COLUMBUS, OH - Conkle's Hollow State Nature Preserve in Hocking County will close June 5 and remain closed through mid-fall while major improvements are made along the preserve's popular Lower Gorge Trail, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR). Improvements include updating two footbridges, installing two more culverts to move water under the Lower Gorge Trail and giving the trail a hard surface.
"The new concrete trail, similar to the trail at nearby Ash Cave, will increase visitor accessibility, while providing maximum protection for the preserve's ecosystem," said Nancy Strayer, acting chief of the ODNR Division of Natural Areas and Preserves. "More than 150,000 people enjoy Conkle's Hollow each year, making it one of the most visited state nature preserves in Ohio. These upgrades will help ensure the protection of this special place."
The trail improvement project is being funded by an Ohio NatureWorks grant and a private donation. The NatureWorks bond issue program, approved by voters in 1992, was designed to fund major renovations and improvements for Ohio's natural resources facilities, such as nature preserves and parks.