9 Great Ohio Metroparks to Visit This Fall

North Chagrin Reservation | Cleveland Metropark
Ask any northeast Ohioan to make a shortlist of their favorite sites across the Cleveland Metroparks system’s 18 reservations, and Squire’s Castle will likely be on it. The stone structure looks as if it were dropped from a fairy tale, but its existence is owed to the region’s industrial past. Standard Oil Co. Vice President Feargus B. Squire commissioned the structure to be built in the 1890s as part of a 525-acre residential estate that was never completed. Despite his grand plans, Squire ended up selling the property to a private developer in 1922. The Metropolitan Park Board purchased it three years later. 2844 River Rd., Willoughby Hills 44094, clevelandmetroparks.com

Fall color at Cox Arboretum MetroPark in Dayton (photo by Matthew Kirby)

Cox Arboretum MetroPark | Five Rivers MetroParks
The land that would eventually become Cox Arboretum MetroPark was just a peaceful farm when James M. Cox Jr. purchased it in 1952. A quaint house deep in the woods served as a weekend hideaway for him and his wife, Helen. They named the property Spring Running. A decade later, Cox signed over the land to the newly created James M. Cox Jr. Arboretum Foundation. Today, the beautifully cared-for gardens and natural areas are managed in a public-private partnership with Dayton’s Five Rivers MetroParks. In addition to a variety of specialty gardens and an educational center, the 65-foot-tall, 81-step Tree Tower provides panoramic views of the Miami Valley and is tucked among a collection of conifers at the arboretum. 6733 Springboro Pike, Dayton 45449, metroparks.org

Left: fall color at Manhattan Marsh Preserve Metropark in Toledo, right: Suspension Bridge in Mill Creek Metro Parks in Youngstown (photos by Doug Hinebaugh and Summer Dawne)

Manhattan Marsh Preserve Metropark | Metroparks Toledo
Toledo was once known as Frogtown due to the chirping songs of the frogs and toads that inhabited the region’s once-swampy landscape. A large marsh once surrounded Toledo’s Maumee Bay, and Manhattan Marsh Preserve Metropark is one of its last remnants. The park opened in 2020 after years of local efforts to permanently protect the marsh. The preserve has a 1.3-mile trail with nearly 1,500 feet of concrete “boardwalk,” where visitors can listen for the sounds of the frogs and toads that reside here today. Birds are the big draw at Manhattan Marsh, though. Dozens of species use the area as a pit stop during spring and fall migration. 510 Clifford St., Toledo 43611, metroparkstoledo.com

Mill Creek Park | Mill Creek MetroParks
The silver suspension bridge that many locals call the “Cinderella” or “Castle” bridge is a favorite landmark within the Mill Creek MetroParks system. Volney Rogers, a prominent Youngstown lawyer, established Mill Creek Park, where the bridge is located, in 1891. Rogers wanted the park to have grand, fanciful entrances, so in 1895 Charles Fowler of the Youngstown Bridge Co. designed the ornate span that connects the east and west sides of Mill Creek Park. The suspension bridge is famous for its intricate arches and enchanting spires that led to its list of magical nicknames over the years. The bridge is located along Valley Drive and can be traversed on foot or by car. Valley Drive, Youngstown 44511, millcreekmetroparks.org 

Left: fall color at Rentschler Forest MetroPark in Hamilton, right: Portage Path Northern Terminus Sculpture in Summit County (photos by Rick Barge and Anthony Boarman)

Rentschler Forest MetroPark | MetroParks of Butler County
A series of private donations, a state land transfer and a foundation-assisted acquisition expanded Rentschler Forest MetroPark from a little more than half an acre along the Great Miami River in 1962 to the 125 acres it spans today. The MetroParks of Butler County location offers kayak and canoe access for those who want to get out on the water and contains nearly 14 miles of paved and primitive trails. History buffs can see remnants of the Miami & Erie Canal within Rentschler Forest MetroPark and visit the stone lock-tender’s house, which dates to 1846 and was acquired as part of a nearly 2-acre addition to the park in 1969. 5701 Reigart Rd., Hamilton 45011, yourmetroparks.net

Portage Path Terminus Sculptures | Summit Metro Parks
Although Seneca-Onondaga artist Peter Jones’ pair of statues marking the northern and southern ends of the Portage Path are not located within the boundaries of Summit Metro Parks’ 16 parks, the system is a keeper of the historic route’s story. Indigenous people who traveled through the region used the 8-mile Portage Path to carry their canoes between the Cuyahoga and Tuscarawas Rivers. Those looking to explore where Portage Path history intersects with the Summit Metro Parks system can start at the Big Bend Trailhead along the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail. (The park system manages 22 miles of the trail in Summit County.) This statue at the northern terminus of the Portage Path is just a 1-mile walk north from the trailhead. 1337 Merriman Rd., Akron 44313, summitmetroparks.org

People kayaking at Miami Whitewater Forest in Hamilton County (photo courtesy of Great Parks of Hamilton County)

Miami Whitewater Forest | Great Parks of Hamilton County
Miami Whitewater Forest spans nearly 4,700 acres and is the largest park in the Great Parks of Hamilton County system. The White Water Shaker Village began forming in 1823 and lasted until 1916. Today, Miami Whitewater Forest encompasses about 600 acres that once belonged to the Shakers, including the surviving 8-acre North Family complex. Miami Whitewater Forest also has an 85-acre lake that offers fishing and boating access, with rentals ranging from kayaks and paddleboards to pedal boats and mini pontoons. Visitors may also carry their own canoe or kayak  to designated launch areas, including an accessible floating canoe-and-kayak launch. Harbor address: 9001 Mount Hope Rd., Harrison 45030, greatparks.org

Waterfall at Quarry Trails Metro Park in Columbus (photo by Arthur O’Leary)

Quarry Trails Metro Park | Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks
Marble Cliff Quarry was once the largest contiguous quarry in the United States. For more than a century, the quarry provided limestone for projects throughout central Ohio, including the construction of the Ohio Statehouse. Eventually, the area was abandoned, only to get a new life in 2021 as the 20th location in the Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks system. Today, Quarry Trails Metro Park has become a recreation destination with a guided cabled climbing route, a designated sport climbing area with six routes, a mountain biking trail and miles of paved hiking trails. The scenic 25-foot waterfall can be found after ascending stairs near the start of the Millikin Falls Trail, which ends at the Truss Bridge. 2158 Old Dublin Rd., Columbus 43228, metroparks.net

Fall color at Lake Erie Bluffs in Perry (photo by Doyt Cox)

Lake Erie Bluffs Metropark | Lake Metroparks
This park in Lake County’s Perry Township hugs nearly 9,000 feet of Lake Erie shoreline. It also has a 50-foot coastal observation tower that offers stellar views to those who climb to the top, particularly as fall arrives. In 2012, the Trust for Public Land protected 139 acres for the park. Today, the 670-acre property spans wetlands, meadows, a natural sand-and-cobble beach, and 40-foot-high bluffs. There are also more than 3 miles of trails with stunning scenic overlooks and two beach access points. Those who want to stay longer can book one of the two primitive campsites that are available by reservation. Pitch your tent along the bluff and fall asleep to the crashing Lake Erie waves breaking below. 2901 Clark Rd. & 3301 Lane Rd., Perry Twp. 44081, lakemetroparks.com

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