Your parks boast more than 70 miles of trails suitable for hiking, walking and running across scenic Geauga County. In fact, the only parks within the system without a trail are Bass Lake Preserve and Woodin Road Park – all others are fair game!
Please enjoy perusing the resources below, including any upcoming naturalist-led opportunities to stretch your legs.
Are you setting a New Year’s resolution to explore Nature more? To discover new places, or get more exercise? Or maybe all three?
Here’s a brand new program for you: the Geauga Gems Trekking Series!
Participants will get the chance to complete 30 hikes on any combination of the 70+ miles of trails in these 25 open parks by the end of the year. Of 30 hikes, 24 are treks you’ll plan and take on your own, then you’ll also need to complete six qualifying naturalist-led hikes, which will be identifiable by this logo next to program listings in our quarterly Park Explorer Activity Guide.
How to Get Started
Upon registration, you’ll receive a Geauga Gems Trekking Card to track your progress. Keep the card with you to mark the self-guided treks you take, and bring your card to the naturalist-led hikes to be marked. We encourage you to spread your hikes throughout the year to discover new trails and parks in different seasons! Finally, at year’s end, those who complete the series will receive a collapsible trekking pole and inaugural Geauga Gems 2020 hiking medallion sticker to be provided at an event in January 2021.
UPDATE: We joyfully had an abundance of interest in the 2020 series, and have closed registration for 2020. Please try again January 1, 2021, for next year’s series.
Have some questions this summary didn’t quite answer? Check out our Geauga Gems Trekking Series FAQ.
We’ll see you out on the trails in 2020!
| Event | Location | Date | Time | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Geauga Gems Trekking Series Registration | The West Woods | 01/01/2020 | 7:00 pm - 7:00 pm | Free |
| CANCELLED: Geauga Walkers | Walter C. Best Wildlife Preserve | 03/31/2020 | 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm | Free |
| CANCELLED: Sunset Nature Stroll | Orchard Hills Park | 04/02/2020 | 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm | Free |
| CANCELLED: Spring Exploration of the Upper Chagrin | Offsite | 04/04/2020 | 10:00 am - 12:00 pm | Free |
| CANCELLED: Spring Exploration of the Upper Chagrin | Offsite | 04/04/2020 | 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm | Free |
| CANCELLED: Bald Eagle Hike | Headwaters Park | 04/05/2020 | 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm | Free |
Staff clear snow from paved trails in the following parks during the cold winter months. After large snowfall events, park entrance drives and lots take priority; thanks for your patience as operations crews make their way to the trails.
When you sign up for Geauga Park District’s personalized email updates below, you’ll also be entered to win one of 12 “pizza parties in the park” up for grabs during our 2020 Family Fun Giveaway! Already signed up for our emails? Don’t worry – you can still sign up for our new giveaway using the form below and not receive duplicate emails. Read official rules at bit.ly/gpdwhatsnew.
(440) 286-9516