My quick visit and short hike on the Oak Ridge Trail was excellent and left me wanting to see more…read moreof this park. There are multiple wooded hiking trails in addition to the paved trail.

Great trails and activities. Beware of ticks. Even at the…read morepicnic tables by the parking lot, I had ticks crawling on me. I usually do the loop around the grassy area, but there are trails that goes through the woods too.

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.

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.

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.

One of our favorite hiking locations. The trail is long enough for a good workout and scenery…read morevaried enough to enjoy it.

This is a nice park to go for a walk on that's conveniently located close to my parents house…read more We've come here a couple of times. The trails are probably only a couple miles or less total. We usually take the path through the seven ponds that's across the street from the parking lot. You start on a path through the woods and then it meanders through the ponds to loop back. We usually take the short trail from the parking lot to the eagle's nest lookout. We saw the eagle's nest on our most recent trip but no eagles. It's a short and flat walk that would be good for all ages. It was a little muddy last time but not too bad. Check it out if you're in the area and looking to get outside!

Who doesn't LOVE the Metroparks and the Zoo?? One of those…read more AWESOME little jems that if you don't know.... YOU DON'T KNOW!!!!! I live literally 9 blocks from the Zoo and STUPID close to the Metorparks so they get alot of my attention! (As they should as they're SO awesome!!!) Are you a Clevelander? Are you a closet tree hugger? Do you like the smell of nature(Not that kind!) Then find yourself to the Zoo or a FANTASTIC bike trail.... Yes you can thank me when you do.... HUGS!!!!

Came during March I know half the animals are not outside they are hibernating or sleeping a lot…read morebut saw a good amount of animals, the food and drink prices are outrageous

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.

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.

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.

Pine Lane Trailhead sits just off Route 303 east of Peninsula. The small parking lot used to have…read morea bathroom, but that has been shut down a year ago. From the trailhead there are a number of options since the Buckeye Trail and the Valley Bridal Trail intersect at the parking lot. There is a small notice board with a local map and any relevant notices. Most people head North out of the lot. The Buckeye Trail rambles up and down and back and forth with a more moderate grade for most of it. You can follow the Buckeye Trail about 5 miles to Boston where you can return on the Towpath Trail. Going the other direction on the Buckeye Trail you will follow an abandoned road west that will take you to Peninsula, this is a somewhat boring portion of the trail, just a long straight downhill on a decaying pavement. The Bridal Trail is a more challenging trail for the first mile and a half at which point it becomes much straighter and more level until you get near Boston Mills Road at which point it heads west along the side of the Turnpike until you get to the Towpath Trail; this is a rather ugly hike and can be very exposed to the sun on a hot day. Going south on the Bridal Trail you cross 303 and follow the trail for a bit until it turns into a forest road that will take you all the way to S. Locust Road south of Peninsula. There is also a side trail off of the Buckeye Trail just after you have crossed the creek which follows the creek for a while, crosses a log bridge and then connects to the abandoned portion of Akron Peninsula Road that ends at the lumbar yard at the north end of Peninsula; this allows you to put together interesting loops using the towpath trail. From Pine Lane Trailhead you can put together several different loops ranging from a couple of miles to about 8 miles. Most of the trails have some nice climbs and descents including some really challenging parts on the Bridal Trail. You will stay mainly in the woods, although there are a number of different types of forests. These loops provide some very nice hiking and usually there are not a lot of people on the trails. The only real downside of these hikes is that there are a few portions with quite a bit of traffic noise, especially when you get close to the turnpike. Overall a good place to get out and enjoy the National Park. I have done these routes in various seasons and you do need to consider avoiding the Bridal Trail from north of Pine Lane until you cross the stream after it has been raining as this trail can be very muddy.

It's been a while since I hiked a great trail in the Cleveland area or Ohio in general. My wife…read moreabsolutely loves this trail when she gets the opportunity to come back home. Easy access from the road with a fair amount of parking. We followed the Buckeye Trail from start to finish and it took about 2 hours to complete. Great condition for mid November. You'll traverse some lakes and various elevations throughout the hike. Didn't observe much wildlife or even horses on the trail but encounters with very friendly people that love casually coming here nearby. Solid trail, clean restrooms too!