Parks in Cincinnati, OH

Annwood Park

Annwood Park is a delightful urban park in Cincinnati's East Walnut Hills neighborhood, originally donated to the City of Cincinnati in 1966 as a gift by Mrs. John Colville Taylor in memory of her husband, a regional Park Board Commissioner.

The park, which is overseen today by the Cincinnati Park Board, is designated as a strictly sit-in park by Taylor, never to contain any recreational or playground facilities and never to be resold to private ownership. Park visitors can explore the park's green and grassy areas and observe its beautiful grotto waterfall feature, which was donated in memory of Park Board horticulturalist Geoff Harden. A memorial plaque honors area resident James Von Hamm Dale, who was killed in action in the Korean War.

Annwood Park, Cincinnati, OH 45206, Phone: 513-357-2604

Ault Park

Ault Park is the fourth-largest park in Cincinnati, stretching more than 223 acres throughout the city's eastern Mount Lookout neighborhood. The park, which is named in honor of Cincinnati park developers Levi Addison and Ida May Ault, showcases beautiful views of the Little Miami River Valley from a scenic hilltop panorama in the neighborhood's northern area. Landmarks within the park include an Italian Renaissance-style pavilion that was constructed in 1930 and can be rented for public and private special events. A public garden installed at the park in 1980 is credited with beginning the nationwide trend of adopt-a-garden civic programs. Other park amenities include a soccer field, nature trails, a children's playground, and a variety of day-use picnic facilities. Each year, the park hosts the neighborhood's annual Fourth of July fireworks celebration, along with a nationally-recognized Concours d'Elegance car show.

Ault Park, 5090 Observatory Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45208, Phone: 513-321-9876

Betman Nature Preserve

Bettman Nature Preserve is a beautiful nature preserve area along Beech Lane, originally donated to the Cincinnati Park Board in 1977 in honor of Arthur M. Bettman, an area civic and business leader who was best known as the president of the Liberty Cherry Company. The ADA-accessible nature preserve strives to preserve the natural beauty of the city's Evanston and Hyde Park neighborhoods, stretching across several acres of native woodland areas and showcasing significant populations of flowers and shrubs. Visitors can also peruse the holdings of the Bettman Natural Resource Center, which serves as the home of the City of Cincinnati Parks system's library and archives and the headquarters for the system's nature education program. The park's library is open to the public by appointment, with regular staff hours offered throughout the afternoon hours on Mondays.

Bettman Nature Preserve, 4 Beech Ln, Cincinnati, OH 45208, Phone: 513-321-6070

Buttercup Valley Preserve

Buttercup Valley Preserve is a gorgeous 89-acre nature preserve in Cincinnati's Northside district, connected to the nearby Parkers Woods preserve as part of a contiguous green space area accessible via connecting trails. The preserve protects a forested region that has been undeveloped since Ohio's pioneer days, with many trees throughout the area aged over 200 years old. It was originally established in 1973 as a gift from the Greater Cincinnati Tree Council, dedicated on Arbor Day of the following year. Further donations in 1974 expanded the preserve to its current size of 25.6 acres. In 1979, the park's Buttercup Valley Trail was designated as a United States National Recreation Trail. Attractions accessible via the park's trails include the Spring Grove Cemetery and the Flats meadow prairie habitat.

Buttercup Valley Preserve, 1558 Stanford Dr, Cincinnati, OH 45223, Phone: 513-352-4080

Eden Park

Eden Park is one of Cincinnati's most scenic overlook parks, spanning more than 186 acres throughout the city's Walnut Hills and Mount Adams neighborhoods. The park's lands were originally developed in 1869 as a vineyard known as the Garden of Eden, overseen by regional horticulturalist Nicholas Longworth. After the vineyard's acquisition by the City of Cincinnati, the park area was transformed into a gorgeous urban oasis designed by landscape architect Adolph Strauch. Today, visitors can enjoy beautiful overlook views of the Ohio River Valley or attend attractions such as the Cincinnati Art Museum. The park's nationally-recognized Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park theatrical venue presents a full season of outdoor productions. Other park attractions include the picturesque Bettman Fountain, the 1883 Elsinore Arch, and the lovely Hinkle Magnolia Garden.

Eden Park, 950 Eden Park Dr, Cincinnati, OH 45202, Phone: 513-352-4080

French Park

French Park is a delightful 275-acre Cincinnati city public park, located within Amberley Village on the former estate facility of Herbert Greer French. Following French's 1942 death, his red brick manor and its surrounding lands were donated to the City of Cincinnati for public park development, despite the estate's location outside of city boundaries. It is accessible via a steep incline and is home to several miles of hiking trails and a lovely creek which is accessible via a forested area. Park visitors can make use of its covered day-use picnic shelter, which offers barbecue grills and provides views of the nearby Cincinnati skyline. The park's French House manor can also be reserved for private special events, with garden spaces and outdoor terraces available for seasonal special event use.

French Park, 3012 Section Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45237, Phone: 513-357-2604

Glenway Woods

Glenway Woods is a lovely 30-acre nature preserve in Cincinnati's Price Hill neighborhood, accessible via the terminus of Ross Avenue. The park's lands were preserved as a result of citizen activism protecting the area from urban development, spearheaded by Elder High School instructor Donald Patrick, who organized the Glenway Woods Project Committee to purchase 14 acres of the park's lands in 1975. The park was developed in cooperation with the Nature Conservancy, the Audubon Society, the Price Hill Kiwanis, the South Fairmont Improvement Association, and the East Price Hill Improvement Association. Eight additional acres were added to the park in 1977 and donated to the Cincinnati Park Board. Today, the park is home to a variety of significant natural habitats, along with a hiking trail open to the public for nature exploration and leisurely strolling.

Glenway Woods , Cincinnati, OH 45205

Hyde Park Square

Hyde Park Square is the central urban square of Cincinnati's Hyde Park neighborhood, known as one of the city's oldest and trendiest retail and dining districts. The neighborhood, which was originally developed in 1896 as a nature-focused "cityburb" by a group of citizen activists, is home to more than 175 unique local boutiques, restaurants, and entertainment destinations, located less than five miles from Cincinnati's downtown core. It is anchored around the beautiful Hyde Park Square, which is located along Erie Avenue between Edwards and Michigan Streets.

Landscaped lawns and gardens surround the historic Kilgour Fountain, which was originally donated to the City of Cincinnati in 1900 and fully restored to its original splendor in 2003. Visitors can sit on park benches and enjoy ice cream from nearby Graeter's Ice Cream, a regional French pot ice cream chain, or grab breakfast nearby at the popular diner The Echo. Each Sunday morning between May and October, the park hosts the Hyde Park Square Farmers' Market. Other annual special events include the October Hyde Park Art Show and the Hyde Park BLAST multigenerational racing event.

Hyde Park Square, 2700 Erie Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45208, Phone: 513-871-0324

Kennedy Heights Park

Kennedy Heights Park is a 12.4-acre urban park located within Cincinnati's Kennedy Heights neighborhood, originally purchased by the city for the establishment of a public park facility in 1930. The park is home to a lovely landscape of mature trees and rolling hills, with a boardwalk traversing a preserved wetlands and a beech grove protecting native flora and fauna. An historic 1937 picnic shelter, designed by Carl Freund, stands atop an overlook hill and features a hipped roof, exposed rafters, and original ornamental iron handles. Visitors can make use of day-use picnic sites or explore the park's nature hiking trail. Other park amenities include a children's playground and a public-use soccer field.

Kennedy Heights Park, 6037 Kennedy Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45213, Phone: 513-792-2100

Mt. Airy Arboretum

Mt. Airy Arboretum is a magnificent 120-acre arboretum facility in Cincinnati's Mt. Airy Forest public park, open to the public daily free of admission charge. The arboretum and forest were originally founded in 1911 after the purchase of 168 acres of land by the Cincinnati Park Board. Today, the forest spans more than 1,469 acres, with 700 acres preserving reforested hardwood areas, 200 acres preserving reforested evergreen areas, and 269 acres protecting native woodlands. The arboretum facility showcases a gorgeous collection of more than 5,000 native and exotic trees, shrubs, and flowers, serving as an educational botanical facility displaying information about plant growth and hardiness. 1,600 varieties of plants are represented, including one of the American Midwest's most renowned dwarf conifer collections.

Mt. Airy Arboretum, Cincinnati, OH 45223