Slippery Elm Trail /

Cricket Frog Cove Area

Entrance on Freyman Road between Mitchell and Rudolph Roads

(south of Cygnet Road)

Park District staff members are excited about this addition to the Park District—a 160-acre parcel of land 1/4 mile west of the Slippery Elm Trail in Henry Township. Cygnet and Freyman Roads border the property to the north and south, and Mitchell Road borders it to the west.

The Slippery Elm Trail/Cricket Frog Cove Area is comprised of approximately 80 acres of wet woodland, 40 acres of natural meadow area, and an additional 40 acres that are presently in production as tilled farmland.  It is home to a small population of endangered Blanchard cricket frogs, thus its name.

The Park District extends its thanks to the Sponsler Family for their willingness to work with Park staff. All too often, development overshadows the need to preserve our natural heritage, and it is only through the thoughtfulness of people like the Sponslers that we are able to preserve our precious natural areas for generations to come.

This park is still in the planning stages. Parks are always developed in stages and can take many years to reach the full contingent of what they will offer. Cricket Frog Cove has now become a demo park, and no longer has an Advisory Committee.

Forty acres at Cricket Frog Cove have been taken out of farmland and are now being managed for native prairie. The entire area has been transplanted with prairie plants.

FISHING IN CRICKET FROG COVE
The pond is open for family-oriented fishing.
BASS IS CATCH & RELEASE.

Features:

• This location is set up specifically for youth and family fishing. Youth are designated as being age 15 or younger. Above this age, a fishing license is required for fishing.
• Adults may not fish alone at this pond.
• No ice fishing.
• Youth can fish here without an adult.
• November - February it will be safest to fish on Sundays. (see below)

TEMPORARY HUNTING WITH PERMISSION PROGRAM
FOR DEER HUNTING ONLY

Cricket Frog Cove is open Nov. 1 - Jan. 31 for hunting Monday - Saturday only.

All hunters must be registered with the Park District

NO HUNTING on Sundays.

Click here to go to Hunting Page or call (419) 353-1897 to be put on the Hunting mailing list.  The deadline to apply for the program is always September 1 and information packets/ applications are mailed out around the end of July or beginning of August.

What’s in a Name?

When it came time to name the newest park area, Park District staff tried to come up with a name that described the property and yet associated the park with the Slippery Elm Trail. We decided to try something completely different...we left the name calling up to the kids of Wood County.

In March 2003, the Park District distributed entry forms to all the schools in Wood County, grades kindergarten through eighth grade. Along with the entry forms, students received information packets describing the property and it’s unique features.

All told, the Park District received 834 entries for the contest from all corners of the County. Park District staff and volunteer representatives of the Friends of the Wood County Parks had the task of reviewing all 834 entries, narrowing the field down to the top four names. The Board of Park Commissioners then had the difficult task of making the final decision.

The winner of the "Name Your Park Contest" was Julianne Kessler, an eighth grader at Rossford Junior High School, with the name of "Cricket Frog Cove". Julianne chose the name after reviewing the park information and discovering one of the unique features of the property is the population of rare Blanchard’s Cricket Frogs that inhabit the small pond on the property.

Along with Julianne we also want to be sure to mention the top three runners up in the contest. First runner up was Matthew Smith, a seventh grader at North Baltimore Jr. High School with the entry of "Cricket Flats". Second runner up was Brittani Lavine, a fourth grader at Ridge Elementary School in Bowling Green with the entry "Black Swamp Park". Our third runner up honors went to Elizabeth Smith, an eighth grader at Bowling Green Jr. High School with the entry "Black Swamp Nature Preserve".

Runners up each received a family pass to the Otsego Canoe Livery, and a certificate noting their achievement. As our winner, Julianne received a family canoe pass, a certificate, and a pizza party for her class compliments of Papa Johns Pizza in Bowling Green. In addition, Julianne was guest of honor at the grand opening of the park, and joined in the ribbon cutting ceremony opening the Slippery Elm Trail Cricket Frog Cove Area.

Park District Director Neil Munger
with Name Your Park Contest winner, Julianne Kessler.