Shoemaker preserve protects rare plants, arches and a Scioto tributary

Shoemaker State Nature Preserve squeezes seven state-listed plants, two natural arches and a tributary of Scioto Brush Creek into just 22 acres in Adams County. Near Peebles, the preserve shows how a small parcel can hold rare habitat, striking geology and a family story rooted in the county.

A small preserve with outsized value

Ohio’s Division of Natural Areas and Preserves treats state nature preserves as places that protect unusual ecosystems, specialized plant communities, distinctive geology and rare and endangered species. Shoemaker fits that mission tightly: the site is only 22 acres, yet it contains a concentration of natural features that would be easy to miss if the land were not protected.

The preserve’s most unusual plant is heart-leaved plantain, or Plantago cordata, a state-endangered species known from only three other sites in Ohio. That detail alone explains why a small preserve can matter so much. When a plant survives in just a handful of places, every protected patch of suitable habitat becomes part of the state’s conservation network.

What to look for on the ground

Shoemaker is as much a geology stop as a botany stop. The preserve features dolomite cliffs, slump blocks and two natural arches, all packed into a compact site that rewards a slow walk. The rock setting helps create the conditions that support the rare plants, so the landscape and the plant life are tied together rather than separated into different attractions.

A hiking report describes the main route as a 1.5-mile lollipop loop that drops into a small dolomite gorge with two arches. That shape makes the preserve feel larger than its acreage suggests, with the trail leading into a narrow setting where the cliff faces and rock formations do most of the work. For visitors, the result is a short outing with a lot to see in a small area.

The family story behind the land

The preserve’s conservation value is matched by its local history. Joyce Shoemaker gifted the land to the state in 2007 in memory of her husband, Alvie Shoemaker, and part of the property had been in the Shoemaker family for more than 100 years. That long family connection gives the preserve a rooted Adams County identity, rather than the feel of a detached state acquisition.

A ribbon-cutting formally dedicated Shoemaker State Nature Preserve on April 25, 2008, marking its public opening as a place set aside for the people of Adams County and Ohio. That dedication matters because it connects the preserve’s ecological role to its civic one. The land is not just protected for science; it is also part of the county’s shared outdoor heritage.

Why the stream matters, too

One of the most important features at Shoemaker is not the most visible one. The preserve protects a tributary of Scioto Brush Creek, which adds watershed protection to the preserve’s conservation value. Small parcels can help shield streambanks, cool runoff and maintain habitat quality in ways that extend beyond the property line.

That stream protection matters in a county where outdoor identity depends on a mix of forests, cliffs, creeks and trails. A preserve that safeguards a tributary is doing more than preserving scenery. It is helping maintain the natural systems that feed the creek corridor and support the plants and terrain that make this corner of Adams County distinct.

How to visit Shoemaker

Shoemaker is open from one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset. The preserve has 1.5 miles of hiking trails, but it does not have restrooms, and pets are not permitted. Those rules shape the visit as much as the trail itself, so it is best treated as a short, quiet nature stop rather than a full-service park.

A careful visit pays off quickly. The route’s compact length makes it practical for a half-day outing, while the arches, gorge and cliffside habitat give it more variety than many longer hikes. The preserve’s scale also means visitors are walking through a sensitive site where staying on the trail helps protect both the rare plants and the geological features.

Why rare-plant protection still changes the local picture

Ohio’s Division of Natural Areas and Preserves updates the state endangered and threatened plant list every two years, and the current 2024-25 list took effect on December 26, 2024. That schedule shows that rare-plant conservation is not a one-time designation. It is an active management system that keeps pace with changing scientific understanding and habitat conditions.

Shoemaker sits inside that larger framework. Its seven state-listed plants, endangered heart-leaved plantain and protected stream corridor make the preserve more than a scenic stop on the map. In Adams County, a 22-acre site can still do three things at once: protect a rare species, preserve a distinctive geological pocket and strengthen the county’s outdoor identity for anyone looking for something real, local and worth keeping intact.