River Bluff Trail (Providence Metropark)

A meadow along the river bluff trail

As many times as I hade been to Providence Metropark I had never walked the entire River Bluff trail. The main attraction at Providence for most people has always been the canal boat and Isaac Ludwig Mill. And that's what they stop to see most of the time.

The dam on the Maumee River that crosses over to Mary Jane Thurston State Park is also an attraction at this park.

So one evening in the early fall my wife and I decided to walk the 2.7 mile River Bluff trail. It was a nice evening and Providence is only a few miles from our home. We figured it would be a good chance to “conquer” one more trail.

It was on the list of trails that the Metroparks designates as part of its annual Fall Adventure. The Fall Adventure is a 2 month long (September thru October) program encouraging park visitors to walk various trails within the Metropark system.

Trail Info

- 2.7 miles long

- Located at Providence Metropark

- Scenes of the Maumee River

Walking this trail turned out to be not only a good way to spend the evening, but also a very nice surprise to both of us.

The trail head is on the river side of the ticket booth for the canal boat. The parking lot is accessed off Rt. 24 near the end of Jeffers Rd. This is the same lot which you can park to get on the canal boat.

The first part of the trail is along one of the river floodplains. It is off the banks of the river a bit but close enough that there are plenty views of the river. Various river wildlife can be seen depending on what time of year you are there. There are also many different lowland plants and trees.

The trail then crosses over the towpath trails and heads up to higher ground. This is where the River Bluff Trail gets its name. You are now up considerably higher than the floodplain. The trees and plants are much different up here. At times you can see down to the river and old canal below. There are occasional ravines heading towards the river.

As the bluff portion of the trail makes its way back towards the main park it winds through many concealed little meadows full of wild flowers. This was one of the surprising parts of the trail for us. We didn't expect such a diverse landscape.

Goldenrod and New England Aster

Since we were there in September the little meadows were full of goldenrod and new england aster. The yellow and purple were a very pretty contrast as the sun was beginning set. There were also several butterflies checking out the flowers along the trial.

If it weren't for the car and truck traffic on nearby State Route 24 it would seem that you were wandering in some backwoods area. The traffic noise reminds you that civilization is very close by.

The trail meanders through the various meadows and gradually slopes back down to the river level. Eventually you are circled back to the parking lot where the trail began.

At 2.7 miles (according to the trail map and park guide) the trail is just enough to fill up about an hour of time. This is obviously lengthened by by the amount of time you stop to enjoy the scenery.

The canal boat, lock 44, and Isaac Ludwig Mill are all must see items at Providence Metropark. The dam and the river are also fun to explore. But there are also a few "behind the scenes" items like the River Bluff trail that are worth taking the time to see.

Return from River Bluff Trail to NW Ohio Trails

NW Ohio Nature Oak Leaf

River Bluff Trail (Providence Metropark)

Trail Info

Plants & Animals

Birds

Things to See & Do

Photography

Articles