Sand Run Metro Park
Park
810 acres9.9 mi of trail
Parkway Jogging TrailDogwood TrailBuckeye / Valley Link TrailParcours Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Sand Run Metro Park Revere Road Lot
Photo: Brandon Bisel · CC BY-SA 4.0AOutdoors
Outdoors in Akron
Akron has 69 miles of mapped trails, 1.1 for every square mile of land
11% of Akron’s land is conserved, about 4,439 acres. 94% of residents live within a half mile of a park. The biggest trail networks: Sand Run Metro Park (9.9 mi), Goodyear Heights Metro Park (8.5 mi), Firestone Metro Park (4.1 mi).
Ahead of 90% of U.S. towns · #45 of 993 in Ohio. What drives it
Conserved land
11%
4,439 acres · of 61.9 sq mi of land
Trails
69 mi
1.1 per sq mi of land
Park land
4,649 ac
25 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
94%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
62 mi
33 mi lanes · 24 mi paths
Highest peak
1,201 ft
Coal Hill
Lakes & rivers
13
1 beach · 1 boat launch
What kind of outdoors town is Akron?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Akron have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Akron is ahead of 90% of U.S. towns, #45 of 993 in Ohio. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; trail miles rank highest, park acres per resident lowest.
A
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Akron’s overall grade.
Conserved land11% of the land · typical OH town 3% · U.S. 4%A−Trails1.1 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (69 mi) · OH 0.2 · U.S. 0.4A−Park land25 acres of park per 1,000 residents (4,649 acres) · OH 15 · U.S. 13B+Parks close to home94% of residents within a half mile of a park · OH 60% · U.S. 72%A−
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 90%
LessMore
Ohio towns of 2,500+ (993)Ahead of 96%
Among the 400 U.S. cities of 100,000 or more, Akron ranks #75 on Outdoors.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would still be A. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Sand Run Metro Park, with 9.9 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Goodyear Heights Metro Park
Park
354 acres8.5 mi of trail
Parcours TrailPiney Woods TrailAlder Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Firestone Metro Park
Managed by Summit Metro Parks
249 acres4.1 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Cascade Valley Metro Park (Valley View Area)
Park
201 acres2.8 mi of trail
Prather TrailMissing Link TrailPrather / Missing Link TrailWater Access
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Cascade Valley Metro Park (South)
Managed by Summit Metro Parks
303 acres2.2 mi of trail
Oxbow TrailHighbridge Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Hampton Hills Metropark
Park
161 acres2.1 mi of trail
Adam Run / Spring Hollow TrailSpring Hollow TrailAdam Run TrailArchery Range Connector
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Cascade Valley Metro Park (North)
Managed by Summit Metro Parks
178 acres1.7 mi of trail
Schumacher / Valley Link TrailTowpath Connector SpurSchumacher TrailValley Link Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Schumacher Valley Area Parking lot
F.A. Seiberling Nature Realm
Park
64 acres1.3 mi of trail
Seneca TrailCherry Lane / Fernwood / Nuthatch TrailCherry Lane / Fernwood TrailFernwood / Nuthatch Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
All 93 parks & preserves
Sand Run Metro Park810 acres · 9.9 mi of trail
DirectionsGoodyear Heights Metro Park354 acres · 8.5 mi of trail
DirectionsFirestone Metro Park249 acres · 4.1 mi of trail · Summit Metro Parks
DirectionsCascade Valley Metro Park (Valley View Area)201 acres · 2.8 mi of trail
DirectionsCascade Valley Metro Park (South)303 acres · 2.2 mi of trail · Summit Metro Parks
DirectionsHampton Hills Metropark161 acres · 2.1 mi of trail
DirectionsCascade Valley Metro Park (North)178 acres · 1.7 mi of trail · Summit Metro Parks
DirectionsF.A. Seiberling Nature Realm64 acres · 1.3 mi of trail
DirectionsGorge Metro Park54 acres · 1.2 mi of trail
DirectionsPerkins Park85 acres · 1.1 mi of trail
DirectionsHyre Park41 acres · 1 mi of trail
DirectionsLane Field24 acres · 0.8 mi of trail
DirectionsJoy Park27 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
DirectionsHardesty Park18 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
DirectionsPrentiss Park11 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
DirectionsGrace Park7 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
DirectionsMemorial Soccer Field / Akron Dog Park37 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsSchneider Park20 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsPatterson Park16 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsHeintz Hillcrest Park11 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsLock 3 Park3 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsErie Island Park33 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsSummit Lake Park19 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsMason Park8 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsAirport Park71 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsReservoir Park19 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsWaters Park9 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsBettes Park6 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · City of Akron
Ohio and Erie Canal Park6 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsCascade Park5 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsNorthwest Park4 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsLock 2 Park2 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsCuyahoga Valley National Park310 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · National Park Service
DirectionsBig Bend Area17 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Summit County Metroparks
DirectionsFirestone Park13 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsDiamond Crystal Ballfield5 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsChestnut Ridge Park4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsKerr Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsLock 4 Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsTalbot-Whitney Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsJewett Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsCascade Valley Metro Park504 acres · Summit Metro Parks
Hampton Hills Mountain Bike Area163 acres · Summit Metro Parks
DirectionsCopley Road Soccer Fields34 acres
DirectionsWilbeth Arlington Park32 acres
DirectionsLake Nesmith Park15 acres
DirectionsDavenport Park15 acres
DirectionsClearview Park12 acres
DirectionsMiddlebury Run Park12 acres
DirectionsForest Lodge Park11 acres
DirectionsSherbondy Park9 acres
DirectionsSeiberling Field8 acres
DirectionsGunther Park8 acres
DirectionsAirport Ballfields8 acres
DirectionsUniversity of Akron Buchtel Field8 acres
DirectionsCascade Valley Metropark (Cascade Locks Area)7 acres · Summit Metro Parks
DirectionsBath Road Heronry7 acres
Blanding Park6 acres
Will Christy Park5 acres
DirectionsLisa Anne Park4 acres
DirectionsMud Run Park3 acres · City of Akron
DirectionsElizabeth Park3 acres
DirectionsAngelletti Park3 acres · City of Akron
DirectionsStoner/Hawkins Park3 acres
DirectionsLong Park3 acres
Climax Park3 acres
Lawton Community Center Field2 acres
DirectionsMorgan Park2 acres
DirectionsShady Springs Park2 acres
Tyro-Moody Park2 acres · City of Akron
Canyon Trail Park2 acres
Union Park2 acres
DirectionsBabb Run Park1 acres
Aquae Park1 acres
DirectionsMalasia Park1 acres
Water Tower Park1 acres
Judith Bear Isroff Park1 acres
DirectionsOpen M Park1 acres
DirectionsKarona Park1 acres
DirectionsPioneer Park1 acres
DirectionsEd Davis Tennis Courts1 acres
DirectionsShawnee Park1 acres
DirectionsBoss Park1 acres
DirectionsAdams Park1 acres
DirectionsBud & Susie Rogers Garden1 acres
DirectionsSuddieth Park1 acres
DirectionsPara Park1 acres
Innerbelt "National Forest" Park1 acres · City of Akron
DirectionsTriangle Park1 acres
Lookout Park1 acres
DirectionsMaple Grove1 acres
DirectionsHarvey Park1 acres
DirectionsShady Park1 acres
DirectionsWho protects it
4,439 conserved acres
11% of Akron’s land. Who manages Akron’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
County2,032 ac
Town or city1,566 ac
Private owners677 ac
National Park Service123 ac
Regional agency123 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits10 ac
State natural resources5 ac
Local Park · 3,468 acPrivate Park · 677 acLocal Recreation Area · 200 acNational Park · 123 acLocal Conservation Area · 54 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 8 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sand Run Metro Park Local Park | County | 790 | Open |
| Cascade Valley Metro Park Local Park | County | 573 | Open |
| Firestone Country Club Private Park | Private owners | 556 | Open |
| Hampton Hills Mountain Bike Area Local Park | Town or city | 371 | Open |
| Goodyear Heights Metro Park Local Park | County | 363 | Open |
| Firestone Metro Park Local Park | County | 250 | Open |
| Good Park Golf Course Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 162 | Open |
| Cuyahoga Valley National Park National Park | National Park Service | 123 | Open |
| City Nursery Park Local Park | Town or city | 122 | Open |
| Portage Country Club Private Park | Private owners | 112 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
130 places to go in Akron
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Akron
1 beach without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Public pools in Akron
Perkins PoolIn Perkins Park
DirectionsPlaygrounds in Akron
90 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Akron
Akron Dog ParkIn Memorial Soccer Field / Akron Dog Park
DirectionsCedarwood Village Dog Park
DirectionsRiverwood Dog Park
DirectionsPlus 1 dog park without a name on the map.
Boat launches in Akron
1 boat launch without a name on the map.
Waterfalls in Akron
Hidden Crystal Falls
DirectionsPlus 6 waterfalls without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Scenic views in Akron
Missing Link VistaIn Cascade Valley Metro Park (Valley View Area)
DirectionsOverlook DeckIn Cascade Valley Metro Park (South)
DirectionsPrather VistaIn Cascade Valley Metro Park (Valley View Area)
DirectionsWaters Park OverlookIn Waters Park
DirectionsPlus 3 scenic views without a name on the map.
Peaks in Akron
Coal Hill1,201 ft elevation
DirectionsSherbondy Hill1,142 ft elevation
DirectionsPicnic areas in Akron
13 picnic areas without a name on the map.
Campgrounds in Akron
Big Bend CampsiteIn Big Bend Area · Summit Metro Parks
DirectionsCommunity gardens in Akron
Akron Cooperative Farms
DirectionsEdgerton Community Gardens
DirectionsWesley Family Apiary & Microfarm
DirectionsTrails & water
25 named trails and 13 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 2.6 miUnpaved · 36.7 mi
Parcours Trail2.9 mi
Parkway Jogging Trail2.5 mi
Dogwood Trail2.0 mi
Adam Run / Spring Hollow Trail1.5 mi
Piney Woods Trail1.3 mi
Alder Trail1.2 mi
Highbridge Trail1.2 mi
Buckeye / Valley Link Trail1.2 mi
Oxbow Trail1.1 mi
Nuthatch Trail1.1 mi
15 more trails
Prather Trail
1.0 miMissing Link Trail
0.9 miSeneca Trail
0.7 miSchumacher / Valley Link Trail
0.7 miVeteran's Memorial Nature Trail
0.5 miTowpath Connector Spur
0.5 miNuthatch / Seneca Trail
0.4 miHaley's Run Trail
0.4 miBuckeye / Parkway Jogging / Parcours / Valley Link Trail
0.4 miSchumacher Trail
0.3 miValley Link Trail
0.3 miHarpster Trail
0.3 miSpring Hollow Trail
0.3 miNuthatch Trail Connector
0.3 miGorge Trail
0.2 miBiking & sports
62 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
33 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
24 mi
off-road bike paths
4.6 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
102Tennis
92Baseball
61Basketball
28Soccer
12Football
6Tracks
5Pickleball
3Multi-sport
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →63 places on the National Register, 2 of them National Historic Landmarks
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 18 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
★
Stan Hywet Hall-Frank A. Seiberling HouseNational Historic Landmark · Building · listed 1975
About itOld Akron Post OfficeBuilding · listed 1972
About itGoodyear AirdockBuilding · listed 1973
About itHower MansionBuilding · listed 1973
About itLoew's TheatreBuilding · listed 1973
About itCol. Simon Perkins MansionDistrict · listed 1974
About itSummit County Courthouse and AnnexBuilding · listed 1974
About itAndrew Jackson HouseBuilding · listed 1975
About itLewis Miller HouseBuilding · listed 1976
About itSt. Paul's Sunday School and Parish HouseBuilding · listed 1976
About itWerner Company BuildingBuilding · listed 1976
About it51 more on the History page.
When to get out
The best walking months in Akron: April, August and September
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.5 | 10.6 | 11.8 | 13.3 | 14.5 | 15.1 | 14.8 | 13.8 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.8 | 9.2 |
| High (°F) | 35 | 38 | 47 | 61 | 71 | 80 | 84 | 82 | 75 | 63 | 50 | 39 |
| Rain (in) | 2.4 | 2.1 | 2.8 | 3.5 | 3.8 | 4.2 | 3.9 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 3.1 | 2.8 | 2.6 |
February is the driest month (2.1 in) and July the warmest (highs of 84 °F). 4.2 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Akron →
Next door
Akron and its neighbors
Akron has the most mapped trails of the 8 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Akron69 miCuyahoga Falls19 miBath Township12 miFairlawn4.7 miSpringfield Township3.9 miCopley Township2.1 miCoventry Township1.0 miPortage Lakes0.3 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Akron | 11% | 1.1 | 25 | 94% | A |
| Cuyahoga Falls | 24% | 0.7 | 79 | 90% | A |
| Coventry Township | 14% | 0.1 | 74 | 85% | A− |
| Springfield Township | 3% | 0.3 | 30 | 68% | B |
| Fairlawn | 13% | 1.0 | 22 | 87% | A |
| Bath Township | 10% | 0.5 | 117 | 44% | A− |
| Portage Lakes | 28% | 0.1 | 126 | 99%+ | A |
| Copley Township | 2% | 0.1 | 9 | 47% | C |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Akron
Where can I hike in Akron?
The longest trail networks: Sand Run Metro Park, 9.9 miles; Goodyear Heights Metro Park, 8.5 miles; Firestone Metro Park, 4.1 miles; Cascade Valley Metro Park (Valley View Area), 2.8 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Akron is conserved land?
11% of its land, against a typical 3% for an Ohio town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Akron’s trails?
Sand Run Metro Park and Goodyear Heights Metro Park don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Akron?
62 miles of bike routes are on the map: 33 of painted or protected lanes, 24 of off-road paths and 4.6 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Akron?
40,851 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Akron or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 4,649 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Akron have?
Ahead of 90% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #45 of 993 in Ohio. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Akron neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →