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12 - Holden Arboretum
9500 Sperry Road, Kirtland, OH 44094
440.946.4400
Public Access
Open daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Amenities
Hiking Trails, Restrooms, Visitors Center, Picnic Area,
Checklist Available, Outdoor Feeders, Wildlife
Observation Window, Binocular Rentals
GPS Coordinates
N 41° 36'9.56"; W 81° 18'21.84"
Driving Directions
From Cleveland, take I-90 East to Mentor, Kirtland exit
(#193), turn right on State Route 306 and continue to
the bottom of the hill. Turn left on State Route 615.
At the first traffic light, turn right on Kirtland-Chardon
Road. Travel 3.6 miles to Sperry Road. Turn left on
Sperry Road. Travel 1.4 miles, turn left on main drive to
reach the Warren H. Corning Visitor Center. |
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What To Look For
Holden Arboretum is one of northeast Ohio's jewels, conserving a variety of habitat types and supporting an impressive diversity of birds. The total list is well over 200 species, including a number of rarities and regionally significant nesters. At least one full day is required to truly see the sights of the arboretum. There is a $6.00 admission fee for nonmembers; $3.00 for children ages 6-12. Entrance is free for children 5 and under.
Holden Arboretum encompasses about 4,200 acres, and the vast majority of this land is in natural habitats. Over 100 species nest on Holden's grounds, including many northern species near the southern limits of their range. There are several deep hemlock gorges, and these support breeding Dark-eyed Junco, Blue-headed Vireo, and Black-throated Green, Blackburnian, and Canada warblers. Nearly all of northeast Ohio's regular nesting species can be found as well.
Winter birding can be exceptional as well. Because of the extensive planting of large ornamental conifers, if crossbills are around, Holden is a good place to find them. Other winter finches can also occur in good numbers, along with all of the typical overwintering songbirds of the region. Possible raptors include Cooper's and Sharp-shinned hawks, Northern Harrier, American Kestrel, and Red-shouldered, Red-tailed, and Rough-legged hawks. Northern Shrikes also appear in some winters.
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Noteworthy Rarities
Numerous rarities have turned up in Holden Arboretum, such as Townsend's Solitaire, Black-throated Gray Warbler, Eared Grebe, Eurasian Wigeon, and Western Kingbird.
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Natural Features
The arboretum features some 5,000 species of plants, and the cultivated gardens are well worth a look. The hemlock gorges, such as Stebbin's Gulch, are among the finest examples of this rare (in Ohio) habitat type. Because of the profusion of flowering plants, butterfly numbers and diversity can be exceptional, as can dragonflies around the arboretum's wetlands and ponds. The arboretum's natural habitats protect at least 27 species of state-listed rare plants, six listed birds, and three rare dragonfly species.
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