Hiking Trails Lancaster Ohio
"If the path is beautiful, let us not ask where it leads."
MAMBOURG PARK
Mambourg Park is part of the Fairfield County Park District. The Park consists of 116+ acres in Pleasant Township. The county acquired the site in 2003 thanks to the generous donation from the Board of County Commissioners of Fairfield County.
As of 10/01/21 the Fairfield County Park District website still says this location is under development. However, the trails are open to the public. The Mambourg Nature Center is not open.
THE TRAILS
Mambourg Park Trail Map
There are 2 easy-to-moderate trails located in Mambourg Park. One is a dog friendly hiking trail, the other is not:
Hickory Trail (1.5 Miles) Pets are Permitted
Oak Trail (1 Mile) Pets are NOT permitted
The trails at Mambourg Park are nice and wide. You do not have to worry about walking through undergrowth or moving limbs out of the way. The Hickory Trail had to be at least 8 feet wide in places. The Oak Trail was not as wide, but still wide enough to make your walk comfortable and enjoyable.
The entrance to the Hickory Trail starts in the Southwest corner of the parking lot, located next to State Route 22. The beginning of the trail is gravel and quickly turns into a natural surface. It is an easy trail that has some very slight inclines and declines.
The entrance to the Oak Trail is located to the Southeast corner of the parking lot near the access road to the Mambourg Park Nature Center Parking Lot. The trail is all-natural with some slight inclines and declines.
There is a connector trail that connects the Hickory Trail to the Oak Trail. This is the hardest part of the whole park. The trail leads down from one trail to a small footbridge. Once you cross the bridge, you must work your way back up to the other trail.
Mambourg Park has a little bit of everything. There are areas with large trees, a ravine, meadows full of wildflowers and milkweed, a pond, a creek, footbridges, and a nature center.
THE MAMBOURG NATURE CENTER
As of 10/01/21, the Mambourg Nature Center is still not open. There is an access road and parking lot near the shelter. However, the road is still closed.
UPDATE: The Nature Center is now open. It will be accessible when staffing is available.
The nature center Lancaster is going to be used for nature education and observation. The building was originally built in 1931 by Robert Mambourg. It was used as a family retreat. They had countless parties and used the large pond for ice skating.
In the near future, the Fairfield County Park District will be constructing a picnic shelter styled after the Rock Mill Covered Bridge. It will be located between the main parking lot and the Mambourg Nature Center. It will be available for family reunions and gatherings.
OUR THOUGHTS
Since Mambourg Park is not “officially” open, we were unable to enjoy the park to its fullest potential. But it looks like it is going to be a very nice park.
The trails were some of the nicest trails we have seen. They were extremely wide and well-kept. There were no downed trees blocking the footpath or overgrowth making it hard to walk. A couple of areas along the path were a little wet. There were small wooden walkways built over the areas to make them easier to cross. Some of the boards were loose, so be careful walking across those.
And there was no trash to be seen!
If you are looking for a strenuous hike near Lancaster, Mambourg Park is not the place to visit. Instead, check out some of the Hocking Hills hiking trails. If you are looking for local trails near me that are easy to hike, this would be a nice place to visit.
Once the picnic shelter is constructed and the Mambourg Nature Center is opened, this will be a great place for families to visit. And since there are 2 short hiking trails, you can get the kids out in nature without worrying about the trails being too long.
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT AT MAMBOURG PARK
Please note that trail rules and regulations can change at any time. The following information was in effect for Mambourg Park in Lancaster as of September 2021.
There are bathrooms available near the parking lot that is located at the Mambourg Nature Center.
Bicycles are not permitted on the trails.
There was very little activity when we visited the park. However, the pond may be a nice area to check out during migration.
Several small wooden foot bridges located along the trail.
Concealed carry is permitted.
Dogs are allowed on the Hickory Trail. They must be kept on a leash. Pets are not allowed on the Oak Trail.
Trail surfaces are natural. The trails are easy-to-moderate.
There are two blacktop parking lots. As of 10/01/21 only one lot was open. The parking lot located directly off of State Route 22 has 10 parking spaces.
There are no picnic tables available as of 10/01/21
There are no playgrounds.
There were no benches along either trail. There is one bench in the main parking lot located on State Route 22.
A lot of shade.
There is a plan to construct a shelter house in the near future.
Trails are not marked well. However, since the trails are super wide, they do not need to be.
There are trashcans available in both parking lots.
Creek and a pond.
2 ADA compliant parking spaces available in parking lot located directly off of State Route 22. The other parking lot was not marked as of September 2021.
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