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 program that’ll be perfect for you, now in its second year: the Geauga Gems Trekking Series!
Registration for the 2022 series opens January 1, 2021, at 10 a.m. online and by phone for Geauga County residents and opens January 15, 2021, for out-of-county residents.
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 your 27 self-guided hikes, and bring your card to your 3 required naturalist-led hikes to be marked – or track 60 miles of hikes throughout the year (no naturalist-led hike required). We encourage you to spread your hikes throughout the year to discover new trails and parks in different seasons! Those who complete these goals before the end of 2022 will receive a collapsible trekking pole (if they haven’t received one during a previous year of the series) and a 2022 Geauga Gems hiking medallion sticker in January 2023.
More details can be found on your trekking card when you sign up, as well as the following documents:
2021 Series Introduction Presentation – Updated document coming soon!
2021 Series FAQ – Updated document coming soon!
Qualifying naturalist-led hikes are identifiable by the Geauga Gems logo in our quarterly Park Explorer Activity Guide, and on our website under Programs & Events by filtering program type Geauga Gems. If you have already completed your three naturalist-led hikes for this year, please consider allowing others to register for these small group hikes so that they may also complete their 2022 goal. Thank you!
We’ll see you out on the trails!
| Event | Location | Date | Time | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hound Hike | Beartown Lakes Reservation | 12/08/2021 | 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm | Free |
| Backcountry Hike: Big Creek Park | Big Creek Park | 12/12/2021 | 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm | Free |
| Geauga Walkers Holiday Party & Hike | The West Woods | 12/14/2021 | 12:00 pm - 2:45 pm | Free |
| Morning Nature Walk | Sunnybrook Preserve | 12/15/2021 | 8:30 am - 9:30 am | Free |
| Wonders of Winter Hike | Holbrook Hollows | 12/18/2021 | 9:00 am - 11:00 am | Free |
| Full Moon Hike: The Moon of Wintertime | Observatory Park | 12/18/2021 | 6:00 pm - 7:30 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.
Any Geauga County resident who signs up for our personalized email updates before December 31 will also be entered to win our 2021 Family Fun Giveaway! The grand prize is cross country ski gear (skis, boots and bindings), plus ski poles courtesy of co-presenter Geiger’s, for four.
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