Summit County Metro Parks

The Summit County Metro Parks is an expansive network of trails and parks designed to meet the needs of all outdoor-lovers throughout the county and beyond. With 15 parks and trails spread throughout Summit county, there's always a place to enjoy nature practically just up the road.

The two major trails, the Bike and Hike and Towpath trails, stretch for 33.5 miles and 70 miles, respectively.

The Bike and HikeTrail, one of the country's first "rails to trails" conversions, enters Summit county from the north and reaches down to Munroe Falls. It continues north into Cuyahoga County, following the original path of the old Akron, Bedford & Cleveland Railroad. The trail offers views of Canada geese, duck species, spring peepers, rock walls and the 75-foot Brandywine Falls, one of the highest waterfalls in Ohio.

The Towpath Trail follows the original route of the Ohio & Erie Canal, which allowed boats to travel from Lake Erie (Cleveland) to the Gulf of Mexico via the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. 70 miles of the 101 total miles between Cleveland and Akron are currently completed. The walking/running/biking/cross country skiing path is next to the river, where mules used to pull the boats through the canal. Along the route, trailgoers encounter canal locks and other informative plaques describing the historical importance of the canal. While on the towpath, one can see herons, cranes, ducks, beavers, butterfiles, wildflowers and dozens of tree varieties.

The following is a descriptive list of parks in the Summit County Metro Parks from north to south, according to information on the parks' Web site: