Finally had the opportunity to come here with a few of my friends while on vacation. For a while…read moregetting here, I thought I was in the wrong area but I assure you, the GPS takes you to the right place. This place is quiet and peaceful! There's a great deal of trails and rivers. Most of which I didn't have time to fully discover but everything here is well maintained! Thankfully not alot of people come here but this place also features an outhouse and a grill. Definitely reccomend coming here!

This place is gorgeous. It's a photographer's go-to. Hikers love it, too. It's pristine and…read morewell-kept. Miles of hiking and gorgeous scenery. There are several falls that are beautiful. Watch out for the stairs--there are a lot! From anywhere in NE Ohio, it's not a far drive, and so worth it.

Hidden gem This is…read morethe coolest park for pictures in the area. A great little hike down and you are at the river. The large rocks are perfect for taking pictures. There is a picnic area and some bathrooms but the bathrooms are very old. I remember coming to this park as a kid and being my kids as well.

A nice park. A lovely and secluded oasis of nature. Great for walks…read more A church friend invited me to a picnic with her and her family after church one Sunday in September 2025. I don't think this is a great park for picnics because upon entry, I only saw one picnic table with benches so other people will have to sit on the ground if the table is occupied. Sitting on the ground is fine but it may not be convenient for some people. This park is a good option for walking or taking a mini hike with friends and family. There is a rocky area with some water that is cool to see as it is a mini waterfall. Bring sturdy shoes and a water bottle. Overall, I had fun at David Fortier River Park. It seems to be a hidden gem unless you live in the area. **** GOAL of 250 reviews in 2026 - 187/250 total reviews in 2026 - 1028 total Yelp reviews - Reviewed on 11 September 2026

Facility and grounds are nice and taken care of but another park where leash rules aren't enforced…read morelike all the other metro parks (Geauga and Cleveland too). Every time I'm here with my dog we always get at least one random dog running up causing issues. Some times it's one, sometimes it 10+ (there's a group of older people that group hike here regularly with their dogs and they're all off leash). I know rangers can't be everywhere but I don't ever see them anywhere. It's obvious that nobody is worried about getting caught cause it happens at everyone of the Metro Parks in the area.

Penitentiary Glen is such a fantastic park for children and adults alike. I love the outdoor…read moreplayground, indoor nature center, animal rehabilitation area (Sassifras the fox is one of our favorites to visit), and the trails are amazing! This is one of our top places to visit on the east side of Cleveland whenever we are meeting up with other families!

Lucky to have access to a great park system. Even in the winter months, the access, paths, and…read morescenery are great. Always wildlife to observe. Clean facilities.

I visited Strawberry Picnic Area at North Chagrin Reservation over the weekend for a picnic. I have…read morebeen to this nature reservation multiple times, and always enjoy my experiences. It's one of my favorite local nature reserves. There are always a lot of groups in this area enjoying picnic tables and pavilion. The picnic area itself is well-kept and welcoming, with plenty of space to relax, enjoy a meal, or simply sit and take in nature. The meadow at the entrance has 2 convenient tables. The pavilion nestled more in the park has many picnic tables, grill, and fire place. It accommodates large parties. I have seen a lot of big groups have different holiday celebrations or just gather on a sunny day. What I enjoy the most is the space between picnic tables and inside the pavilion to offer privacy to various groups and a space to roam. The reservation also has a lot of great trails. They're far enough from the road to offer a serene experience. As I walked along the quiet paths and took in the scenic views around Strawberry Pond, I felt an immediate sense of calm. The sounds of birds calling and leaves rustling in the breeze added to the tranquil atmosphere. The bathrooms are conveniently available at the entrance. They are a little gross but available. The parking lot is pretty spacious. The picnic area is very easy to find, just follow the signage or your GPS. Whether you're walking the nearby trails or just lounging with family or friends, this place feels like a hidden gem. Overall, my time at Strawberry Picnic Area reminded me of the importance of reconnecting with nature and making space for simple, quiet moments. It's a place I'd return to in any season. I'll be back again in a few weeks.

A beautiful place with a lovely waterfall and stunning natural surroundings. It's the perfect spot…read moreto relax, refresh your body and mind, and enjoy the peaceful beauty of nature. Definitely worth visiting!

Once we found the waterfall at Viaduct Park, it was a short walk on a paved path down to the…read morewaterfall. We went through the small cave to get another view of it. The area was nice and well kept.

One of the best of the metroparks. They have paved trails, off trail paths, multiple waterfalls,…read morecreeks, streams, fire pits, pavilions w grills and Henry Church Rock.

This is a review of several trails in the reservation. Please see the many photos I uploaded that…read moredon't appear below but appear in the photos for this site. I started on the Buckeye Trail at SOM Center Rd and Hawthorne Parkway (the road was blocked there due to a downed tree). I followed the Buckeye trail to the Hatchet Ridge trail where I circled the Henry Church Rock Loop and headed back to my starting place along the Buckeye trail. It was about 4.5 mile loop The Buckeye Trail is some asphalt and some dirt and small rocks. It is easy to follow and well marked. It follows some of the BridleTrail which horses can trek. I saw many runners on this trail. It was mostly shaded and wide enough at points for three people to walk side by side. It was an easy trail. I saw people of all ages on this trail and families. The Hatchet trail and the portion of the Henry Church Rock trail that runs along the river is "somewhat dangerous" according to a gentleman probably in his 60's who stopped to give me directions. The trail is narrow (enough for people to pass each other) and a dirt path with some rocks and roots along the way. All under the shade of the trees. To get down to the river you have to descended several flights of stairs. See my attached pics for elevation rise and fall on the trail. There are several Emergency Location stations along the path so you can share your exact location to EMS in an. I saw lots of people walking along the river shores, wading through the water, swimming with their families, and even jumping from the top of the water fall. It looked like the kids and adults were having a blast in the water and exploring the area. It was a very warm day when I went and the Henry Church Rock area was busy with hikers and kids. The Buckeye trail was quiet. The area is busy with walkers, runners, hikers, families, and bicycles. It's fun and relaxing trail.

Walking the woodpecker loop 1.8 miles and it was beautiful. Water features, few places to sit and…read morerest, trash cans and a covered spot in case of rain. Ample bird watching opportunities. Saw blue jay, yellow finch, robins, etc. beautiful! Ample parking. Water fountains too.

If you walk or jog this is the place, and it's suitable for wheelchairs and scooters. The park is a…read moreformer golf course so the paths are along lots of trees and plants that were once the fairways. A cool memory of the course are the wooden steps leading up to the former first tee. Signs show the distances of the many paths. There is shade, but bring a water bottle. A few benches are along the way. Call to get a tour with a naturalist using golf cars! Along our walk we saw a baby mole scurrying along the grass. A Monarch caterpillar was on a milkweed plant, and the milkweeds are everywhere. Love trees? Lots of oak trees and others line the paths. Redwing blackbirds were chirping. In the mornings and evenings I've was told you can see a lot of deer. A shelter is available for group events. There are a few picnic tables under the trees. More tables are needed. Large parking area. Handicapped accessible.

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.

This is a fairly nice walking and cross ski park. It has several miles of courses that are marked…read moreas hiking, cross country skiing and some points of interest. The trails are mostly wooded. The only issue I have is that there are markings guying you back to the parking lot and they seem to never have printed maps. So make sure you take your phone and photograph the park map.

I am constantly on the hunt for local outdoor activities, and even though Ohio doesn't have…read moreColorado-esque terrain, there is still no reason to stay cooped up at the gym. Towner's Woods has some of the finest trails in the region, contained within a variety of environments. Near the park's entry, there is gorgeous Lake Pippin. Although water access isn't permitted because it is owned by the city of Akron (used for their water supply), some of the trails provide a scenic, somewhat hilly walk alongside it. The historic Hopewell burial mound (marked by an arrowhead on the map) is also near this entry portion of the park. The geography also includes flatter wetland terrain, a popular sledding hill, and a few ponds scattered throughout the woods. People use the park for trail running, dog walking (only on leash), and even cross country skiiing or snow shoeing in season. You could easily crank out 5-6 miles or more, if you were willing to retrace a few sections of the trail. All routes are well marked and maintained, and it would be hard to get lost in here for too long. Even on sunny weekends, I've been surprised at how sparsely populated the park is. Because of it's sprawling size, it's easy to have a very solitary experience. There are picnic pavilions and benches scattered around for warmer weather. Parking is plentiful just off the Ravenna Road entrance. There are also bathrooms in this area. If you're traveling on foot or by bike (bikes not permitted on the park's interior trails, though), you can get here via the Portage County Hike and Bike Trail. I hope you'll enjoy Towner's as much as I have. Whatever the season, it's an ideal place for a peaceful and active wander.

Once, Horseshoe Pond belonged to a man who built a fine home on its shores. Now, decades later, it…read morebelongs to me. Oh, and you, too. It belongs to everyone, now that it is a part of the Cuyahoga National Park. What a glorious setting: sitting high above the valley, above the quarries where the canal stones were hewn, nearly two centuries ago. Surrounded by trees, but with a few large, grassy areas carved out it is perfect for hiking, picnics, bird-watching, fishing. Barred owls sit in the pines, small-mouth bass and bluegill rise to a #18 Parachute Adams and a hiking trail connects you with the rest of the park. I can stand at the south-east edge, casting into the algae-covered waters, and imagine I am high in the Rockies, or perhaps at a private preserve in Scotland. Yet another fine and free benefit afforded by this, our great democracy.