Abstarct Black Hand Gorge State Nature Preserve is located about 9 mi (15 km) east of Newark, Ohio. It is readily accessible from Ohio 16 and 146, as shown on Figure 1. The area became a state nature preserve in 1975 and is accessible on a year-round basis during daylight hours. Canoeing in the river and bicycling along a recently constructed bicycle trail are possible when weather and water level permit. The gorge is located on the west-central area of the Toboso (Ohio) 7½-minute Quadrangle (Fig. 2).