This is a nice park overall. You can get your daily steps in, or you can reserve a field for football/soccer if you'd like. I'm not exactly sure how to do it, but I know it can be done. I'll take pictures next time I go to the park. read more

A really nice park to take your dog for a walk on the trails. It is very clean and well maintained. It is very pet, child, and sports enthusiast friendly with a large playground, walking trails, and football, soccer, and baseball fields. read more

In 1995, the Gaston County officials put together a 20-acre passive park, and the adjoining 34 acres that was originally planned as a school, to be built as a youth sports complex. Additional adjacent properties were acquired to bring the park to a total of nearly 58 acres. Named Martha Rivers Park after the daughter of the original landowner, construction took place between 1997 and 2001. Four lighted soccer/football fields, three lighted baseball field, one lighted softball field (the fence is closer in), batting cages, walking trails, picnic shelters, sand volleyball court, horseshoe courts and a permanent building with restrooms. The one-acre playground is pretty amazing with multiple levels and structures that will let the imagination loose including a fort, ship and a racecar. All of this with a rubberized surface. Great park, lots of activities, a bunch of parking. [Review 12618 overall, 2410 of 2019.] read more

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Excellent and well maintained with lots to do for all ages. Come for a game, stay for a picnic, go for a walk.

This park has all kinds of amenities. There are walking trails for people and dogs, All kinds of sports field for games. The crown jewel is the kids playground, It is just amazing and probably the best in the area. We took our grand daughter here a few times and she just loves it. It can get quite crowded on nice days. read more

I wish I had come to this park sooner. It is beautiful!!! There's a lovely play area for kids. Why can't adults play in there? I admit that I have been tempted! They have two book stations on opposite sides of the park, one has plenty while the other is bare. There are atleast 2 covered shelters and a couple of benches with grills. And yes it does have bathrooms which are pretty clean! It's beautiful in all weather btw. The pics I've added are from winter! read more

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My family has always had a great time here. There are plenty of well-maintained picnic shelters (available for rent). There are bathrooms that have always been clean when I've gone. There is a playground that had one entrance and is a bit maze-like to help little ones from wandering away. There are walking trails and baseball fields. There are also natural shady spots with mini woods scattered throughout the park. I highly recommend this park for a day out. read more

I discovered this park would be on our route to vacation so we decided to swing by for a break from traveling. We only visited the castle playground and it is so amazing and has so much to offer we played for an hour! Great entertainment for my 5 & 8 year olds and fun for us adults too. read more

Martha Rivers Park - Castle playground - Parks Near Me - Gastonia, North Carolina

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Attended a soccer game. Was very impressed how clean, groomed and inviting the park is. A wonderful playground climbing area for younger kids (maybe toddlers to 8 or so. Sand area for digging and lots of paved stroller and walking paths. Very nice park!! Kudos! read more

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Great, great park. Tons of swings, plenty of apparatuses for kids to play on and the mulch seemed pretty thick. Around the park are multiple baseball fields, football/soccer fields and other sporting events occurring. These events brought a lot of kids to the area to play and that is great considering it is a park. We will be back. read more

I used to work at this park in several different positions for many years in the past & I lived in the neighborhood across the street, so needless to say, I know my way around this park. Martha Rivers is one of the newer parks in Gaston County & has great amenities & set up. Starting with baseball, there are 4 fields, set up in a circle, with a concession stand & press box in the middle. This is the absolute best set up for baseball fields as you can easily move to watch games from one field to the next. There are also 4 soccer fields with lights, so the kiddies can play evening games during the week after school. For those not at the park for catching a rec league baseball or soccer game, there are 2 picnic shelters with horseshoe pits & grills for all your family cookout needs. You have to rent these in advance, but can still use them if no one else is there. If you're a walker or runner, then this is the park for you. They have walking trails throughout the park, surrounding both the baseball & soccer fields. People love bringing their bikes, kids, or dogs out here for a leisurely stroll along these trails. And finally, if you have kids then the peak attraction for them will be the absolutely huge playground. It's a castle themed playground that's enclosed so you don't have to worry about the kiddies wandering out. They have plenty of things to keep your kids entertained within this playground & you may actually find yourself checking out some of the intriguing features. Martha Rivers Park is a great park, with plenty of different options for an enjoyable trip here without spending a dime. If you have kids or love walking though, then this park is a must check out. read more

Yo Martha! Why you gotta be so far from my house! This place is a fantasy land for a toddler. It has one of those huuuuuuuge castle-ish climbing, playing, hide-and-go-seeker's dream things. I remember playing in one of those as a kid, and it was fantastic, I could have spent HOURS there with my friends. This one is nice, relatively well maintained, and has shady benches for moms and dads to sit on while the kiddies frolic. There is also a little sand pit thing for the wee ones to dig in at the entrance, as well as swings for big and small kids alike. If that wasn't enough, they have a bunch of huge soccer fields, picnic shelters, and a little paved walking trail that goes the whole way around the facility. This would be a great place to host a family reunion or a birthday party on a bright sunny day! BONUS: There's a Bruster's Ice Cream right next to the park :) read more

Nice place for kids to play at the castle and have a picnic. It has a restroom and walking trail. Great that the community put it together and it's free. read more

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The worst always getting hit by the ball. People knocking people over. People fighting and punching to dangerous for little ones.

The park isn't a bad place to walk the trails but the reason for the low rating is simply because that bathrooms smell like horrible urine and are uncleared. You think someone has the corona virus or a virus in general it's definitely festering inside of those bathrooms. The city should step in how nasty these restrooms are. read more

Just went there last Monday. And my children absolutely love that place. We're definitely coming back more often this summer. I highly suggest anyone to go visit. It's pretty fun and it's neat place. read more

The only park in Gastonia we really enjoy. It has a great playground, walking track, and picnic areas. It always seems pretty clean for a public park. It does get crowded when baseball, or soccer games are played but other than that there is ample parking. read more

I am so in love with this park! It's absolutely beautiful. Love the walking trail it goes around the park. Everytime I go running or walking there is a soccer game or a baseball game going on ! This is a family friendly park and pet friendly park. I live in Charlotte and i don't mind to drive down to this park with my family because we love it so much read more

Park itself is great for the kids but it was awful because they have a case of yellow jacket bees swarming everywhere. The garbage cans were bad with them, the seating had them swamping around and the area where everyone set up tents and chairs had problems. You couldn't even go to get drinks because they were all over that area also. I talked to the person working the area and was very disappointed with his careless attitude about the yellow jackets. People could die from these stings and there were a lot of small children at the park with baseball tournaments going on Sat. and Sunday. read more