Under An Hour From Toledo Is Ohio's Scenic State Park With Presidential History, Trails, And Fairytale Views

State parks can make for wonderful places to stretch your legs on a leafy trail or enjoy a picnic somewhere greener and lusher than the city. But the parks that will stick with you the most have something beyond attractive scenery: a tie to a famed battle or historical figure, perhaps, that gives its setting another layer of meaning. At Ohio's Spiegel Grove State Park, that figure is the 19th U.S. president, Rutherford B. Hayes. Hayes' home, grave, and presidential library are all preserved within the park's grounds, while walking trails around the estate offer glimpses of the woods that reminded his family of German fairy tales.

Spiegel Grove became part of Hayes' life before his presidency, when he was drawn to the estate his uncle had purchased earlier. After leaving the White House, Hayes returned to Spiegel Grove for the final years of his life, expanding the house and tending the property's grounds. More than simply a place to see artifacts behind glass, you can walk the same grounds where Hayes spent his retirement.

Today, you can still see the 31-room Hayes mansion, as well as the family tomb, original White House gates, and trees Hayes named after friends. The Presidential Library and Museum were also established on the site, where visitors can browse Hayes' personal library and historical exhibits. The park is in Fremont, Ohio, known for its rich history and speedway, so you can spend more time exploring the town's elegant architecture. From Toledo, it's around a 45-minute drive, making it an easy addition to a northwest Ohio trip.

Spiegel Grove is one stop along Ohio's Presidential Trail, a collection of historic sites like Fort Meigs, a once-thriving military fort used by President William Henry Harrison. The Hayes mansion is the centerpiece of Spiegel Grove's presidential heritage, and it's been convincingly preserved to transport you back to the 1800s. "It feels as if Rutherford and Lucy are about to walk around the corner the way it's preserved," said historian Josh Dubbert. Much of what you see inside is original to the Hayes family, including furniture and paintings. You can visit the home on a guided tour and explore the adjacent museum at your own pace.

The grounds at Spiegel Grove contain several short footpaths through the 25-acre estate, which wind past the family tomb, a rose garden, and woods. One standout is the Sandusky-Scioto Native American Trail, which follows the route taken by Native Americans and U.S. troops during the War of 1812. The paths around the mansion are paved and have benches for resting. They're suited to more leisurely walks — if you want some more challenging hiking, the trails at Sawyer Quarry Nature Preserve closer to Toledo give you more options.

Spiegel Grove was imagined as an "enchanted place of good spirits" by Hayes' uncle, according to Dubbert. Its towering trees, too, Hayes associated with fairy tales. You'll see large oaks, poplars, dawn redwoods, and flowering magnolias. Wildflowers add another storybook touch, especially the Virginia bluebells and winter aconites surrounding Boffin's Bower, a gazebo-like structure wrapped in vines and blooms. For an especially whimsical scavenger hunt, look for the park's squirrel doors: tiny, decorative doors attached to trees that visitors can seek out with a map.