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Metro Parks, Serving Summit County

The mission of Metro Parks, Serving Summit County is to acquire, conserve, and manage natural resources and to provide the public with safe, outdoor recreation and educational opportunities through a system of regional natural area parks. Metro Parks, Serving Summit County was formed in 1921 to serve the Akron and Summit County area. Metro Parks, Serving Summit County manages over 9,000 acres, including 12 developed parks, several large conservation areas, and 120 miles of trails throughout Summit County.

Parks managed by Metro Parks, Serving Summit County:

Gorge Metro Park
This 155-acre park is situated along a fairly clean, wild-appearing segment of the Cuyahoga River. From the Ohio Edison Dam on the river to the point where the river leaves Gorge Metropark as it flows under the high-level bridge between Akron and Cuyahoga Falls, nearly 30 species of fish can be found in the shale-bottomed river. Above the dam, a fishing dock allows park users to enjoy angling on the smooth lake created by the 65-foot tall dam that was built in the early 1900's. Hiking on the Glens Trail or the Gorge Trail will take you past thousands of years of geological history, with high walls of sharon conglomerate towering above the river. Although this park is hemmed in by residential areas and crossed by bridges, you will feel like you have stepped into an Appalachian valley before europeans ever set foot in such places. Visit the official Metro Parks, Serving Summit County website for more information about Gorge Metro Park

Cascade Valley Metro Park
Divided into three discinct areas, Cascade Valley Metro Park is a fabulous area to explore nature and history. From the floodplain forests and fields of the Chuckery area of the park, to the upland woods high above the Cuyahoga River in the Schumacher area (Northern Cascade Valley), or the historical structures and canal-era history of Cascade Locks, there is something to entertain, inform and delight everyone here. A perennial favorite stop is the Signal Tree near the Cuyahoga River in Cascade Valley. This 300 year old Burr oak is thought to have been shaped into its unique form by Native americans as a signal that they had reached the southernmost section of the river and should get out and carry their canoes the 8 miles to the Tuscarawus River. You can see the tree from the Chuckery Trail.

For more information, Visit the official Metro Parks, Serving Summit County website for more information about the northern portion of Cascade Valley Metro Park, Visit the official Metro Parks, Serving Summit County website for more information about the southern section of Cascade Valley Metro Park, and Visit the official Metro Parks, Serving Summit County website for more information about the Cascade Locks area

Silver Creek Metro Park
This park covers over 600 acres in the southwest corner of Summit County, near Barberton. Here, you can explore a variety of managed habitats, including field, wetlands, dry and wet forests, and a historical farmstead. Park visitors can also swim in the lake at Silver Creek Metro Park for a small fee. Boat rentals are also available during summer months. Visit the official Metro Parks, Serving Summit County website for more information about Silver Creek Metro Park

Firestone Metro Park
An urban park of over 250 acres, Firestone Metro Park was partially donated by the Firestone Rubber Company. The park is a great place to picnic, hike, cross-country ski, and watch some of the 175 species of birds which can be found here.Visit the official Metro Parks, Serving Summit County website for more information about Firestone Metro Park

Liberty Park
This 1600-acre park is jointly owned by Metro parks, Serving Summit County and the City of Twinsburg in Northeast Summit County. Home to perhaps a dozen rare species of plants and animals, much of Liberty Park is managed as a low impact conservation area. Two hiking trails allow you to glimpse some of the natural features such as large wetlands complexes, old fields, and large woodlands. One of those trails, the Buttonbush Trail, has been reviewed by neoNaturalist.com. A portion of Liberty Park is managed by the City of Twinsburg, and contains ball fields, a picnic pavilion, and a small dog park. Visit the official Metro Parks, Serving Summit County website for more information about Liberty Park

Sand Run Metro Park
This park, one of the oldest of the Metro Parks system, is nearly 1,000 acres along a tributary to the Cuyahoga River called Sand Run. Trails and a parkway take the vistor through a staggering array of habitats. For a taste of what you will see in this beautiful park, check out these trail reviews by neoNaturalist.com: Dogwood Trail; and Sand Run Parkway Jogging Trail. From forests, to mowed fields nature-lovers can observe plants and animals in abundance. Hemlock ravines, streams, springs, wetlands, mature forests, steep slopes, and spectacular spring wildflowers are just a small portion of the wonderous natural sights you can find here.Visit the official Metro Parks, Serving Summit County website for more information about Sand Run Metro Park

Monroe Falls Metro Park
This small park is a wonderful place to swim, boat, picnic, or relax. Hiking along the trails of the park may reveal to you Great Blue Heron along the Cuyahoga River or the ponds of the park. Visit the official Metro Parks, Serving Summit County website for more information about Monroe Falls Metro Park

O'Neil Woods Metro Park
This 300-acre park located in Bath Township contains mature forests, beautiful valleys, and a beautiful section of Yellow Creek. Yellow Creek is one of the largest tributaries to the Cuyahoga River, and contains a large complement of aquatic species. The stream is clean enough that steelhead trout are known to reproduce in the stream. Hike the Deer Run Trail to get a great feel for the steep, glacially influenced slopes of this park in Bath, Ohio. Visit the official Metro Parks, Serving Summit County website for more information about O'Neil Woods Metro Park

Hampton Hills Metro Park
Hampton Hills Metro Park, in Cuyahoga Falls, contains healthy forests, steep ravines, as well as areas of active sports fields. If you are in the mood for a rugged, difficult hike, this is one of the best places in Summit County. Visit the official Metro Parks, Serving Summit County website for more information about Hampton Hills Metro Park

Goodyear Heights Metro Park
This 400-acre park was originally created through a donation of land from the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company. The park contains forests containing a wide variety of tree species, such as pines, cherry, oaks, basswood and birch trees. Wetland habitats, including a raised walkway through an emergent marsh, are home to red-winged blackbirds, and other species adapted to life in and around water. You can see all of this and more along the Alder Pond Trail. Visit the official Metro Parks, Serving Summit County website for more information about Goodyear Heights Metro Park

Deep Lock Quarry Metro Park
Located within the heart of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, this Metro Park contains the remnants of an old quarry where millstones were produced for use in the cereal industry in Akron. Also produced here were sandstone blocks for use in the Ohio and Erie Canal locks. The lock here at Deep Lock Quarry Metro Park is known as the deepest lock on the Ohio and Erie Canal. Park users can hike or bike down to the Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail from Deep Lock Quarry Metro Park. Visit the official Metro Parks, Serving Summit County website for more information about Deep Lock Quarry Metro Park

Furnace Run
This nearly 900-acre Metro Park is located at the western edge of Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Named for a stream that flows through the park and into the Cuyahoga River, this park is a great place to see spring wildflowers. If such things interest you, non-native but beautiful daffodils line the Daffodil Trail within Furnace Run Metro Park.Visit the official Metro Parks, Serving Summit County website for more information about Furnace Run Metro Park

Towpath Trail
The Ohio and Erie Canal towpath trail is a long distance trail running from Cleveland to Akron, and on to the south in segments. When completed, trail users will be able to hike or bike from Lake Erie to Zoar Ohio, over 100 miles of off-road, safe trail. Metro Parks, Serving Summit County is a key partner in the efforts to create and manage this wonderful trail.Visit the official Metro Parks, Serving Summit County website for more information about the Towpath trail within the Metro Parks

Bike & Hike Trail
This multiple purpose trail is built upon an old railroad bed. We reviewed the trail on the page entitled Summit County Bike & Hike Trail. Taking the hiker or biker from Kent to Bedford, the trail is a vital link in the northeast Ohio network of long distance trails that is quickly developing. Visit the official Metro Parks, Serving Summit County website for more information about the Bike & Hike

For full information, please visit the Metro Parks, Serving Summit County web site at: Metro Parks, Serving Summit County