I thoroughly enjoyed my wanderings at River Bends Park, lots of options for your activities while…read morevisiting. I was on a limited time crunch today, so I stuck mostly to the main, paved trails (happily many sections of this path still ran through the woods); but there are hiking and/or biking trails branching off in many directions all throughout the property. Make sure to watch the trail signs, as some are for bikers only. River Bends is also a dog friendly park, note that they must remain on a maximum of a 6ft leash at all times. While I visited today with only my pupperoni, River Bends park is great for kids of all ages. There are a multitude of play areas for children, great to help wear out their energy. There is also a disc golf course that winds throughout the park, supplying players with beautiful nature views. You could also enjoy a BBQ on one of their charcoal grills, relax at a picnic table, or pavilions if you have a large group; nature watch on a nearby bench, our even try out a game of horseshoe. The park appeared well maintained, for the most part; although a few signs could use some repair. They have restroom facilities, and port-a-pottys available for use (although I did not enter them to speak of their cleanliness). You can find trash receptacles around every bend, so there's no excuse for lazy littering, and there is a main sign available showing you all of the trails and their difficulties. You can find this sign posted off to the side of the parking lot; which itself, had plenty of available spots. Definitely a favorite park to stop and enjoy, highly recommend.

I recently got into the whole #MTBProject thing. Bought myself a bicycle the price of a slightly…read moreused Ford vehicle. Hit the trails and joined a few Facebook groups. I've always seen the mountain bike trail on a Facebook post and so since my husband was driving up the area to group study with his cousin. I set up the bike rack and brung it along. Dropped him off at the starbuck and I came straight here. So the trail was rather pretty easy and laid back. None of the super high uphill climbs that'll destroy your quads, but it does have its moments. The drops were good and the course was rather nicely laid out. Theres even nice ramps and dips to make the trail lean over to the fun side. It's a bit short for the intermediate mountain bikers, but it's a ton of fun. I would run the trail again if given the chance. Thank you so much for reading my review. I hope this helps with your decision making experience. Enjoy your awesome yelptastic day!

Holland Ponds is the best place for hiking! My friends and I love coming here with our dogs because…read morethere is a river through the entire place, which means plenty of opportunities for the dogs to swim! The park is also connected to the apple trail, which leads to Yates Cider Mill, so it's honestly the best place to spend an afternoon! The dogs have fun, the humans have fun, you can take a mid-hike break to fuel up with cider and donuts, and then head back through Holland Ponds! The only downside to the park is that it's close to a shooting range of some sort, far enough away that you can't see anything, only hear things, so for dogs that spook a bit towards fireworks and the like, they will be able to hear sounds that might make them a bit jumpy.

I like this park for many reasons, but mainly because it has that true nature feel to it with so…read moremuch to look at and take in as you walk and meander it's trails. The main trail is gravel, but there are areas that veer off here and there along the way that take you off the beaten path and into some 'real' nature trails. With so much to offer, you can venture off and explore the foliage, ponds, wildflowers, rabbits, birds, frogs and the elusive (at least for me so far) Blue Herons. In fact this park is a Blue Heron Rookery and a nesting area for them as well. Look up into the trees while walking along their nesting areas because they build their large 3 foot by 3 foot nests high in the trees out of twigs. There are signs as well warning the public not to enter their sacred nesting areas. It's very quiet, serene and even a tad rustic compared to the other parks in the county. It does have benches along the way, but the grasses in mid summer have grown up and around some of them making them not so easy to sit on. They also have a small pavilion that once had a picnic table, but the table is now gone, so it's 'just a pavilion' hoping for another table one day so it can once again have visitors sit under it's covered and shady rest area. But why not carry one of those fold up chairs and heck, bring a picnic bag lunch and enjoy a quiet meal as you feel like you're in the middle of nowhere. Make sure to look up and side to side as you're traversing the trail because there are things to look at all around if you take the time to explore. You're so close to the city, yet so far away when you're in the middle of this park so take the time to enjoy all of it's offerings. There are areas where you can get a nice picturesque glimpse of the lily pads in the water and listen to the frogs croaking their tunes as you meander along the path. If you like the type of setting where you seem one with nature and you like a calm, serene setting, this park is a must to visit. Who knows, maybe you'll get lucky and see one or more of the Blue Herons. If not, there's always next time because this peaceful park is worth exploring when you want to get away from the city grind.

Spencer Park is a hidden gem in Rochester Hills! It's my favorite park to spend a summer day with…read morefriends/family or by myself to a walk on the hiking path. It's open for swimming Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day with Lifeguards on duty from 8am to dusk. Last year they installed a new paved walking trail that goes around the lake. It's so much nicer than the old gravel pathway! It's approximately 1 mile around Carter Lake and it's perfect for getting your steps in. However, dogs are not allowed in the park even if they are on a leash during Memorial Day to Labor Day. During off season you can bring your dog on a leash to walk if you choose. Another strict rule to note is that no floatation devices are allowed in the water for swimming. It's a popular spot to go shoreline fishing and there's a fishing dock along with canoe, Kayak and paddle board rental. In addition, there are sand volleyball courts, tennis courts, basketball courts, barbecue grills, a concession stand, and a play structure. You could easily spend the whole day here and never get bored. It basically has all the same amenities that Stoney Creek offers but smaller. It cost $5 per day if you're a Rochester Hills resident or $10 for a non resident Monday through Friday and Saturday and Sunday a few dollars more $8 for resident and $15 for a non resident). You also can buy a season pass which i do every year. The season pass gets you into Bloomer Park as well. I highly recommend this local park to anyone who loves nature and the outdoors. Great for all ages and especially families!

Lots of things to do. There is a $10.00 entrance fee for the maintenance of the park.read more

There's so much for everyone at this park in Troy; a brand new playscape with a ninja wall, covered…read morepavilion, a paved walking trail which leads to small rustic trail in the woods, a wonderful lake for fishing or kayaking, and restrooms. There's plenty of native plants and wildlife, beautiful blooming flowers in July, and a unique bamboo tunnel. Free to the public to enjoy!

Sylvan Glen Lake Park is a hidden gem right off Rochester Road…read more It is great for a walk, picnic, and fishing. The back and forth walking path is paved leading around the lake into a beautiful forest area. Only about a third of the lake is accessible since the neighboring golf course locks the northern side. The accessible lakeside is shallow. Along the lake you will find benches to rest at or fishermen young and old. The onsite restrooms and water fountain were super helpful! Sylvan Glen Lake Park is a great spot to spend for the day or even stop on the way home from work for a fresh breath of air!

Rotary Park is one of my favorite places to go in Sterling Heights. It honestly feels like you're a…read morethousand miles away, even though it's right around the corner. I love walking the trails because there's always something new to see, from the river views to all the wildlife and beautiful scenery. It's peaceful, relaxing, and a great place to clear your mind and enjoy nature. Every time I visit, I'm reminded what a hidden gem this park really is. Never disappointed! And you even can fish and kayak there!!!

A challenging but fun little playground. Has swings, sides and a ropes course. Small but not too…read morebusy. We had the Park to ourselves.

One of my favorite places in Sterling Heights! It feels like you're a thousand miles away from the…read morecity, even though it's right around the corner. The trails wind through beautiful scenery with so much nature to take in, and the rivers running throughout make it feel peaceful and relaxing. Every visit brings something new to see, whether it's wildlife, changing seasons, or a different view along the trail. It's the perfect place to walk, clear your mind, and enjoy the outdoors. I've never left disappointed. Sterling Heights is home to an extensive trail system with river views and natural area.

We are avid walkers and love walking the trails in our local parks so when we were looking for a…read moredifferent place to walk, we discovered this one. It's located across the street from Henry Ford ll high school and is easily missed if you're not looking for the entrance driveway. The trail is part of the Clinton River Park Trail System which is a quite a nice trail to bike along if you're a biker. Whether you like leisurely walks on a paved trail or walking along the well worn and rugged dirt trails, it's a relaxing and nature filled walk to enjoy and explore. There were quite a few bikers traversing the trail as well. With the playground and ball field, it's a nice park for the family and people of all ages to have some fun. Bring your frisbees, footballs, baseballs and bats and enjoy what this park has to offer.

Here for a party & I am very impressed!…read more Beautiful parks and land. Can't wait to come back and run or bike the trails. Lots of pavillions for gatherings. Bathrooms were clean and I didnt have to worry about a critter running across my feet while I'm washing my hands. Also had boat / kayak access to the lake. Definitely check it out!

This park is the best park to walk at in the area!!! There many trail for bikes and just for…read morewalking. There beautiful ponds and lakes to look at as you walk or fish at. There also amazing playgrounds. I wouldn't recommend the beach.

Great park, easy to get to, safe,clean. Very open feel to…read morethis park, lots of amenities nearby downtown! Nice