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Cox Arboretum

Hidden Gems of Cox Arboretum

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Cox Arboretum MetroPark is famous for its beautifully landscaped gardens, water features, Monet Bridge, the tree tower, weddings, and events at the beautiful Zorniger Education Center.

Less known are the beautiful, wooded hiking trails:

Starting at the parking lot, you can get on the paved path to the right of the visitor’s center and walk into the Woodland Wildflower Area where you can join the red trail, a short 0.6 mile loop, and part of the MetroParks Trails Challenge.

If you are up for a longer loop, take the 1.1 mile blue loop trail as it splits to the right and head into the woods and past a lovely overlook.

For a longer hike on the 1.8 mile yellow loop, pass the blue loop turnoff and keep going along the blue and red combined trail until you can turn right on the yellow loop. This trail takes you deeper into the woods and allows for a surprising amount of hill work. Try the yellow loop twice to get in a nice 5k trail run. To mix it up, run one loop clockwise and one counterclockwise.
When you come out of the woods take time to experience the amazing gardens, Children’s Maze, gazebos and water features. Finally, climb the tree tower for a spectacular view of the woods you just went through and the surrounding area.

The 1880s Are Alive and Well in Dayton

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mp1 Who knew Dayton had gone so retro?

We may have only recently entered the 21st century, but the turn of the 20th century is still alive here in Dayton. Thanks to the folks at Five Rivers MetroParks, you can experience what life was like in the 1880s right here in southwest Ohio.

 

Whoever said “what’s old is new again” obviously lived through the pain of watching fashion recirculate and stared in horrified amazement as his or her children begged and pleaded to purchase an outfit that eerily resembled an ensemble sent packing to Goodwill several decades ago. The same holds true in Dayton today. Know of anyone who knits from yarn they spun themselves and sews their own clothes? And would can their own vegetables for the winter and make their own cheese and soap? Or grow out their beards and curl up their moustaches and brew their own beer? You might refer to them as “hipsters,” but in the 1880s, they were just “people.”

 

That’s right; your great-great grandfather, who waxed his elegant moustache before snapping his suspenders and hopping on the seat of his fixed-gear bicycle, was a hipster before it was cool. Capitalizing on the re-emergence of the native hipster, Five Rivers MetroParks offers classes to teach you how to grow and pickle and can your own food. You can learn to make cheese and soap and even how to craft a microbrew. It’s all here. In Dayton. Again.

 

Grow your own

If you are passionate about growing your own food, MetroParks has programs that can help. mp2From tips about seed selection and planting to what to grow in the winter and even community gardening, Five Rivers MetroParks knows how to work with nature and wants to share that knowledge with you. Think you lack green thumbs? Maybe you just need the right instruction. Think about it – all those people living in the late 19th century didn’t simply wake up one day infused with vast botanical knowledge; they experimented, they failed a few times, but ultimately, they succeeded. They had to. The stakes were a little higher for pioneer who couldn’t simply shrug their shoulders and head to the nearest Wynn Dixie if they killed their sole source of sustenance.

 

Programs will take you from gardening newbie to horticulture diva and are available many of the facilities in the parks’ system including Wergerzyn Gardens, Cox Arboretum, Carriage Hill and many more. There’s even an annual gardening conference.

 

And as for resources, visit MetroParks.org for printable brochures with hundreds of tips, suggestions and helpful advice whether you’re starting out or trying grow your greenest garden yet.

 

It’s all here. At your MetroParks.

 

Down on the Farm

Food preservation in 2013: Adorable place settings and thoughtful gifts for friends and family. Food preservation in 1880: Avoiding starvation. True, modern living has provided us with the means to live comfortably. Heck, we could obtain essential nutrients from a powdered capsule if we want. But there’s no excitement, adventure or well-meaning intent from ingesting a pill, so people are looking back to the 1800s again, and Five Rivers MetroParks offers programs that will help you live more sustainably by preserving the food you just learned how to grow.

 

At Carriage Hill MetroPark, members of the canning club learn to preserve fruits and vegetables in an inexpensive and efficient way. Pickling classes are also available at Carriage Hill and Possum Creek MetroParks.

 

Brewing was an everyday part of life in the 1880s. Carriage Hill also offers “Making Small Beers” where participants discuss the actual brewing process and make some small beers using ingredients like apple, sorghum or maple.

 

Go Heirloom or Get What You Needmp3

The 2nd Street Market has all the programming you need to really go retro. With programs on handmade soap making, cheese making, canning and even sewing, knitting and quilting, you will find all of the homesteading skills you need. Check out the Heirloom Skills series of programs at MetroParks.org.

 

And if all this skill-building, growing, preserving and crafting sounds like too much for you, you are in luck. The vendors at the 2nd Street Market have done all the work for you.

 

You can find artisan bakers, canned vegetables or vegetables to can, knitted goods and home-spun yarn, fabrics to make your own clothes, fresh and organic meats like chicken and beef, handmade soaps and cheese, and so much more. More good news: By buying goods at the 2nd Street Market, you’re supporting local businesses and keeping your dollars at work right here in Dayton. That’s so 1880.

 

Great-great-grandpa had it right: Use resources wisely and make your own stuff. So go retro. Grow out a curly moustache. Take your horse and carriage (or ride your bike—fixie or otherwise) to a MetroParks facility today for everything you need to “live the dream of the 1890s.” [link to Portlandia]

Jane’s Best Bets (2/2 – 2/6)

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Photo Credit: Alli Shillito

Hello February…and hello icky weather!  If you’re reading this, that means you still have power, which is a great thing!  I hope you also have the power to get up off the couch and enjoy some of these events!

On Groundhog Day (a.k.a. Wednesday), eat lunch at Smokey Bones for their $5 Lunch Special.  Over at the Schuster Center, check out the Visual Voices Art Exhibit:  Dayton Skyscrapers 2011, which celebrates “women and men who stand tall as role models in the Dayton African-American community.”  There will be a sea of food at Dorothy Lane Market as part of their Oyster Bar Happy Hour, as well as at Bonefish Grill for their Bang Bang Shrimp Wednesday.  If you are a fan of environmental causes and would like to know more about the lives affected by the water industry as well as public water rights, then you will want to attend the Environmental Film Series: Tapped at Cox Arboretum.  Enjoy an adult beverage at The Wine Loft for their Happy Hour, The Wine Gallery for their Weekly Wine Tasting, or Bruning’s Wine Cellar for their Taste the Wines of Frog’s Leap event.  If you’re downtown, head to the Schuster Center to see 9 to 5: The Musical (I’m looking forward to it after my 9 to 5 job!) or to The Loft Theatre to see Twelfth Night.  Over at Clark State Performing Arts Center, watch Fiddler On The Roof…I’m hoping he doesn’t fall down with it being icy!  And finally, support the UD Flyers as they play St. Bonaventure at UD Arena…and hopefully get a victory!

On Thursday, celebrate the Chinese New Year with dinner specials at both The Nanking Inn and Kabuki.  Have you always wanted to dance, but keep putting it off?  If so, boogie your way to Michael Solomon Pavillion for International Folk Dance Lessons.  Over at the Dayton Racquet Club, attend the Go Red for Women/American Heart Month Kickoff.  At The Neon, check out Pecha Kucha Night Dayton, Volume 6, in which there will be several short presentations by noteworthy people around the city about their creative endeavors.  The presentations will be followed by a screening of the documentary DIVE, which is based on the topic of food waste at L.A. supermarkets.  For more information about Pecha Kucha, click here.  If you like meeting new people, head to Cedarville University to meet Dolly… be sure to tell her Hello, Dolly! Also, at the Schuster Center, you will be able to see 9 TO 5: The Musical, and at The Loft Theatre, you can catch Twelfth Night.

On Friday, after you get out of the shower, be sure to put on your red for the National Wear Red Day, in honor of the American Heart Association’s “Go Red for Women” Movement.  If you wish, you can continue to celebrate the Chinese New Year at China Dynasty, The Nanking Inn, or Kabuki.  Get out your dancing shoes and head to the Michael Solomon Pavilion for the Contra Dance Party – Cityfolk.  If you love a good fish fry, head to either the Ascension or the St. Mary Fish Fry.  All you art lovers will want to participate in First Friday, the fabulous art hop which happens the first Friday of each month downtown.  There will also be many wonderful shows going on in our great region, including 9 to 5: The Musical (Schuster Center), The Octette Bridge Club (Beavercreek Community Theatre), The 25th Annual Putnam Spelling Bee (Dayton Playhouse), Twelfth Night (Loft Theatre), The Berenstain Bears Onstage; A Bear Country Musical! (Town Hall Theatre), and True West (University of Dayton-Kennedy Union Boll Theatre).  And finally, listen to The Rocket Man, The Eagles, Diana Ross, and The Beatles as you skate at RiverScape for their event, Peace, Love, and Skate: 60s and 70s.

On Saturday, bring your Valentine and go to the wonderful El Meson for their Cooking Class for Lovers.  For all you techies, head to the Dayton Diode Open House which has been called a “YMCA for nerds”…perhaps I should go then!  When tragedy strikes, it is important for a community to join together.  Over at St. John’s Lutheran Church, bring your friends and participate in the Dodgeball Tournamnet to benefit the Suzanne Waughtel Hopper fund.  In the evening, there are opportunities to support other great causes.  You can attend the 21st Annual Artemis Center Gala ‘Be a Star, a Purple Carpet Event’ at Sinclair or Sing your Heart Out For A Good Cause (the American Heart Association) at The Wine Loft.  All you “pasghetti” lovers (as many kids call it!) will want to go to the American Legion Post 598 for Franco’s FAMOUS Spaghetti.  Over at RiverScape, participate in the Star-Late Skate.  Also on Saturday, there will be a plethora of theatre options, including 9 to 5: The Musical, The Berenstain Bears Onstage; A Bear Country Musical, The Octette Bridge Club, The 25th Annual Putnam Spelling Bee, Twelfth Night, and True West.

On Sunday, consider going to Alex’s for their Jazz Brunch.  Or you can Savor Your Sunday & Support Stivers at Coco’s Bistro.  If it’s not too cold, perhaps you’ll want to learn the Fundamentals of Skating at RiverScape.  Sundays are a great day for the arts, so consider checking out the Wright State University 2011 Faculty Exhibition, Visual Voices Art Exhibit; Dayton Skyscrapers 2011 at the Schuster Center, Folk Art from the Collection of Porter Wright Morris & Arthur LLP at The Dayton Art Institute, or A Student of People Exhibit at Troy-Hayner Cultural Center.  Or check out one of the many theatre productions going on around town.  If you still haven’t done so, be sure to check out DMM’s onStageDayton, where Shane, Katherine, and Russell keep you up to date on the Dayton theatre scene!

And now it’s time for the Dumb Joke of the Week. Drum roll please…

How many pessimists does it take to change a lightbulb?

Nevermind.  Nobody would get the joke anyway.

These are just a few best bets from the DMM Calendar.  There are plenty more events listed there, so if you haven’t, I encourage you to check it out today!  Also, if you have an event to share or promote, please submit it– it’s great marketing and better yet, it’s FREE!  And finally, if you have a dumb joke to share, I’m all ears!

Have a great week Dayton!

Jane’s Best Bets (1/12 – 1/16)

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Photo Credit: Alli Shillito

I’m ready for another great week…and the official kick-off to “Fish Fry Season” this Friday!  If you don’t like fish, don’t worry, as there are plenty of other options as well!

On Wednesday, head to The Wine Gallery for their Weekly Wine Tasting.  Wear your Flyer gear and head to the UD Arena to watch UD play St. Joseph’s.  If you like live music, watch Frozen Feet (which is probably pretty accurate this time of year) at Oregon Express or check out the Old Time Acoustic Jam at The Trolley Stop.  Oh…and if you’re like me and kill every plant you come in contact with, get some good plant advice at Cox Arboretum for Lunch and Learn: Fool Proof Plants.

On Thursday, be one of the first 50 customers at PNC 2nd Street Market for their Customer Appreciation Days in order to receive a gift.  While there, enjoy musical entertainment and also participate in their Winter Flower Arranging.  Help out 4 Paws for Ability, a wonderful charity that helps people with disabilities by attending their Charity Quarter Auction at the American Legion.  If you love acoustic music, head to Dublin Pub to see Nick Mitchell perform.  It’s cold outside so go  INTO Victoria Theatre for Into the Woods.  And finally, I’d love to see you at The Wine Loft for Generation Dayton’s Thirsty Thursday!  Plus, you’ll have a chance to win a Wine Loft gift card!

On Friday, again head to PNC 2nd Street Market for one of their Customer Appreciation Days and their Winter Flower Arranging.  I know this is DaytonMostMetro.com, but if you’re feeling like doing a little traveling, I’ll give you the okay just this once to go to Cincinnati for The 53rd Annual Cincinnati Travel, Sports & Boat Show.  If you are in the advertising industry, head to Brixx for their Hermes Call for Entries & Happy Hour.  While you’re downtown, brave the elements by attending the Star-Late Skate at RiverScape.  Or attend At the Movies with Rodgers & Hammerstein at the Schuster Center, Into the Woods presented by Muse Machine at Victoria Theatre, or Ravenscroft at Dayton Theatre Guild.  And finally, help kick-off fish fry season by attending the Holy Angels Fish Fry and Silent Auction!

On Saturday, head to Spinoza’s for their Yeti Beer Breakfast!, where they will also have live jazz music.  What a great way to start your Saturday!  You can continue the eating out tradition for the day by attending the Wine Luncheon at Jay’s Seafood…which is absolutely delicious!  Up in Yellow Springs, head to their Winter Farmer’s Market.  Over at another kind of market, the PNC 2nd Street Market, bring the kids and participate in their Winter Family Fun Day.  If you really should be working on that next house project, head to the Miami Valley Home Improvement Show for some great ideas!  Give your skating skills a try as part of Ice Skating with Generation Dayton.  Don’t worry, if you fall…I mean when you fall…you’ll be in great company!  For some theater action, get tickets to see Into the Woods at Victoria Theatre, Ravenscroft at Dayton Theatre Guild, At the Movies with Rodgers & Hammerstein at the Schuster Center, or Justin & Ryan:  A Night of Improv, which is also at the Schuster Center.  Help the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation by attending the Let it Breathe Wine Opener at Taj Ma Garaj.  Or head over to Blind Bob’s for the North Main Flower Man Benefit, which will feature several bands.  Why not party AND support a good cause?!?!

On Sunday, head over to Books & Co. for their Second Sunday Free Writers’ Workshop.  If you’re feeling like life is a little too hectic and would like to hit the pause button, just head over to Pause to Ponder at Gallery St. John to see photographs of scenes from Dayton.  Or see A Student of People Exhibit, which is an exhibit featuring people from different walks of life.  If you still haven’t made it to the Miami Valley Home Improvement Show, make your way there to get some fantastic ideas for your home.  Love prime rib?  Treat yourself and perhaps someone else (if you’re really nice) by heading over to Fleming’s for their Prime Rib Dinner, which is featured at the special price of $29.95.  If you would like to catch a show, see Into the Woods at the Victoria Theatre or Ravenscroft at the Dayton Theatre Guild.  And if your taste in music is rather eclectic, definitely check out 3 Mo’ Divas at the Schuster Center…which sounds like it will be a great performance!

And now it’s time for the Dumb Joke of the Week. Drum roll please…

Why couldn’t the pony talk?

He was a little horse.

“These are just a few best bets from the DMM Calendar.  There are plenty more events listed there, so if you haven’t, I encourage you to check it out today!  Also, if you have an event to share or promote, please submit it– it’s great marketing and better yet, it’s FREE!  And finally, if you have a dumb joke to share, I’m all ears!

Have a great week Dayton!

Jane’s Best Bets (1/5 – 1/9)

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Photo Credit: Alli Shillito

HAPPY NEW YEAR!  I hope that 2011 has many great things in store for all of you!  Hopefully some of these events can help to make it that way!

On Wednesday, for a tasty dinner at a reasonable price, head to the Bonefish Grill for Bang Bang Shrimp Wednesdays, Sammy’s El Pueblo for their Fajita Dinner for 2 for $19.99, or Champps for their 9.99 Fajitas.  If you really wanted to eat fajitas and save money, you should go to Champps since you could get two fajita dinners for a whole penny cheaper…just sayin’.  Help promote the Five Rivers MetroParks’ Outdoor Recreation Department by attending their Volunteer: Street Tream Training.  And if you are environmentally conscious, attend the Environmental Film Series: End of the Line at Cox Arboretum…which is absolutely free!

On Thursday, enjoy a glass or two of wine along with your dinner at the delicious Coco’s Bistro where they have 1/2 Price Wine Bottles.  If you are in downtown Miamisburg, head to TJ Chumps for their Three Course Thursday-All Day and/or A Taste of Wine (which is right across the street) for their Wine Tasting.  Sorry, I may not be helping your New Year’s resolution to lose weight.  And in the evening, all you Dancing with the Stars fans will want to see Mark Ballas as he performs at McGuffy’s.

On Friday, after perhaps your first full week of working in a little while, head downtown for the First Friday Art Hop!  If someone asks you about the Riverscape ice rink, say “I’ll be there” so that you can enjoy the thrill of ice skating as part of the King of Pop Skate.  For a different style of music, join the Dayton Philharmonic as they perform ‘Titanic Brahms, Vibrant Liebermann’ at the Schuster Center.  Over at the Dayton Theatre Guild, see the show Ravenscroft.  And finally, up in Yellow Springs, head to Emporium Wines/Underdog Café for a Wine Tasting accompanied by live music.

On Saturday, head to the Yellow Springs Winter Farmer’s Market – just don’t tell any secrets because remember…a corn has ears!  While you’re there, bring some items that will help you de-clutter your house, items you would like to share with others, or an unwanted Christmas gift as part of the Really Really Free Market at Emporium Wines/Underdog Café in Yellow Springs.  I have never participated in anything like this, but it sounds like an awesome idea!  For more info, check out this link.  If you got engaged over the holidays and are trying to navigate your ways through all the wedding planning, head to the Dayton Bridal Expo at the Dayton Convention Center.  With the amount of food allergies on the rise, consider attending Dorothy Lane Market’s Gluten-Free Food Lovers’ Club: How to eat your way throughout the year.  And in the evening if you are downtown, head to RiverScape for their Star-Late Skate, the Dayton Theatre Guild for Ravenscroft, or the Schuster Center for ‘Titanic Brahms, Vibrant Liebermann’.  And if you decide to head over to McGuffy’s, you’ll be swinging, sliding, and perhaps doing a little bit of monkey barring as the 90s band Marcy Playground performs.

On Sunday, chase those winter blues away by heading to the Mu Crew Pool Party at the Holiday Inn Dayton Mall.  Over at the Dayton Art Institute, participate in the two T’s – Tour and Tea.  If you love to write, get a little help by heading over to Books & Co. for their Second Sunday Free Writers’ Workshop.  And finally, over at the Dayton Theatre Guild, if you haven’t already done so, be sure to check out Ravenscroft.

And now it’s time for the Dumb Joke of the Week. Drum roll please…

“Doctor!  Something’s wrong!  I’m shrinking!”

“Take it easy, sir.  You’ll just have to be a little patient.”

These are just a few best bets from the DMM Calendar.  There are plenty more events listed there, so if you haven’t, I encourage you to check it out today!  Also, if you have an event to share or promote, please submit it– it’s great marketing and better yet, it’s FREE!  And finally, if you have a dumb joke to share, I’m all ears!

Have a great week Dayton!

Meet Your MetroParks

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As a former journalist, the election season has always been an exciting time for me, but when I took up my mantle with Five Rivers MetroParks, I would be on the other side of the proverbial punch card. No longer simply an observer, I kicked off my new career with a tall order—volunteer with the MetroParks levy campaign. Through those months of phone calls and canvassing, I discovered that many Dayton area residents knew of the MetroParks closest to their home, but weren’t aware of the total number of parks, or the number of acres we protect. I thought it would be appropriate today to give you a little overview of each of our facilities.

  • Aullwood Garden MetroPark: This 31-acre garden situated on the edge of Englewood MetroPark is the former home of John and Marie Aull, whose world-wide travels inspired this luxurious shade garden. Lenten roses and other choice shade plants are featured at this estate garden.
  • Carriage Hill MetroPark: Take a trip back in time at this preserved 1880s historical farm.

    Photo by RA Makley: Check out the Riding Center at Carriage Hill MetroPark. Weekend trail and pony rides start again in April!

    Children love to learn about agricultural and professional skills popular during the turn of the 20thCentury. This 900-acre park, located in Huber Heights, also offers hiking and equestrian trails as well as fishing ponds, a 14-acre lake, and the nearby Carriage Hill Riding Center, where trail and pony rides are offered April through October.

  • Cox Arboretum MetroPark: Mature forests populate this 189-acre park south of Dayton near Moraine and Miamisburg, along with diverse gardens, such as the Edible Landscape Garden and the Clematis Arbor. The Butterfly House is a favorite summertime destination to view native butterflies and moths in various stages of metamorphosis.
  • Deeds Point MetroPark: The landscape beds this park perched downtown along the Great Miami River offer visitors a floral garden paradise in an urban setting.
  • Eastwood MetroPark: Paddle in the 185-acre lake, ride the Mad River bikeway, fish in the lagoon or river or hike 3 miles of wooded and open meadow trails in this park just off State Route 4 near Riverside. Both the Buckeye and North Country National Scenic trails run through this park. This is the site of the annual GearFest recreation celebration, which takes place in the fall.
  • Englewood MetroPark: The potential for recreation is endless in this 1,900-acre park. Choose from 12 miles

    Enjoy 18 holes of disc golf at Englewood MetroPark.

    of scenic trails, 3.5 miles of bridle trails, paddling on the Stillwater River, and great spots for fishing. This park also boasts a unique feature—an 18-hole disc golf course. Disc golf is an easy-to-learn activity that involves throwing flying discs into a “basket” situated a distance from the starting point.

  • Germantown MetroPark: The size, quality and age of the woodlands make this 1,665-acre park the most diverse of the natural areas. The park also contains large open grasslands, cedar glades and dry hillside prairies. One popular weekend attraction (particularly for birders) is the Nature Center with its Window on Wildlife.
  • Hills & Dales MetroPark: This Olmsted-designed park has 63 acres of native plants and landscaped areas situated in the crux of Kettering, Oakwood and Dayton. Recently renovated to restore its former beauty, this park boasts 2 miles of wooded trails, including the Adirondack boardwalk that gives visitors a tour of the wetlands.
  • Huffman MetroPark: One of the most prominent amenities of this park located just east of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base is MoMBA, the MetroParks Mountain Biking Area. About 8 miles of track snake their way through this wooded sub-facility. MoMBA’s trails are constructed to help the novice gain mountain biking confidence and challenge the most experienced rider.
  • Island MetroPark: Towering sycamore and cottonwood trees lend shade to those seeking respite from the bustling city in this 33-acre park, located just north of downtown Dayton. Landscaped beds, a seasonal water playground, picnic shelters and the historic bandshell are other hallmarks of this park.
  • PNC 2nd Street Market: Pick up farm-fresh produce, meats,cheeses, eggs and dry goods as well as flowers, wine, jewelry, soaps,gifts and more. The Market highlights the growers, producers and

    Find farm-fresh produce at the PNC 2nd Street Market

    artisans we have right here in the greater Dayton region. Regular hours are 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday and Fridays, and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays.

  • Possum Creek MetroPark: Head southwest of downtown Dayton to find this 556-acre park and enjoy its many amenities, such as Polly Possum’s Math Farm, fishing ponds, historic Argonne Forest, 100-plus-acre planted prairies and the sustainable farm.
  • RiverScape MetroPark: Downtown Dayton’s favorite hangout has become an indelible icon with its fountains and renovated amenities. The covered pavilion provides shade for summer concert and festival-goers in the summer and doubles as an outdoor skating rink in the winter. Cyclists who commute or ride for recreation have welcomed the new bike hub. Children can splash around in the interactive fountains or get a brief history on Dayton’s innovative past while traveling the Dayton Inventor’s River Walk.
  • Sugarcreek MetroPark: This diverse area—with all stages of succession, mature forests, a trio of 500-year old white oaks, varied topography, a planted prairie, meadows and scenic Sugar Creek—is located near the Bellbrook area. Its trails are popular among trail runners, dog walkers and equestrians.
  • Sunrise MetroPark: The walkways of this tiny urban oasis, conveniently located just north of downtown Dayton, are filled with stunning views of the city’s skyline. Prairie plantings and wildflowers draw in wildlife from the adjacent river habitat, and make the park a serene spot for relaxing. Catch a glimpse of the large and graceful blue herons that frequent the area.
  • Taylorsville MetroPark: There’s no shortage of history or nature to encounter along this 1,300-acre park’s 13 miles of trails, nestled just outside Vandalia. Visitors also can link up with the Buckeye and North Country

    Have you visited Sunderland Falls at Taylorsville MetroPark?

    trails. The Buckeye Trail completely encircles Ohio and is over 1,200 miles long. The North Country Trailextends into seven states and will be the longest continuous hiking trail in the United States when completed.

  • Twin Creek MetroPark: This 1,000-acre park situated in the southwest corner of Montgomery County is home to 20 miles of hiking trails, 7 miles of equestrian trails, and ample access to the Twin Creek, one of Ohio’s cleanest waterways. Hike the Twin Valley Trail, a 22-mile backpacking trail connecting Twin Creek and Germantown MetroParks.
  • Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark: With about eight different formal garden areas, this north Dayton park is a haven for plant lovers, featuring something in bloom nearly year-round. The Children’s Discovery Garden here offers fun and learning through the joy of gardening. Visitors can also enjoy paved bikeways and the Marie Aull Nature Trail.
  • Wesleyan MetroPark: Home to Adventure Central, a program aimed at getting urban youth engaged in the outdoors, this 55-acre park offers its west Dayton neighbors a place to enjoy nature, whether hiking on 1.5 miles of trail, cycling along the Wolf Creek Bikeway, playing on the playground equipment or fishing in Wolf Creek.

Now that you know a little bit about each park and its respective subfacilities, plan your next adventure today.