no benefit to our native wildlife.

**Great Egret Marsh Preserve** Water lotus, a plant tolerant of various water depths, is common in this basin and boasts beautiful, white aromatic flowers. © Ian Adams Photography

**Sunset** Sunset is a popular time for visitors to enjoy the views at Great Egret Marsh. © Kent Mason

**Green Heron** Boasting high levels of nutrients, marshes are one of the most productive ecosystems on Earth. © Laura McDermott

**Great Egret Marsh** The preserve’s marshes are part of the West Harbor Basin, a long, narrow pool of Lake Erie backwater that geologists believe was once the channel of the Portage River. © Jules Lapp/TNC

**Northern Leopard Frog** Great Egret Marsh is a haven for waterfowl and aquatic-loving wildlife. © Kent Mason

**Family Fun** Great Egret Marsh Preserve offers many activities for families to enjoy. © Kent Mason

**Eastern Amberwing Dragonfly** Due to high levels of nutrients, marshes are one of the most productive ecosystems on Earth and draw in a diversity of plants and wildlife. © Ian Adams Photography

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Great Egret Marsh Preserve

This preserve consists of more than 150 acres of marsh and surrounding upland.

Overview

Description

Access

Location

Hours

Highlights

Size

Resources

Photos from Great Egret Marsh Preserve

Visit

The Sound of the Great Egret

Current Conservation Work

Find More Places We Protect

See the Complete Map

We need your help protecting the natural treasures of Ohio.

Explore

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Great Egret Marsh Preserve

This preserve consists of more than 150 acres of marsh and surrounding upland.

Overview

Description

Access

Location

Hours

Highlights

Size

Resources

Photos from Great Egret Marsh Preserve

Visit

The Sound of the Great Egret

Current Conservation Work

Find More Places We Protect

See the Complete Map

We need your help protecting the natural treasures of Ohio.

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