Amenities Legend _ Restrooms y Boat Ramp No Launch/ i Parking Landing Only Lake Erie F Trail Birding Trail 9 Camping Drinking Water ´ Food Beach 5 Picnic Area

PUT-IN-BAY Township Park District

From the Marblehead Lighthouse to beaches, birds, and butterflies, there is so much to see and enjoy around Lake Erie, and exploring the shores and islands by water trail provides an opportunity to experience them in a whole new way. We hope you use this guide, which is made possible through a partnership of many organizations, to stay safe and have fun while enjoying Lake Erie.

Governor Mike DeWine and First Lady Fran DeWine

The Lake Erie Islands Water Trails project is a partnership of many organizations that own access points, provide support, and promote recreation and nature around the islands. The guide and signage for the Lake Erie Islands Water Trails project are funded by a grant from the Ohio Environmental Education Fund of the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency.

Partners include: Lake Erie Islands Conservancy, Lake Erie Islands Nature and Wildlife Center, Ohio History Connection, The Nature Conservancy, Village of Put-in-Bay, Village of Kelleys Island, Village of Marblehead, Catawba Island Township Trustees, Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Western Reserve Land Conservancy, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Put-in-Bay Township Port Authority, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Wildlife, Division of Parks and Watercraft, Division of Natural Areas and Preserves and Office of Coastal Management

Photos courtesy of Susan Byrnes, Chloe Nostrant, Matt Kovach, Dale Berlin, Virgnia Hill and soozums@flickr

Maps prepared by Brian George, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Office of Coastal Management

Let us know about your adventures on the Lake Erie Islands Water Trail by sharing on social media with #OhioFindItHere.

OHSU-GS-1504 North Bass Island North Bass Island Trail 3 1 North Bass Island State Park (south) 4 2 Fox's Marsh Wildlife Area 3 North Bass Island State Park (north)

Peeple 2 Kenny 4 North Bass Island State Park (east) 1 5 5 Honey Point Wildlife Area

Middle Bass Island Trail Sugar Island 1 Middle Bass Island State Park Marina (Dock Fee) Deist 4 2 Middle Bass Island State Park (west) 3

Fox 3 Petersen Woods/Kuehnle Wildlife Area Rattlesnake Island 4 Middle Bass Island East Point Preserve Lonz Ballast Island CANADA 1 U.S.A. 2 Middle Bass Island 6 Buckeye Island Lake Erie Islands Gibraltar Island 5 7 Water Trails 3 4 2 8 Kelleys Island Trail Green Island Put-in-Bay South Bass Island 1 Kelleys Island State Park 2 North Pond State Nature Preserve South Bass Island Trail y 1 a 3 Scheele Preserve gram 1 South Bass Island State Park n 4 Woodford Road Access La 2 West Shore Ice Ramp Put-in-B 5 Inscription Rock Petroglyphs 3 Oak Point State Park 9 4 Village of Put-in-Bay Public Boat Launch (Dock Fee) 5 Massie Cliffside Preserve Starve Island 6 Scheeff East Point Nature Preserve (north) 7 Scheeff East Point Nature Preserve (east) 8 Village of Put-in-Bay Beach 1 9 Put-in-Bay Port Authority Access Titus 2 3 Ward 01234Miles Kelleys

Division Mouse Island Island 4 5 Mainland Trail 1 Catawba Island State Park 2 West Harbor Public Boat Launching Ramp 3 Great Egret Marsh Preserve 4 Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge - West Harbor Landing 1 5 East Harbor State Park Marina (Launch Fee) 6 East Harbor State Park (Lake Erie) 7 East Harbor State Park (East Harbor) 8 Mazurik Access Area 5 9 Lucien M. Clemons Park E Buck R 10 Marblehead Lifesaving Station OT A CO.IE CO. T 2 AW 6 7 NO ACCESS Ferry Port 8 Lake Erie Public Access NW Catawba 9 3 Main 10 NE Catawba

North Shore Quarry Marblehead 4 Sand Paddling the Islands Sandy beaches, rocky cliffs, warm waves, gulls, monarch butterflies – all elements that make you want to put a paddle in the water and explore the Lake Erie Islands. Paddling is quickly becoming one of the more popular outdoor pursuits and is an exciting recreational opportunity that provides a new perspective and a deeper appreciation for these unique islands. This guide will provide the information needed to have great experiences paddling around the Lake Erie Islands.

Each island has its own personality. The heritage and beauty of the islands’ natural resources can be explored on the Lake Erie Islands Water Trails (LEIWT), five separate paddling trails around each island (North Bass, Middle Bass, South Bass Ferry services run from several locations on the mainland and Kelleys) and along the to Kelleys, South Bass and Middle Bass Islands and will nearshore mainland (Catawba take your kayak for a fee, or you can rent a kayak at one of to Marblehead). The rich the island State Parks or private concessions. There may natural, historical and cultural be a fee to dock or camp overnight at some locations. diversity of the coastlines and islands in Lake Erie are experienced through access There is much to learn about the nature, history points identified on maps and and opportunities to be found in the island on land by a welcoming sign region. For more information visit: with the logo of the LEIWT. Ohio Department of Natural Resources These designated access ohiostateparks.org or ohiodnr.gov points are located on public property, so please respect NOAA Great Lakes Coastal Forecasting System private property along the rest of the water trail. This www.glerl.noaa.gov/res/glcfs guide also includes safety, environmental and location Explore the Lake Erie Islands information to make your trip more enjoyable. go.osu.edu/islandguide

Area attractions, dining, shopping and events shoresandislands.com

The Lake Erie Birding Trail lakeeriebirding.ohiodnr.gov

Interactive Mapviewers coastal.ohiodnr.gov/mapviewers

Enjoy the Lake Erie Islands Water Trails! AROUND THE ISLANDS Do not attempt to cross Lake Erie from the mainland to Staying the islands or between islands, especially if you are a novice or unsure of your skills. Safe Stay close to shore as much as possible, but watch for hazards, rocky cliffs and backwash. SAFETY IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY! PLAN AHEAD! BE PREPARED! Most areas surrounding the islands have unlimited speed and power restrictions so pay attention to motor boat Check everything twice! traffic, boat wakes, ferry routes and docks (marked with a blue F) near the shore. Visit watercraft.ohiodnr.gov for equipment, Use caution near busy boat traffic areas: boating laws, navigation aids and markers. • Put-in-Bay (PIB) Harbor ALWAYS wear your life jacket. • Channel between PIB Harbor and Middle Bass Island Be visible – wear bright clothing, paddle as a group, • The anchorage at Kelleys Island State Park use a bicycle flag. • The Harbor at Kelleys Island • West Harbor and East Harbor channels Dial 911 in an emergency. Be aware of Microcystis (blue-green algae) blooms. Do not File a float plan with a reliable person who can notify swim or make contact with lake water when advisories are in the Coast Guard if necessary. effect. Check out Ohio Beach Guard System for advisories. Pay close attention to the safety information odh.ohio.gov/BeachGuardPublic/Default.aspx provided and don’t overestimate your skill level.

WEATHER ALWAYS check the forecast and lake condition warnings with NOAA (www.glerl.noaa.gov/res/glcfs). Weather, wind and water conditions on Lake Erie can change quickly. Dress and prepare for extreme weather, hazards, and emergencies. Strong winds and fast boats can create large, steep waves. Paddle directly into waves or at an angle. SAFETY EQUIPMENT • Life jacket • Spray skirt Know the water temperature, beware of hypothermia in water below 70 degrees F. • Visual distress signal • Bilge pump (marine flares, flag, mirror) Be prepared to swim. If the water looks too hazardous to • Whistle or air horn swim, then don’t boat on it! • Radio and/or • Sunscreen, cell phone If you capsize or swamp the boat and it remains afloat, sunglasses and hat try to reboard. If you can’t get back in, stay with the boat • Compass and a map until help arrives. • First aid kit • Waterproof bags • Throwbag (for cell phone and change of clothes) • Tow lines • Proper footwear • Trash bag • Drinking water • Emergency Position Indicator • Food Radio Beacon or • Paddle float Personal Locating Beacon Protecting the Lake The 312 miles of Ohio’s Lake Erie shoreline provide recreational, economic and environmental benefits to Ohio and beyond. With its shallow warm waters, Lake Erie has historically been the most productive Great Lake. It is also the source of drinking water for over 11 million people in its watershed! Ohio’s recreational boaters play a critical role by adopting environmental boating practices to protect be seen basking along rocky shores or searching for our Lake Erie. fish. Although they are nonvenomous, LEWS are both curious and aggressive and should not be handled if they Today, one of Lake Erie’s greatest problems is nonpoint approach your vessel. source pollution, caused by rainfall or snowmelt moving over the ground and carrying natural and human-made pollutants to our waterways. Too many nutrients, such as phosphorus and nitrogen, can cause an increase in both Some easy tips to help protect the lake: nuisance and harmful algal blooms (HABs). • Dispose of trash properly — Pack it out.

We must all work together to find a solution to these • Appreciate artifacts and natural objects but leave them undisturbed. problems in the Lake Erie basin — reducing the use and run-off of lawn and agricultural fertilizers, improving our • Avoid introducing non-native species, including municipal and residential waste and storm water systems, live bait, by following the “Clean, Drain, Dry” and controlling and method: CLEAN all equipment by removing minimizing introduction of visible plant and animal species. DRAIN all water. Allow all equipment to DRY completely before invasive species. moving to a new body of water.

The Lake Erie Islands • Observe from a distance; don’t feed, follow or are a resting place for approach wildlife. Keep pets leashed or leave them at home. migratory birds and home to many rare plants and • Please consider taking the Ohio Clean Boater animals including the Pledge to ensure a thriving Lake Erie for state-threatened Lake Erie generations to come at Watersnake, often referred ohioseagrant.osu.edu/clean, to as LEWS. It is found only or contact the program team directly at on the Lake Erie Islands, [email protected]. where it can commonly Mainland Trail

The mainland shoreline the West Harbor Boat offers access points with launch among the marinas a variety of paddling in busy West Harbor. Great experiences and offers Egret Marsh Preserve views of Lake Erie, boasts classic Lake Erie Sandusky Bay, Kelleys marshes, ongoing habitat Island and South Bass restoration and a haven wetland viewing on the a protected inlet access Island. Leaving Catawba for birds. View water lotus shore of Lake Erie. Mazurik point. Use caution on Island State Park on the in summer and waterfowl Access Area on the north the rocky shore near the west shore, paddle the in fall as you paddle shore of the Marblehead Marblehead Lighthouse, rocky shoreline, but use your way to the Ottawa Peninsula provides direct the oldest continuing caution near the Ferry National Wildlife Refuge access to Lake Erie. Lucien operating lighthouse on Dock at the north tip of West Harbor Landing. East M. Clemons Park is being the Great Lakes. Paddle Catawba and around Harbor State Park offers developed by the Village of just south to the Lifesaving private Mouse Island. Find outdoor recreation and Marblehead and features station for easier access.

1 Catawba Island State Park 6 East Harbor State Park (Lake Erie) 0 0.51 1.52 Miles 41°34'25.1"N 82°51'26.4"W (paved) 41°32'56.8"N 82°47'47.4"W (sandy) _iy5 _i5

West Harbor Public Boat 7 East Harbor State Park (East Harbor) Mouse Island 2 Launching Ramp 41°32’58.79”N 82°48’04.41”W (rocky) 41°33'09.3"N 82°49'57.3"W (paved) _i5 _iy 8 Mazurik Access Area 41°32'33.9"N 82°45'53.1"W (paved) Great Egret Marsh Preserve Weyhe 3 _iy Catawba Island 5 miles (1-2) 41°32’27.3”N 82°49’28.4”W (rocky) State Park iF 1 9 Lucien M. Clemons Park 41°32'29.3"N 82°43'09.9"W (sandy) 4 Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge– 2.6 West Harbor Landing i miles 41°31'43.3"N 82°51'29.4"W (rocky) (5-6) 10 Marblehead Lifesaving Station i 41°32'07.6"N 82°42'43.8"W (rocky) 5 5 East Harbor State Park Marina _iF5 41°33'29.8"N 82°49'12.2"W

Buck 1.4 miles (paved, dock fee, launch fee) (2-3) 2 6 _iF´5y 3 miles East Harbor 7

Erie Beach LAKE ERIE State Park Great Egret Marsh 2.7 miles (7-8) 8 NW Catawba Preserve 0.62.7 milesmiles 9 0.8 miles NE Catawba 3 (6-7) Main Muggy 2 miles (3-4) Marblehead 10 31.1.7 miles miles Marblehead Lighthouse

(4-5) Alexander State Park

Hartshorn North Shore Quarry 4

Church

Engelbeck NO ACCESS Reef Ferry Port Lake Erie Public Access Kelleys Island Trail

Kelleys Island, with a rich lake. Round the northeast history of viticulture and point to Scheele Preserve quarrying, is Ohio’s largest where you can follow the island in Lake Erie at 2,800 land trail to the state- acres. Kelleys Island State threatened rock elms Park has camping, trails, savanna. Back on the pipe-smoking figures, large the west side of Kelleys and a 430-foot section of water, take a break at the animals, fish and weapons Island. On the North glacial grooves. Begin your end of Woodford Road and – the la gest collection of shore, note the unique paddle from the beautiful then paddle around the pictographs in the state. ecosystem created as soil sand beach and head southeast corner – watch From Inscription Rock is scraped from limestone east to North Pond State for ferry traffic – landing at you can venture into the by ice, wind and water at Nature Preserve, a lake Inscription Rock, identified village for more services. North Shore Alvar State embayment pond, which by a shelter. On the rock Victorian-style homes line Nature Preserve. Note: Cell is a wetland separated by are nearly 100 images from the south shore as you phone service is limited, a barrier dune from the Native American tribes of make the long paddle on especially on the east side.

1 Kelleys Island State Park 41°36'55.9"N 82°42'17.8"W (sandy) LAKE ERIE

_iF9´5y 2.8 miles

2 North Pond State Nature Preserve 41°36'42.1"N 82°41'59.7"W (sandy) Kelleys Island F State Park 1 0.4 miles Scheele Preserve 3 Titus 41°36'38.8"N 82°40'52.0"W (sandy) 2 3 F Kelleys North Pond Scheele Preserve Island State Nature Preserve 4 Woodford Road Access 41°35'42.5"N 82°40'49.1"W Ward (rocky) Bookerman Lincoln Kelleys Island State Park 1.4 miles Inscription Rock Petroglyphs Dwelle 5 Monagan 41°35'33.8"N 82°42'24.2"W Division (sandy)

_i´5 Cameron Lakeshore Woodford 4

5.1 miles 5

Harbor

McGettigan

00.25 0.50.751Miles Ferry Port Lake Erie Public Access 2.1 miles The Massie Cliffside South Bass Preserve offers eleven acres of cliffs, woodlands, trail system and a dock. Island Trail Scheeff East Point Nature Preserves North and South Bass Island is the Center, or look across East have eight acres of most visited of all the Lake to Gibraltar Island and lakefront preserve with a Erie Islands and offers a Stone Lab, part of The trail. Watch for shallow wide variety of activities Ohio State University. The conditions as you round for everyone to enjoy. Start island is closed to visitors private Buckeye Island. your paddle along the except for tours, but you The Village Bathing Beach United States. Further cliffs at the South Bass can paddle around the offers a sandy place to south there is a small Island State Park, once the shoreline. On the north stop and visit. The 352-foot access site on the SE site of the Hotel Victory. side is a beautiful rock granite column is Perry’s side of the Island near the Caution: the West Shore arch. The Village of Put-in- Victory and International airport. Use caution when Ice Ramp South is steep, Bay Public Boat Launch Peace Memorial which paddling past the Miller rocky and slippery. As you is close to food and commemorates the 1813 Ferry Dock as you round round Peach Point, you’ll shopping. There is heavy Battle of Lake Erie as the SW end of the island to find Oak Point State Park. boat and ferry traffic in the well as the lasting peace view the South Bass Island Visit the Aquatic Visitors harbor during the summer. between Canada and the Lighthouse built in 1897.

0.6 miles South Bass Island State Park Scheeff East Point 1 41°38'32.0"N 82°50'14.2"W (cobble & paved) Nature Preserve Massie Cliffside 6 _iF9´5y Preserve 7 Buckeye West Shore Ice Ramp 1.1 miles 5 Island 2 0.6 miles 41°39'13.5"N 82°50'13.9"W (rocky) 1.2 miles Gibraltar Columbus i Island 3 Oak Point State Park 41°39'22.8"N 82°49'33.0"W (dock fee) West Shore 3 _i5 0.62.1 milesmiles 1.5 miles Perry's Victory and 1.1 miles 2 4 Village of Put-in-Bay T International Peace Memorial 4 DeRivera ol Public Boat Launch Mitchell Put-in-Bay edo 8 Park 41°39'15.0"N 82°48'58.2"W (paved, dock fee) Concord _i´5y Trenton LAKE ERIE 5 Niagara Massie Cliffside Preserve 41°39'47.3"N 82°48'25.7"W (dock) Catawba South Bass Island iF State Park 6 1 Scheeff East Point Nature Preserve (north) Meechen 41°39'56.0"N 82°47'46.4"W (stone) Fi 2.0 miles 7 Scheeff East Point Nature Preserve (east) 41°39'49.8"N 82°47'39.9"W (sandy) Put-in-Bay NO ACCESS

F 1.8 miles Langram Reef rline Ferry Port Ai 8 Village of Put-in-Bay Beach Lake Erie Public Access 41°39'10.2"N 82°48'46.2"W (sandy) 9 _i´5 0 0.25 0.50.75Miles 9 Put-in-Bay Port Authority Access 41°37'56.8"N 82°49'50.3"W (sandy) Starve Island 1 Middle Bass Island Trail

Middle Bass Island (MBI), Ohio. Launch from the named “Isle des Fleurs” MBI State Park Marina. by French explorers, has Rounding the southeast a rich history of grape point of the island, look for growing and winemaking. columbines and harebells Peter Lonz established on the rocky cliffs and Victorian homes. Beyond endangered plants and his winery on the island view the boathouse built the reef between Sugar amphibians. Paddle around in 1884 and managed by son George Lonz. Use Island and Middle Bass lies the East Point Reef to the to survive Prohibition by caution when passing Petersen Woods’ 1.5-acre kayak-only accessible selling bottles of grape the ferry dock. The west wet woodland with a Bald MBI East Point Preserve, juice including instructions shore of the State Park’s Eagle nest nearby. The a popular pathway on how not to turn it into primitive campground has cove’s beach is the north for migrating birds. A wine. The winery structure a lovely landing beach. shore of the Kuehnle State pleasant paddle across and 141 acres are now Paddling north, view the Wildlife Area protecting Schoolhouse Bay will bring owned by the State of private Middle Bass Club’s several threatened and you back to your start.

1 Middle Bass Island 1.9 miles State Park East Marina 41°40'34.6"N 82°48'41.0"W (paved, dock fee) Middle Bass Island _iF9´5y East Point Preserve 4 North Shore 2 Middle Bass Island State Sugar Island Park (west) Deist °40'24.0"N 82°48'50.5"W (sandy/rocky) Petersen Kuehnle _9´ Woods 3 Wildlife Area 2.7 miles

3 Petersen Woods/ Burgundy Kuehnle Wildlife Area

41°41'26.2"N 82°48'25.4"W Fox (rocky) LAKE ERIE Lake

4 Middle Bass Island Runkel Mueller East Point Preserve Lonz 41°41'43.8"N 82°46'52.8"W (sandy) 2.6 miles F5 Ballast Island 1 Middle Bass Island State Park 2

NO ACCESS Reef 00.25 0.50.751Miles Ferry Port 1.3 miles Lake Erie Public Access North Bass Island Trail

North Bass Island, or Isle only area on the island with St. George, is less than 2 facilities. Fox’s Marsh State miles from the Canadian Wildlife Area is one of few border. This makes North natural coastal wetlands Bass Island an important remaining on the islands. Bass Island State Park ferry to North Bass Island, American stop for The marsh comes within offers two access points to only airplane, personal or countless migrating birds a few feet of Lake Erie at the north and east. Miles chartered boats. There is island-hopping across the Manila Bay, open to the of undeveloped shoreline also no protection from lake. Most of the island is lake during high-water are important habitat for wind and waves on the owned by the State of Ohio years. As you paddle to the the state-threatened Lake 1-mile trip from adjacent and remains agricultural north along the low rocky Erie Watersnake. Honey Middle Bass Island, so the or undeveloped. The trail shoreline, you will see Point Wildlife Area offers crossing is suitable only starts with a paddle west evidence of viticulture and a sand beach and a small for experienced Lake Erie from the North Bass Island commercial fishing which wetland area for wildlife paddlers. State Park main dock, the once dominated. North watching. There is no

1.2 miles 1 North Bass Island State Park (south) 41°42'25.3"N 82°48'56.5"W (sandy) _95

2 Fox’s Marsh Wildlife Area 3 41°42'43.6"N 82°49'54.0"W (sandy) Wires

0.9 miles North Bass Island 3 North Bass Island State Park (north) State Park 41°43'25.1"N 82°49'21.1"W (rocky) 4 Tuhan North Bass Island State Park (east) 4 Tuhan 41°43'06.0"N 82°48'41.7"W (rocky)

1.2 miles 5 Honey Point Wildlife Area 41°42'23.2"N 82°48'25.8"W (sandy) 2 Fox's Marsh

Kenny Wildlife Area Peeple

Meiers Honey Point Wildlife Area 1 5 1.5 miles LAKE ERIE 0.4 miles

00.25 0.50.751Miles Reef Lake Erie Public Access