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.

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!

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! :)

If you are looking for one of the most peaceful escapes with a touch of nature right in Sterling…read moreHeights, Clinton River North Park delivers exactly that. I visited this park recently for a relax solo moment and for a afternoon walk I also found myself excited by how much I truly enjoyed it. The walking trails are well-maintained and also run alongside water, offering a beautiful view especially in the early evening. You'll find a walking, jogging, and even a relaxed bike ride. The natural landscape provides tons of photo-worthy spots. Number one thing is don't expect a playground or bathrooms at the entrance. it's clearly designed for people who enjoy quiet outdoor times. Me personally, my favorite part is for sure the serenity. It does not feel loud or crowded, it's a great place to clear your head, even journal, or enjoy some solo time. I would say one small area that can use some improvement could be better trail entrances, especially for first time visitors. I do recommended Clinton River North Park for a great park attraction, it's calm atmosphere and natural beauty. I truly believe it's worth visiting.

It's a long bumpy ride into this park but it connects to lots of trails, the kayak ramp, a…read moreplayground and around the corner is the nature center. This is a great place to go to unwind or spend the day in the park alone or with family.

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!

clean, spacious, has a trail you can walk along, teaches kids the importance of what to do when…read morethere's a fire. it's a good place to bring your kids out on a sunny/warm day. always a good experience here. i prefer this one than miller park but milled park has a way bigger field and basketball court. my kids love this one most!

My son's favorite park! He loves playing in the sand. The park is clean and we love that there are…read morebathrooms right there!

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.