By 1808Delaware
The 115-acre Seymour Woods Nature Preserve in Liberty Township is known, among other things, for being an ideal place to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
Located along Winter Road about three-quarters of a mile west of U.S. 23, roughly eight miles north of the I-270 outerbelt, the preserve is easy to reach but easy to miss. There is no developed parking lot; visitors typically pull off along the road near the entrance, often referenced as near 714 Winter Road, and walk in through the gate to access the trail.
The acreage was donated to the State of Ohio in 1972 by Columbus attorney James O. Seymour and is managed as a quiet, minimally developed natural area rather than a traditional park. There are no amenities, no restrooms, and no built facilities beyond a small trail system.
That trail system totals about 1.8 miles and forms a loop through the property. Deep ravines cut into steep shale cliffs define much of the terrain, creating a landscape of wooded ridge tops and open fields in succession. As the topography changes, so does the forest. Oaks and hickories dominate the higher ground, while lower areas transition to sycamore, elm, maple, and willow.
Bird watchers are drawn to the preserve, as are those interested in Ohio wildflowers, particularly in the spring when the forest floor comes alive before the tree canopy fills in. There are also traces of earlier life tucked into the woods. The Seymour family cabin still stands, though it is boarded up and not open to the public. Nearby are the remains of the Avery Powers homestead, including foundation stones from a settler’s home built around 1830. A concrete silo along the trail offers a reminder of more recent agricultural use.
Avery Powers, Sr. was among the earliest settlers to arrive in Delaware County from the east, settling along the Olentangy River in 1801. He later served in the War of 1812 and died in September 1813. He is buried in Oak Grove Cemetery in Delaware.
Use of the preserve is limited to hiking and nature observation. Visitors are expected to stay on designated trails, and pets are not permitted. The absence of development is part of the experience, but it also means planning ahead. There is no water available on site, and the ravines and shale slopes can be steep and muddy, making sturdy footwear a good idea.
The preserve is open from half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset.
Looking ahead, the Preservation Parks of Delaware County is developing a new park along U.S. 23 between Winter Road and Chapman Road. Plans call for trails that will connect roughly 186 acres of county parkland with Seymour Woods, creating expanded access while keeping the preserve itself largely unchanged.
Seymour Woods remains what it was intended to be: a protected woodland with minimal intervention, where the focus stays on the land itself rather than what has been built upon it.
