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Local Parks: MetroParks of Butler County

2051 Timberman Road
Hamilton, OH 45013
(513) 867-5835
Toll Free: 1-877-PARKFUN
Email: metroparks@butlercountyohio.org

Indian Creek Preserve

1899 Oxford-Reily Road
Oxford, Ohio 45056 - Map of park area

Park Features: 135 acres Picnic sites Reservable picnic shelter Playground Nature trails Restrooms Fishing permitted in creek

Hours: Open daily from 8:00 a.m. to dark

Indian Creek Pioneer Church & Burial Ground

3000 Indian Creek Road
Oxford, Ohio 45056

Indian Creek Pioneer Church was built in 1829 and was restored in 1960. The adjoining cemetery, which dates back to 1810, is reputedly the first land sold in Butler County for public burial.

Park Features: Church building can be reserved for weddings Natural area Site of Annual Salute to the Pioneers Great for outdoor photography

Hours: Open daily mid-May to mid-October, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Church building open by appointment

Bunker Hill Pioneer Cemetery

5351 Reily-Millville Road,(through Pater Park Wildlife Area)
Reily Township, Ohio 45013

This 1-acre pioneer cemetery is adjacent to Pater Park Wildlife Area. About 60 pioneers are known to be buried in the cemetery, including veterans from the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Mexican-American War, and the Civil War.

Hours:

• Open daily 8:00 a.m. until dark

Antenen Nature Preserve

2385 Treiber Road
Hamilton, Ohio 45011

This 134-acre scenic natural area is home to an abundant variety of wildlife. Most of the park's acreage is located west of Four Mile Creek. The creek, which flows through the park, reportedly offers some of the best smallmouth bass fishing in the area. The preserve was donated to MetroParks of Butler County in 1996 by the families of Dan and Marilyn Antenen and Jay and Ann Antenen. The property includes a farmhouse built by the Heuston family in 1872. The hueston's were one of the early families of Butler County and, at one time, owned much of the property along Four Mile Creek.

Park Features: Picnic sites Fishing permitted in creek (license required) Historic farmhouse

Hours: Open daily 8:00 a.m. until dark

Pater Park Wildlife Area

5351 Reily-Millville Road
Reily Twp., Ohio 45013

This 34-acre property, leased from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, is part of the ODNR Division of Wildlife 192-acre Pater Wildlife Area. Hunting, in season, and fishing are permitted in the wildlife area with proper State of Ohio licenses.

Park Features: Picnic area Hiking trails Hunting Fishing Wildlife area

Hours: Open daily from 8:00 a.m. until dark

Governor Bebb Preserve & Pioneer Village

1979 Bebb Park Lane
Okeana, Ohio 45053 (off SR 126) - Map of park area

The pioneer village includes the authentic log cabin birth place of Ohio's 19th governor, William Bebb. In entering the preserve, you'll cross one of the two remaining covered bridges in Butler County. This one was built in 1850 near Oxford and restored in the preserve in 1970.

Park Features: Picnic sites Reservable picnic shelter Restrooms Playgrounds Nature trails Family camping Reservable group camping Reservable youth group cabin Fishing

Hours: Open daily 8:00 a.m. until dark Pioneer Village: Open 1 - 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day

Forest Run Wildlife Preserve

1810 New London Road
Hamilton, Ohio 45013 - Map of park area

Future plans for this development include additional arboretum areas, observation decks, and paving of the roadway.

Hours:
Open daily from 8:00 a.m. until dark.

82 acres Nature sanctuary Wildlife habitat area Nature trails

Hours: Open daily from 8:00 a.m. until dark

Rentschler Forest Preserve Miami-Erie Canal

5701 Reigart Road
Hamilton, Ohio 45011 - Map of park area

With almost 400 acres the Rentschler Forest Preserve & Miami-Erie Canal includes about a half-mile frontage along the Great Miami River, acres of woodland, remnants of the old Miami-Erie Canal, a prehistoric Indian earthwork, a reconstructed wetland, and ample opportunities for a wide variety of outdoor recreation activities.

Reservable picnic shelters and youth group campsite Soccer fields Playgrounds Hiking trails Wildlife observation Restored wetland Bank fishing Fitness court

Hours: Open daily from 8:00 a.m. until dark

Gilmore Ponds Interpretive Preserve

7950 Gilmore Road
Hamilton, Ohio 45015 - Map of park area

Located amidst business and commercial development in southeast Hamilton, the Gilmore Ponds Interpretive Preserve is a nature lover’s paradise.

Nature trails Wildlife observation areas Interpretive areas Remains of historic ice ponds and the Miami Erie Canal Popular destination for school field trips and bird watching enthusiasts

Hours: Open daily from 8:00 a.m. until dark

Chrisholm Historic Farmstead

2070 Woodsdale Road
Trenton, Ohio 45067

This 17-acre historic property was donated to the park district by Cinergy and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The 1874 Samuel Augspurger farmhouse is being restored and was the home of the leading family of the Amish-Mennonite settlement which existed in this river valley area in the 19th century.

17 acres Historic site Picnic shelters Reservable indoor meeting facility Educational programs and groups/school field trips

Hours: Open daily from 8:00 a.m. until dark The Augspurger Home is open at select times throughout the summer months or by appointment.

Woodsdale Regional Park

1917 Woodsdale Road
Trenton, Ohio 45067 in Madison Township - Map of area

This 84-acre natural area park has been developed under a lease agreement with the Butler County Commissioners. The park features picnic sites and miles of hiking trails through the woods and wetland areas found here. Future plans call for the provision of canoe access to the nearby Great Miami River.

Picnic sites Hiking trails Outdoor education features

Hours: Open daily from 8:00 a.m. until dark

Dudley Woods

5591 Hankins Road
Liberty Township, Ohio 45044 - Map of park area

Easy nature trails make this 64-acre wooded park especially attractive to those seeking a peaceful and tranquil natural setting.

Hiking trails Wildlife Fishing in Gregory Creek Historic Gregory Family cabin Picnic areas Reservable picnic shelter

Hours: Open daily from 8:00 a.m. until dark

Sebald Park

5580 Elk Creek Road
Middletown, Ohio 45042 - Map of park area

Since the early 1990’s MetroParks has managed this 267-acre park area, nestled in the Elk Creek Valley, under agreement with the City of Middletown, which developed the park in the 1970’s.

Open field areas A running creek for fishing and wading Nature trails Wildlife Reservable picnic shelters

Hours: Open daily from 8:00 a.m. until dark

Excello Locks

Just South of St. Rt. 73 on Hamilton-Middletown Road in Lemon Township

This 4-acre historic site preserves the stonework remains of the first locks, built in 1826, for the Miami-Erie Canal system.

Historic remains of the original Excello Locks.

Hours: Open daily from 8:00 a.m. until dark

Miami River Preserve

Entrance off SR 73 between Middletown and Franklin

This 16-acre park area includes about a one mile frontage along the Great Miami River between Middletown and Franklin.

Wildlife Bank fishing along the Great Miami River Picnic sites

Hours: Open daily from 8:00 a.m. until dark

Ronald Reagan Voice of Freedom Park

7850 VOA Park Drive West Chester Township - Map of park area

This 178-acre park, originally a part of the Voice of America - Bethany Relay Station, was conveyed to MetroParks in 2000 through the Federal Lands-to-Parks Program.

30-acre lake Natural areas Wildlife Hiking trails 1.4-mile paved walking/biking path Bank fishing (currently) Sled riding in season Picnic areas

Hours: Open daily from 8:00 a.m. until dark