Beaver Marsh Walk

The approach follows the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath through a green, low-lying stretch before reaching viewing platforms over the marsh. Benches and tactile exhibits make it easy to linger. Early morning and evening are the best times to look for active wildlife; beavers are possible, not promised. In late spring, watch for turtles on floating logs; early summer brings nesting birds, and the wetland is also home to muskrats, frogs, waterfowl, herons and otters. From the boardwalk, frame the walkway as it leads out over the water, with lily pads and marsh plants in view.

The wetland is a 70-acre comeback story. The area was first farmed and later used as an auto salvage yard. During a major 1984 cleanup, volunteers removed car parts and other debris; after the land became part of the park, beavers returned and their dams helped hold water in the old canal and restore wetland habitat. You can still see dams and stick-built lodge walls from the boardwalk. The marsh is now one of the park's richest places for watching wildlife.

Park at Ira Trailhead on Riverview Road and use the short path to reach the Towpath. There are picnic tables, a kiosk, tactile wildlife exhibits and restroom access at the trailhead; no food or drinking water on this short route was found. The lot often fills on fair-weather weekends by noon, so arrive earlier if you want a better chance of parking and a quieter boardwalk. Dogs are allowed on the Towpath on a leash no longer than six feet. This is a shared route: keep right and watch for passing cyclists.