Geauga County Metroparks are just a portion of the beautiful Ohio parks. There are 27 parks in…read moreGeauga County, Observatory Park was a new one for us as we venture out and cross them off our list. We attended an awesome event (registration was required, but about 20 additional people joined) where we learned about exoplanets, how to spot them and how to help scientists locate them! I'm having a blast doing this still in my spare time (and more!) The park features a mile long replica trail of our solar system, perfect for a short family hike. Of course dogs are always welcome at the parks. There is a hill where people gather to watch the night sky on blankets, and I've seen events posted for Movies in the Park (next up is Encanto).

Having always lived in areas with high urban light pollution, I had never really seen the Milky Way…read morebefore and Observatory Park (one of the world's 55 International Dark Sky Parks) was an awesome place to have my first stargazing experience! We came on a perfectly cloudless night when the visibility was pretty close to optimal. They had two telescopes out for viewing Mars and the Orien Nebula, and we also managed to catch the ISS in orbit. Apparently there's a ~2mi astronomy trail that takes you to each of the "planets", with the distances from Earth being roughly to scale in walking distance. Got here well after sunset so it was too dark out to explore the trails but looking forward to checking them out if I'm back for the next meteor shower!

Coordinates N 41° 33.78 W 81° 8.607…read more This park is clean, very well designed and is definitely geared towards family's with children. I'm not from the area and I only came here once at the end of September, so this review could be a bit biased as when I visited the park, there were only a few people. For children, there is much to do. -Most impressive is the rope course which is seasonally operated. The one hour rope course session is free to Geauga County Residents but a $20 fee applies to non-Geauga residents. Unfortunately because I visited in the off season, I was not able to see the course in operation. From the looks of it, a variety of platforms are about 30 or-so-feet with a variety of different obstacles. Upon completion there is a 100ft long zip-line the brings you back down. - A one way only "pump track" is also located in the park and is free to use. For those who may not know, pumping is a technique used by mountain bikers to navigate without pedaling. The trail is 2,025 feet long. - There is a bouldering wall that is 12 feet high and plenty of surface area to try a navigate it completely around. There is also a smaller playground for smaller children that has a canoe sand box and a faux wood log tunnel. Two man made ponds are in the park and are stocked with fish, large mouth bass and Bluegill. A few platforms with benches are located around the ponds. There are 3 trails at this park. There is the White Tail Trail which is of asphalt and is 0.6 miles long, great for those with strollers or wheelchairs. The Drake Trail is 0.5 miles long and is made up of gravel. The Tree Trapper Trail is 1.1 miles long and is made up of gravel. There is a lodge that can be reserved in advanced for private events. It has wifi, Max capacity for 99 people. Eight conference-sized tables with seating for 64 (dining chairs with backs), three high-top/serving tables with seating for 12 (stools, no backs), and two lounge chairs with a coffee table in front of the fireplace. Restrooms are also available with water, refrigerator, microwave, coffee maker, sink and ample counter space with outlets. Although there is no cooking inside, a grill is located right behind the Lodge. I think the reservation pricing may vary but a quick look on the website has the following prices on their reservation page; Out-of-County Fee: $90.00-Geauga County Resident Fee:$55.00- Seasonal Surcharge: $ 10.00. All in all I am fairly impressed with this family orientated park.

Beautiful park to walk around in and explore. It's super peaceful, so it's good to take your mind…read moreoff of things. I enjoy this park a lot.

Hidden Lake was a great experience with the kids, but the best experience of the summer was staying…read moreat #unclesamstroutfishing In Leroy/ Madison winery area. The fishing was non stop fish on for the kids, but the most exciting part for them was staying at the cabin at Uncle Sam's trout fishing.

Beautiful park with wide walking trails. Trails range from deep in the woods, around the lake, and…read moregrassland. Trails are natural, yet well maintained. The park includes, many picnic areas around the lake, archery, fishing, camping, canoe and kayak, and a reservable shelter.

Beautiful Oarks, but the best experience was an unexpected fishing trip and stay at a rustic cabin…read moreat # Unclesamstroutfushing. The boys caught over twenty fish over two hours but lived spending the night at Uncke Sam's trout camp cabin.

The entire Lake Metropark system is something all residents should experience! Each park is unique…read morein it's own way. And now, they have added camping to their parks! Varying locations, one campsite each location (except Lake Erie Bluffs, they have 2 sites a good distance from each other. We've been to two sites already and going to a third this weekend. Metroparks has lots of cheap and free programs for all ages and abilities. Really a class act.

So pretty. Especially in summer when the pond in the flower section is in full bloom.read more

This park was well rated with a perfect prior to my tour at Castle Noel. …read more Summit Metro Parks; were clean, scenic and well maintained . Trail markers , paved trails, even a bi monthly quaterly magazine, listing all sorts of events. This was my first visit to an Ohio park to explore, and will defintly check out other locations in the near future. The vistor center staff were friendly ; the center itself was marvelous with variety of things to explore,the tree exhibit, the bird feeding area, kids area , turtles and the akorn gift shop. The gift shop shaped in a Maple leaf, in my opinion was genuis , simple addition to center for kids and nature lovers. Fall will be approaching soon; be sure to hike and enjoy the beauty of nature with exercise and fresh air.

Had such a nice time camping here! I liked how many trees…read morethere were, they provided plenty of shade and places to put up hammocks. The toilets at the campsite were cleaned out every morning we were there. It also felt safe, it gave a sense of being more remote because of the tree density, but not so much that I was worried about anything. The lake is beautiful, they had kayaking available which was fun! No swimming in the lake though. But there were plenty of of other campers who were out fishing at the lake. I would definitely recommend camping here! I wish we could have checked out more of the trails around. Overall rating: 5/5 stars

Company picnic.... my dh had his company picnic at this park. I am not sure what happened but we…read moredidn't get to use the canoe's because the office was closed up. Which was kind of a bummer because I wanted to try it. Overall the cabin that we had our picnic in was clean and well kept. This place is great for fishing, hiking and canoeing. It looks like you are able to rent the canoes to go fishing on the lake or bring your own. The boathouse wasn't open to find out any more info on this campsite but I would recommend taking a look at it.

we bought a pass this year and used it once. Water was unbelievably dirty, I wouldn't let my…read moregranddaughter put her face in the water. The lifeguards were not even in the water. The few adults in the water were only standing, no one was swimming. . The only dock was broken so no diving board. We tried twice to buy from contains no one ever answered the bell. Not worth the price of admission.

The managers of this park are so incredibly friendly and kind. They are very helpful and…read moreaccommodating. The lake has everything a family would need to have a fun day in the water! Not sure about the campgrounds themselves; seems to have a lot of year round campsites.

I love it, it's a great place to be for the parents to relax and kids to play!read more

Not bad for being 10 minutes from home. Best for ages 2-8 but big enough for us big kids too! Nice…read moreplace to stop for the youngins to expel all that extra energy :o)

So much fun to feed the fish and the birds! And the bread was only $1.00 for a loaf, which still…read morewent quickly with all the competition to grab each piece. The staff member at the store there was also very nice.

If you're looking for a classy, peaceful nature outing turn back now. But if you want to witness an…read moreabsolutely chaotic aquatic circus fueled by stale carbs and bad decisions, welcome to the Pymatuning Spillway. First of all, BYOB here doesn't mean Bring Your Own Booze. Bring Your Own Bread. White bread. Wheat bread. That one bun that's been in your freezer since 2019. Heck, I saw a guy chucking chunks of fruitcake like he was loading a t-shirt cannon. The fish don't care. The ducks don't care. You might care... until the feeding frenzy begins. The moment the bread hits the water, it's like Shark Week met a Black Friday sale at Walmart. Giant carp--literal underwater linebackers--erupt from the depths like they haven't seen a carb since the Reagan administration. And on top of that? Ducks just walking on them. Not swimming. Not paddling. Walking. On. The. Fish. Like Jesus on water if He were a mallard with zero manners. Kids scream. Parents laugh. One guy had a bag of Wonder Bread in a baby carrier like it was an heirloom. I'm pretty sure a seagull mugged someone for a slice of rye. There's no such thing as dignity here--just breadcrumbs and mayhem. Pro Tips: * Don't wear nice shoes. The bread goo gets everywhere. * Hold your bread tight unless you want to be mugged by a gang of pigeons with nothing to lose. * Bring extra, because once you start--you won't want to stop. It's that addictive. The Pymatuning Spillway is a beautiful mess. A masterpiece of Midwest chaos. A place where nature, gluttony, and old bakery products collide. 10/10, will return with Costco-sized loaves.

Beautiful park right on the lake. My kids and I loved this park. It had a nice path to walk down to…read morethe beach. The beach has lots of rocks and driftwood for the kids to explore. The path also leads to an observation tower that is high enough to see above the trees and into the water. There are several parking sections and a bathroom that was clean.

Beautiful place to hike, relax, and exercise. This is a well maintained ground with workers that…read moreare diligent and respectful of patrons. On trails I've seen birds of all different colors, eagle, deer, rabbits, fox, snakes, toads, butterflies, and owls. All wildlife seen are amazing! The trails are gravel and well maintained. There are two ways to access the beach and you are able to walk the length of it, swim, sit ect. Two Rentable campsites and 1 rentable pavilion with heat, water and bathrooms. There is also a separate restroom near the lookout tower. Trails I break down to four. A more open air one that can get hot if walking in the summer. A wooded one that is sheltered by trees, keeping you cooler. The beach trail and a smaller grass trail where you are likely to see butterflies and deer.