Swan Creek Preserve provides a pleasant, pastoral respite from city life for people to connect with nature.
The South Toledo park named for the creek is an oasis in an urban area, providing crucial feeding and resting ground for migratory birds and a nesting area for resident species. The forested banks of Swan Creek offer a sheltered corridor of wild vegetation. Animals such as deer, fox and raccoon use the corridor to move between feeding, resting and mating areas.
Swan Creek is known for a beautiful display of spring wildflowers, but that’s only part of the show. Look into the trees to see the showy floral display of Ohio buckeyes and tulip magnolias. The very active Window on Wildlife is a great demonstration that there are plenty of birds to enjoy without leaving the city limits. You might even see a deer, a fox or a wild turkey.
Swan Creek spans 441 acres with an additional 154 acres along the creek. Activities and attractions include scenic overlooks along the trails, a swinging bridge, indoor and picnic facilities, a gazebo made for weddings, two playgrounds and a Window on Wildlife.
The Brookwood Area, a satellite of Swan Creek, is a private retreat in a South Toledo neighborhood available by reservation. The meeting and event space overlooking the Swan Creek floodplain is the perfect place for business retreats and family gatherings.
Help create a greener future by composting your food waste at one of the new free food waste drop-off sites located throughout the city, including Swan Creek Preserve Metropark, Toledo Botanical Garden and Glass City.
Recommended reading on nature-related topics from librarians at the Toledo Lucas County Public Library.
Metroparks Toledo is proposing to construct a 10-foot-wide, shared-use path beginning at the existing Swan Creek Preserve parking lot off Airport Highway to Byrne Road as part of a larger plan to connect Maumee with Swan Creek and the UT Medical Center.