Princess Ledges Nature Preserve

About Us:

Princess Ledges Nature Preserve has been known as the Strongsville Heights Allotment since the 1920s when the area was subdivided to create summer cottage lots. The difficult financial times of the late 20s slowed the sale of the properties to the point that many were given away as prizes at movie theaters. The existence of sandstone just below the surface made the lots difficult to develop. The park district has been acquiring land for this nature preserve since 1973. The name given to the area comes from one of the previous owners of the property. His daughter, named Princess, liked to play on the sandstone ledges, thus the name Princess Ledges. These beautiful ledges become a fascinating sight in the winter as ice forms from springs flowing from the rock formations.

This area is heavily wooded and offers an abundance of wildlife and wildflowers. Extending more than 1,100 feet in length, these ledges significantly influence the plant and animal life found here. This is an excellent spot for spring warbler watching and wildflower photography. It also has a high-quality forest including mature oaks and tulip poplars. At one time thousands of years ago, these cliffs were the shore of Lake Erie.

The design of this facility was centered around bringing people to the nature preserve with minimal disruption to the natural environment. Due to the topography of the site, handicap access to the trails is limited. This 46-acre preserve is located off Spruce Avenue in Brunswick Hills Township. The Nature Trail is one mile in length, and the Ledges Trail is .54 of a mile.