The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Stebbins Gulch like no place around
Editor’s note: This is one in a series of articles looking at “Hidden Gems” — interesting sites in The News-Herald’s coverage area that even longtime residents might not have discovered.
Even on a day as gray and rainy as May 26, a visit to Stebbins Gulch in Kirtland shines a light as bright as the sun on what is, what was and what’s to come in terms of Northeast Ohio’s ecology.
Once a piece of Hosea Stebbins’ farmland in the 1800s, Stebbins Gulch is part of about 900 acres owned by the Holden Arboretum now known as the Stebbins Gulch Natural Area and is home to natural features that reach back hundreds of millions of years.
Although it’s not open to the general public, the Arboretum offers guided hikes through the gulch, itself, and other natural areas around it. And, for those who have experienced it, it’s something they’ll never forget.
“What I commonly hear (from visitors) is ‘I can’t believe there’s something so nice in Northeast Ohio!” said Tony Barabani who, along with his wife, volunteers throughout the arboretum and guides trips through the gulch, which is the only way the public can access it.
The beauty of Stebbins Gulch lies not only in its history, but also in its ecological diversity.
Roger Gettig, vice president of horticulture and conservation at the Holden Arboretum, said during a May 26 hike through Stebbins Gulch, that its unique topography makes it an especially diverse Northeast Ohio habitat.
For example, some conifers there grow old and tall, simply because of the temperature in the gulch.
“In this part of Ohio, conifers prefer to be cool,” he said as he traced a map
of the area along Stebbins Gulch with his finger. “In ravines like this, it’s cooler. Hot air rises and cool air drains and, because of this, you’ll see (in aerial photos like this) the evergreens lining gorges like this.”
But trees aren’t the only biodiversity that makes Stebbins Gulch so special, he said.
Birds are another example.
“You know those Juncos you see around during the winter? Well, (some) will stay here through the summer because it’s cooler,” he said, adding that there are nesting Juncos in the gulch — something rare here in Northeast Ohio.
Even the Audubon Society thinks Stebbins Gulch is an Important Bird Area, Gettig said.
But birds and trees aren’t the only things that make the gulch unique.
“It is a deep ravine environment with its own microclimate and multiple forest zones. It displays one of the most complete sequences of exposed rocks in Northeast Ohio,” the Holden Arboretum’s website
reads. “A strong sense of isolation and remoteness is retained even though it is only 25 miles from downtown Cleveland.” Gettig concurred. “It’s just a really special place,” he said. “I mean, it’s only 25 miles from Cleveland and, well, it’s like you’re in another world.”
One of the gulch’s most impressive features are the sheer walls that provide a literal look at the region’s history, from the 370-million-year-old bedrock lining the creek bed at the bottom of the gulch, to the layers of sandstone, shale and, lastly, soil at the top.
“It’s kind of an immersive experience,” Gettig said on the short ride back to the arboretum’s offices. “When you’re there, you’re totally surrounded by nature and its different sights and sounds. And you’ll go for long stretches where you don’t hear anything like cars, crowds of people...”
It’s this kind of solitude, diversity and pristineness that landed Stebbins Gulch on the National Park Service’s National Natural Landmarks registry, a long
with another Arboretum holding, Bole Woods, which is an important northern hardwood forest on the arboretum’s property.
Stebbins Gulch may only be accessed through the Holden Arboretum and one of its tours through the area, which take pace all year round, said Cait Anastis, who is editor of the arboretum’s Forests & Gardens Magazine.
“... And it changes with each season,” she wrote in a May 26 email exchange. “The cooler temperatures make it a nice place to visit in the summer and winter tours are amazing because of the stunning ice formations that form in the gulch.”
Gettig added that the secluded nature of Stebbins Gulch, along with its diverse and fragile nature necessitate the access restrictions. But, from this reporter’s perspective, it’s worth signing up for a tour.
Anastis said the guides adapt their tours accordingly, depending on the season, and different guides have different areas of expertise, so it pays to come
back often.
She said May through October is the most popular time of year for folks to visit and that visitors come from all over Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York and even Texas.
The next scheduled tour of Stebbins Gulch is from 1 to 4 p.m. June 25.
“The hike follows the stream through bedrock dating back millions of years and, along the way, the guide will talk about the geology and plant communities that result from this special environment,” Anastis said. “There are also hikes scheduled this summer on July 22 and Aug. 26.”
She also mentioned the following: “We like guests to be aware that this is a rigorous hike covering about 3 miles. Footwear should be appropriate for climbing and walking through mud and high-water conditions.”
Interested parties may find information and register for these hikes using the Holden Arboretum’s online calendar. Group tours for between 10 and 20 people can be arranged by calling the Arboretum’s registrar at 440-602-3833.