We put together a list of all of our trails with the details parents and families need to know: Is it stroller friendly? Is there a playground within sight? What is it like for kids?

On a cold, snowy day in November, I dropped my very excited children off at school. As soon as the car door opened, the carpool crew jumped out and began packing snowballs. Some children were on the ground making snow angels while others were rolling down the snow-covered hill. The walk back to my car […]

Regional Trail to Connect Two Great Parks Finding opportunities to spend time together outside can often be hard for busy families. One solution is to replace a trip traditionally taken in a car with one along a trail. Trails are a healthier, safer and more enjoyable way to get from one place, or one park, […]

As the self-proclaimed authority on everything, the Internet has a day for just about any occasion. It’s only logical that November 17 was deemed National Take a Hike Day. Of course, with 78 miles of nature, paved, fitness, horse and mountain bike trails at Great Parks, this is the perfect day to get outside and explore […]

I have been thinking about this story and its lesson since it was relayed to me a few months ago. In the 10 years that I was based at Winton Woods as a Nature Interpreter, I had heard about mink living down near the Kingfisher and Great Oaks Trails, but had never witnessed their presence […]

No matter your activity level, there are always trails to suit your needs, whether it’s a leisurely walk on a paved trail or completing the 1,400+ mile Buckeye Trail. Maybe you hop on a road bike to commute to work or grab a full suspension mountain bike for some rocky climbs and descents through the […]

Park maintenance is never dull. One day our staff may be repairing a broken toilet and the next we’re laying sod at the dog park. Then there are days when Mother Nature decides what we will be doing. This was definitely the case this spring. Everyone expects a little bit of rain in the spring, […]

Cult following. It’s really the best way to describe Great Parks’ Winter Hike Series. It consists of a group of die-hard hikers, volunteers and staff who don’t just brave – but embrace – the cold to go out hiking together on Saturday mornings in January. The program was begun in 1985 by Naturalist Penny Borgman. […]