BEAUTIFUL!!! Not sure what led me to this new (to me) off the beaten trail park up in Sidney, but…read moreI'm SUPER glad I made the "pilgrimage" up there a few weekends ago, on a gorgeous fall day, to check it out!! There's definitely something for just about everyone here, including a MASSIVE public pool for the summer months, beautiful trails, multiple playgrounds, picnic areas, scenic waterways, ball fields, and even a lovely covered bridge. You'll need much more than one day to see everything, but I was able to see a good bit of this wonderful community park, including hiking most of the VERY user-friendly Benjamin Trail, ending at the covered bridge (I think the trail continues, but I stopped/returned at that point) and driving around the perimeter of the park to see several other trail heads. There was a pretty good number of people here the day I visited, but it never felt overcrowded. Life's ups and downs have led me to do some serious "exploring," in every sense of the word, up to and including some of the lesser-known parks in the area. Tawawa was a WONDERFUL discovery, and I hope to return SOON!! CHECK IT OUT!!!!!

This is the nicest park. Also, there are so many trails, play areas, picnic areas and stream…read moreaccess in many spots. You can choose a spot where it is populated or there are many areas that you will have to yourself. The park is very clean and well patrolled. Peace and quiet, just the birds chirping. Numerous charcoal grills and picnic tables throughout the park. Great park if you have a dog .

Here there is something for everyone. It is a nostalgic place for me and many others who are from…read moreTroy, Ohio. But for many, this is a new and booming place, but it's not exactly new. This is not just any park...here is a little history: In the early 1940's, several Troy residents began clearing the river and the banks of rubbish in hopes of using the area for water activates. They even cleared away the remains of an old wooden damn located just north of the Adams St. Bridge. Then, Edward Alvah (E. A.) and William Hobart took an interest in the park and provided the heavy equipment needed to assist in the process of clearing. That's right...E.A and William Hobart of the Hobart Brothers Corporation. The Hobart Corporation used to be based in Troy, Ohio. Yes, that's right...the ones that created and made Kitchenaid for the home and for commercial use...and they are still made today (just not here). Let us not forget the welders, generators and industrial equipment as well to name a few. They weren't always made in a foreign country. Indeed, Hobart was alive and well in Troy, Ohio and the surrounding area once upon a time. The Corporation put quite the thumbprint on Troy, this is one of them. The leaders of the Hobart Brothers Corporation wanted to provide a location for not only boating enthusiasts, but also for their employees to enjoy the Great Miami River and all activities related to water. So, they constructed a marina, a boathouse, and a launch area with a lighthouse all from the profits of the company. At one time there was a baseball diamond located here and playground equipment as well. The place boomed with boating activities, festivals and company picnics for many years. My grandparents and parents used to speak of the fun times here. In the 1960's, E.A. Hobart gave the boathouse and property to the city of Troy as a gift. Troy accepted and decided it had great recreational potential. It has been utilized in many ways over the years. It has even seen days of non-use and dilapidation as well sadly. Some of my fondest memories growing up were playing out on the island after crossing a bridge...and we always fed the ducks. I used to love to ride my bike down that steep hill coming in and lift my legs & feet off the peddles. We used to rent canoes and paddle boats below...sweet memories. But what was once old, is new again. It brings me tears of joy to see this place come alive again and alive it is indeed. This place not only has its own website now, but it has a Facebook page too! There is a fairly new restaurant in the building called "Smith's Boathouse". The Smith family has a history of their own. I went to school with one of the brothers and was able to enjoy the family restaurant in Maui (Yummy). It is a great addition to the Park. And if you get a chance, please check it out. But not only that, there is now an area for concerts in addition to the typical walks, playing, biking, picnicking or just hanging out and enjoying the view. There is quite the venue these days at Treasure Island. It makes me smile that it is alive again. Although people call it "new", please don't forget the history, how it started, why it's here and how it has evolved. When in Troy...stop down...a water activity may interest you, a stroll, a bike ride...or maybe just the view. These are only a few things you can do there...there is something for everyone...to include finding that special spot for peace and quiet. http://www.troyohio.gov/587/Treasure-Island-Park https://www.facebook.com/pages/Treasure-Island-Park/142286295802726

It is completely free. So fun. Lots of history. Really a beautiful little spot. Flowers were…read morebeginning to bloom. My 3 girls loved it. Made a little donation and they sent me a thank you email.

The Rock Garden was neat to see. It had a bunch of places created out of rocks and it is well…read morepreserved. It's free to visit, they just ask for a donation to help preserve the community.

Took a day trip to Dayton and landed at Wegerzyn Gardens. What a lovely place! With free parking…read moreand entry, it's a gorgeous place to visit. Would definitely go again!

Such a gem in the middle of the city! Wegerzyn is my…read morefavorite park in Dayton because it has a little bit of everything. Beautifully manicured gardens, a nice, peaceful nature path, a boardwalk through a swamp forest, and a fantastic children's area!

A beautiful little oasis. A bonus is a bathroom with real flushing toilets instead of a smelly…read morescary pit. This is also A good spot to collect some clean pesticide free milkweed if you help raise Monarchs in the summer to help boost their struggling numbers like I do.

Love taking walks here if you love nature it's a great place for walking or to even take the kids…read morethey have some sponsor animals they have rehabilitated and can't be let go back into the wild.

Beautiful area to walk in throughout the woods and along the river. Some areas are trickier than…read moreothers to navigate and could use some more steps for easier access, but overall would recommend if you're alright with hiking! Bring your phone for QR codes located in certain areas for a map and more information.

There are a couple entrances. You can park close to the waterfall if you don't want to walk far…read more The cabin was history but you can't tour, at least while I was there. The mound had a huge amount of steps and there's not really anything up top. The walk/hike through the woods was peaceful and pretty but watch out for those roots!

Love when falls are frozen. Path was cleared off. Worth coming for a quick look. Today was bit…read morewarmer so not too miserable cold. You can view from top but the real view requires stairs.

Stopped by to see the falls today, early March, after three days of off-and-on rain and the falls…read moredidn't disappoint Always good to see the transition from winter to spring this time of year. Subtle buds are starting to come out and the moss plus fungi are coming to life It's always good to get a break from the stresses of life by logging a couple of miles in nature! #SpringVibes #NatureLover #HikingAdventure #CharlestonFalls

Another GEM in the Five Rivers Metropark crown!! Used to come here all the time when I lived…read morecloser, so I was happy to make a return visit while back in the area. SO MUCH to see/do here that you'll need several visits (at least!!) to even scratch the surface. There's so much to see/do every season, it's tough to know where to start... Bike, fish, hike, picnic, take zillions of pictures, watch for deer and other "residents," and more!! Be sure to view the MASSIVE dam, it's impressive!! Don't miss seeing what there is to see at all of the separate entrances, definitely something for EVERYONE!! Next time, I'm bringing my bike!! Enjoy!!

If you are looking for a nice walk in the woods and down by the river, this is the place to go. We…read morehiked all on the east side of the river, totaling a little more than 5.5 miles round trip. Starting from an access trail next to the dam, we went counter clockwise , linking the yellow and orange trails. We probably did not get the full "experience" since we were there in the winter when the leaves were off the trees and the river level was low-ish. I am looking forward to coming back in other seasons. Two words of warning: Remember that the trails can be muddy due snowmelt, even if the snow has been gone for a few days. Saw several people out there today whose originally white sneakers are probably a few shades of darker brown now. Also, mud will be thicker and deeper down near the river where soil will have been pushed down the river during previous floods.

A wonderful historical stop in Versailles to pay tribute to the celebrated sharpshooter Annie…read moreOakley. Easy to navigate to and plenty of room to park, it's really cool to see that people are still stopping by her resting place to pay their respects.

I was just driving along a country road from Indiana to Lima, Ohio when suddenly a small sign…read morepopped up saying "Annie Oakley Grave" with an arrow pointing to a side road. I thought, "What??". I grew up on cowboys and Indians and one of my favorite TV shows was "Annie Oakley". I had missed the turn but took the next right to reconnect with the road. After driving aways, there was another sign and Brock Cemetery. I turned in slowly, parked, and walked reverently up to the headstones for Annie, her parents, and husband Frank Butler. It was pretty awesome to be standing at her final resting place. I read the information on the plaques, took some pictures, and somberly continued on my trip. You just never know what you will come across when you take the small roads to your destination instead of freeways.

Clifton Gorge State Nature Preserve is my first state park I have visited in Ohio, and it did not…read moredisappoint. I'm not a hiker, but I found the trail to be a somewhat easy hike for a senior and the walkways and guardrails were well-maintained. There are lots of benches to sit on to take in nature, darling native plants, and plenty of interesting facts to read about along the trail. We saw photos and explanations of how the Little Miami River was used to power grist and cotton mills, paper factories, and breweries. In the information building, we were greeted by the very friendly ranger, who gave us a botanical identification brochure (it would have been very useful during the hike) and introduced us to the turtles in their enclosure. The preserve was quiet, and we enjoyed ourselves so much. This is just the start of our adventure of the Clifton Gorge, and there are so many more activities to explore. We hope to be back during another season when the water in the gorge is flowing more rapidly.

A truly beautiful Ohio state park. It is 260+ acres and backs up to another park- the John Bryan…read morePark. You can take trails between both parks - so you can hike for miles! The little Miami river runs through it. We hiked a loop. Starting by at the North Rim trail by the nature center and taking it to its end, which actually is in the John Bryan state park. We then looped over to the John Rich trail and hiked back. The total hike approximately 4.3 miles. But of course, there are multiple trails and options for length of hike. What made this hike absolutely beautiful was the deep gorge and valley into the river. The northern rim is on top of the gorge and the John Rich trail follows at the base of the gorge alongthe river. There are stunning views from the top of the gorge looking down, as well as numerous places with bolts for rock climbing. It is heavily wooded and provides for nice shade in the warm weather months. Along the lower trail you can experience river up close. The views are stunning. We saw a large Great Blue Heron on the bank looking eagerly for its next meal. The heavily wooded area provides for a wealth of plant life including beautiful ferns and in the sunny spots, wildflowers. There are picnic areas located along the trails as well as benches and overlooks. There are no entrance fees.