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About the Barnes Preserve:

How it was named:
The Barnes Preserve land was once part of the Wayne County Care Center and is named after the Barnes family that operated the Care Center for many years.

Location:
The Barnes Preserve encompasses 76 acres and is the only Wayne County Park. It is located at 3396 Sylvan Rd., Wooster, Ohio, 1/4 mile south of the Secrest/Sylvan intersection.  It is near the Wayne County Care Center and OARDC/Secrest Arboretum.  View on Google maps. 

Hours:
Dawn to Dusk.
Benefits of the Barnes Preserve:

Educational Opportunities                    
  • Nature:  Experience nature at its finest at the Barnes Preserve!  Come view the mature woods, rolling prairie land and indigenous plants, and a serene wetland pond by the woods' edge is teeming with all kinds of aquatic life.
  • Wildlife: The Preserve is home to many different wildlife species like deer, fox, muskrats, bats, migratory and year round birds of all kinds.

Groups
The Preserve has been utilized by Boy Scouts groups, Geocachers, and environmental and science classes. To schedule your group for educational opportunities please contact Wayne County Park District Commissioner Denny Jordan. 

Recreation 
The Barnes Preserve offers nearly a mile of ADA asphalted trails, woods hiking, wildlife and bird watching, and observing aquatic life at the wetland pond. ​

Relaxation/Rejuvenation
The Barnes Preserve provides natural areas of beauty for spiritual and mental rejuvenation.
Development Plan:
The Park Board and Friends of the Parks had a goal of creating a park that would be fully accessible.  We have been successful in creating a beautiful pavilion, observation deck overlooking a wetland pond, a wildlife sanctuary meadow, and .9 miles of ADA asphalted trails.


The Barnes Preserve was developed with the financial support from donations and local, state,and federal grants. Access road and parking lots were built from funds from the Ohio Metro Parks Program. A total of $350,000 has been spent on the developments of the Barnes Preserve and countless volunteer hours by the Friends of the Park, Park Commissioners, and area organizations.  
The Barnes Preserve has nearly a mile of non-challenging ADA paved trails that meanders through the woods and meadow. The Barnes Preserve is a perfect destination for people that use wheelchairs for mobility.  Every venue is accessible. We do not allow horses or ATVs in the park nor campfires or overnight camping without a permit. We love dogs, but for safety we ask that you leash your dogs and clean-up after them. We are open from dawn to dusk. No trespassing signs are posted for after dark. There is absolutely NO HUNTING on the grounds.  Other RULES are posted on the kiosks.