Really nice park in metro Detroit - there's something for everyone here. In the front, there's…read moreplenty of play structures/areas for kids of all ages. There's also a covered pavilion and lots of benches/picnic tables throughout. Dogs are allowed on leashes so you can include the whole family - even the fur baby. There is also a nice pond and water feature to walk around, and nature trails in the back. They have some fun lawn games to play near the pond too. One trail has a bridge that connects all the way to the green space on the other side of the Clinton River. My personal favorite is the pond with turtles that you can find lounging on logs on sunny days. There's even a kayak launch and other access points into the Clinton River. Tons of wildlife to view - we've seen plenty of deer, chipmunks, squirrels, turtles and cool birds. There is on-site paid parking (and free overflow across the street) but otherwise the park is free, which is really nice. I always see workers riding around in a golf cart emptying trash, making sure the park is clean. They even have bathrooms and a kona ice truck that I've seen on weekends. What more could you want?

Yes the city did a nice job on the design. But charging for parking at a public park? or forcing…read morepeople with little kids to cross a busy road with no traffic/Hawk lights? I was there tonight - the place was overgrown with weeds, restrooms overflowing with trash, and no soap. Come on Rochester Hills, has your ego gotten to you? For the ridiculous taxes your residents already pay, you can do better!

Bloomer Park is an excellent place for hiking and mountain biking. It's has technical mountain bike…read moretrails as well as moderate and casual. These levels are the same for hiking, so you can get a great workout regardless of experience level. There are multiple wood staircases of varying lengths, so it's great for stair climbing exercise. I've been coming here on/off for several years and have never had a bad experience. I've gone to other state parks where I've gotten swarmed by a lot of bugs, but for whatever reason, not at Bloomer. It's also great that it's located next to downtown Rochester, so food and drink after a casual stroll is accessible. I highly recommend Bloomer Park for hiking and biking activities.

My family and I went to Bloomer Park for their recent, Fossils and Riverside Campfire event (cost…read morewas $10 per person). We had a great time. It was our first visit to this city park, and I was happy to see it was nicely maintained. We only stayed and hiked through a small section of the park, but it was very clean, bathrooms were available, there was a playground for kids, small grills in sections, bike repair areas could be found, and the trails had been recently upkept. The paths we followed were simple and good for families, although I would not recommend dragging a wagon or anything like that with you. There were easy to hike sections, as well as smaller, more off-road trails perfect for those that enjoy mountain biking. There was plenty of wildlife around to view, wooden bridges for crossing streams and marshy areas, and beautiful areas to relax near the Clinton River. It was honestly a great outing, and we'll definitely be back.

There's a little something for everyone here!…read more The playground is rated for 2-12 year olds, which is a huge range but helpful because I had a 2 year old with me today! I helped a friend get married here years ago and it was so special, intimate, and so easy! The fireplaces can really keep it warm during colder weather. The bees were bothersome today though, so that's as annoying. The trails are great! It's so peaceful despite being right next to M-59. Basketball courts, bike racks, bathrooms (I think they are locked in the winter though)

I ran across this little gem of a park quite by accident. Situated on 25 acres along Squirrel Road…read morenear the M-59 expressway, this park is a nice break from the hustle and bustle of life. I took a walk along the paved trail that crosses the Clinton River. The crisp autumn air was refreshing as I stood on the bridge and watched the river meander by. Further down the trail, I ventured out into a small grassy meadow. The oak trees displayed a wonderful pallette of crimson, yellow and orange foliage, much to the delight of passers-by. I didn't take the opportunity to venture along the other trails, but rest assured, I promise to next time.

Right in the heart of downtown Rochester, and with free parking to boot! They do a really nice job…read morehere - the park is always clean and kept up. There are multiple playgrounds, restrooms, tennis courts, a concert stage, pavilion, pond + paint creek running through, and connection to the paint creek trail in the back. The paint creek trail is especially popular and good for bikers. There are picnic tables and benches galore, many of which are situated overlooking the creek. They allow dogs on leashes, and mine loves swimming after the ducks here. I have not been to any events here recently, but I've heard they have Thursday night concerts in the summer and a big apples & arts festival in the fall. This park is definitely a community staple.

This is probably one of my absolute favorite parks! It's so large and winding, there are so many…read morepathways and things you can do here, and best of all, you can access it to and from downtown Rochester! I first started going to this park back when Pokemon Go came out all those years ago. I had no idea what this park was all about until that first day I was playing Pokemon Go and just kept following the path on the game's map and then suddenly I looked up and realized I had walked through all of the park and into downtown...all a stone's throw away from my apartment! That started my long-term love affair with this park. I have so many fond memories in here catching Pokemon, but also coming back here with friends and with my dog for walks, playing on the play structures, glancing at the tennis courts and wondering if I should play a bit, hammocking because there are so many great hammocking trees scattered throughout the park, shopping through ARTS & APPLES, ones of the greatest festivals in metro Detroit, and so much more. This park has something for everyone and is also very accessible right off of Paint Creek Trail as well. Parking around here can be interesting, but now that I no longer live at the apartments directly across the street from this park, I find that parking at the Rochester Hills Public Library in downtown Rochester is my favorite option. There is a path that leads all the way behind the library, along the creek, to Paint Creek Trail, with an offshoot to the Rochester Municipal Park, all just a 5 minute walk from the library! This is truly a wonderful park, for fun with your friends, family, and furry ones, in all four Michigan seasons, and I'll never stop enjoying it! :)

I absolutely adore Heritage gardens, they do a fantastic job with the upkeep, very beautiful. It is…read moreadmittedly a smaller park, but none the less enjoyable, and leashed pet friendly. The main walking path is probably around 1/3 of a mile, so a quick walk; but there are a few trails that branch off, leading to a children's play area, courts, or nearby municipal buildings. There are many benches available to sit and enjoy the scenery, or watch the ducks; the lake has multiple fountains, and 3 different docks to enjoy. A stunning park for photo opportunities as well, and they hold a lot of community events, which is a big plus in my book. Definitely recommend checking it out if you get the chance.

The best park ever. the lake is beautiful. such a lovely place for a stroll. very safe and a…read moreperfect spot to take pictures!

This is the best park in my locality.I go there so many times that I never had a thouvht to add a…read morereview here until I heard from my friend not knowing about this beautiful area. Recently this park hosted Heritage festival with so many cars parked that were made from ancient years like 1935. Apart from autos they had booth for astronomy club which was my fav. This park connects to paint creek trailand clinton river trail. If u keep walki g on the trail, you reach to downtown right beside paint creek tavern. It also connects to Rochester public library. Fav part of this park is fountain, river creek, so many benches to sit upon and a tennis court near by. I love this place, when I invited one of my friend who lives 40 mims away, she loved it too and endedup coming here again with her husband. This park is awesome for photography shoot as well in fall season. I have fond memory of photoshoot of my friend with baby bump.. I highly recommend this place to stop by for evening walks

Great park that is walking distance to restaurants and shops in Downtown Rochester. Walk the…read moretrails, check out what's wading in Paint Creek River, bring your kid to one of their playgrounds, have a party at a covered pavilion, or attend one of their popular events. My favorite is the Arts and Apple festival in the Fall. Enjoy the beauty this park has to offer year-round!

I have had TreeRunner on my must visit list for years now. Finally the time has come. My 11 yrs old…read moreson and I went. Prices are very reasonable. There are activities galore at the destination. We have chose 2 hour climbing park. I have called at first with few questions all of which were answered. My suggestions before going would as follows: - to fill out waiver beforehand (it expedites the entry process). - to bring your own gloves (garden, batting or even weightlifting kind would all be appropriate), otherwise you purchase at the check in desk. - wear appropriate shoes, gripped even better (we are visiting from Florida and I only had fashion tennis shoes which I do not recommend). - bring your own water bottle (it can be safely set anywhere around the park). There are drinks for purchase though such as water, Poppi, Gatorade and Celsius to name a few. - there are 9 courses total, 3 of which are for 5 years old and over. Due to time constraints if you want a challenge, start with the hardest. My son and I finished 4 and we did the opposite. By the end I was taking numerous breaks and was wiped out. I felt as if I'm missing out on the hard courses. - consider wearing pants/shorts with zippers. I wore bikers shorts with side pockets and had my phone and keys in them. At the very first course, I noticed my keys were gone. The staff were incredibly helpful. They found them before I came down from the course and safely stored them for me. I compliment the staff and appreciate their attentiveness! I will be returning with all of my kids (ages 14, 11, 5 and 3) next summer when we visit Michigan!

The staff was fabulous and very helpful. The course was fun and challenging. We enjoyed this a…read morebunch for our first time zip lining. Thank you all !!

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!

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!

Thelma G. Spencer Park is a really pretty park with a beautiful lake, sandy beach, and plenty of…read moregreen space to enjoy. It's a nice spot to take a walk, relax by the water, have a picnic, or spend a summer afternoon swimming or renting a kayak. There's a lot to do, but it also feels like a great place to slow down and enjoy the scenery. The park caught my eye while I was exploring and driving around Rochester Hills. I thought it would be a nice place to stop and stretch my legs and enjoy some fresh air, and it was. Note that a vehicle entry or parking permit is required during peak seasons, though walking or biking into the park is free. Definitely worth a visit if you're in the area!

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!