Cowan Lake State Park, located at 1750 Osborn Road, provides a peaceful and engaging environment for those looking to explore the great outdoors without having to travel too far. The best part is it’s free; due to Ohio being one of seven states to have no State Park admission fees. Cowan Lake offers family activities all season long, including guided educational hikes, sunset kayak tours, and weekly children’s activities led by Naturalist Caden Sauerbrey at the Nature Center on Wednesday–Sunday 10am to 6pm. Additionally, there are recently renovated cabins available within walking distance of the beach, Nature Center, and Camp Store for those looking for overnight accommodations starting at just $130 a night.
Historically, the Adena Pre-Columbian Native American culture inhabited the area that is now Cowan Lake over 2,000 years ago, leaving earthworks that include mounds and a circular enclosure that remains protected to this day. Following World War II, the increased demand for outdoor recreational spaces led to Ohio acquiring land along Cowan Creek in order to develop a lake and a park. The Cowan Creek dam, completed in the mid-1900s, formed Cowan Lake, creating the park enjoyed today.
The parks new Naturalist, Caden Sauerbrey, joined Cowan Lake in August 2023, shortly after graduation from Ohio Northern University where he was originally studying for a career in Pharmacology. However, 3 years into his degree he realized that field was not for him. Shortly after this epiphany, Caden stumbled upon a seasonal Naturalist position posted online at Blue Rock State Park in southeast Ohio and decided to give it a try. That experience sparked his decision to change majors and pursue a career that aligned with his passions in what he describes as his dream job. “I saw a job posting for a seasonal Naturalist... and I said, ‘that’s what I want to be when I grow up’”, said Caden.
He explained the deep-rooted love for the outdoors was sparked by his grandparents while growing up on their family’s farm in Zanesville, Ohio. “That farm has been in my family since around 1954. My grandpa originally moved him and his family to the farm then, and [my family] never really left. The things around there are what have inspired me to be here [at my current position]. I would sit there and bird-watch with my grandparents sometimes… So, just connecting yourself with nature... That has inspired me to move forward in the career that I am [currently] at”, he explained.
Regarding what the position of Naturalist entails, Caden explained, “I wear a lot of different hats, and do a lot of different things, but my primary responsibility is public programming here in this park... So, I’ve [led] hikes, canoing, archery, and various assorted educational activities. I [also] run the Nature Center, which [serves] as an educational resource that teaches people about the things that are out there in Ohio. So, we [learn about] a lot of native species, a lot of plants, bugs, fungi… If you can think about it, I’ll probably have an answer for something. I am also in charge of a lot of our public relations for the park… A lot of science, especially biology, can be relatively complicated. It’s my job to take that natural science and make it digestible for non-scientists”.
Both the Nature and Education Centers were originally green-lit in 2019, converting what used to be cabins into additional vital resources for the park. Current displays include information regarding fossils, bald eagles, the American lotus, and more. The center is also home to animal ambassadors which currently include: a Grey Rat Snake, two Box Turtles, two birds of prey, a Frog, and the infamous Spotted Salamander, who holds the title of the official state Salamander of Ohio.
In addition to educational resources, multiple events are held year-round, with the highly anticipated upcoming 3rd Annual American Lotus Celebration, organized by the Friends Caring for Cowan Lake State Park, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit thats mission is to preserve and enhance the park’s natural resources. The event will be held on August 3r, 2024 from 11am to 5pm, during the peak of the lotus bloom season. Attendees will enjoy a pontoon boat tour of the beautiful blooming Lotus colonies on the lake, while also enjoying local merchants and food vendors. When asked about the reasoning behind the festival, Caden explained, “the lotus is native to North America from the Caribbean Sea up to Ontario. But in Inland lakes, especially in Ohio, there are two [lakes] that have lotus, and this is one of them. They grow in some of the coves of Lake Eerie, but they are relatively rare, especially in inland lakes.”
Other resources and events located at the park include a reservable dance pavilion, a certified professional 18-hole disk golf course, a public beach with a bathhouse, a youth fishing pond, and more.
For upcoming events and additional park information, visit Cowan Lake’s Nature Center Wednesday–Sunday 10 am to 6 pm. Learn more at parks.ohiodnr.gov/cowanlake.