Photo: Nyttend · Public domain8% of Elyria’s land is conserved: 1,026 acres
The biggest trail networks: West Recreation Field (2.1 mi), East Park (1.5 mi), Cascade Park (1.3 mi). 83% of residents live within a half mile of a park. 9.1 miles of mapped trail cross Elyria, 0.4 per square mile of land.
Ahead of 65% of U.S. towns · #317 of 993 in Ohio. What drives it
What kind of outdoors town is Elyria?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
How much outdoors does Elyria have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Elyria is ahead of 65% of U.S. towns, #317 of 993 in Ohio. Conserved land holds the grade up; park acres per resident pull it down.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is West Recreation Field, with 2.1 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
East Park
Cascade Park
Elywood Park
Black River Reservation
All 13 parks & preserves
1,026 conserved acres
8% of Elyria’s land. Who manages Elyria’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black River Reservation Local Park | County | 516 | Restricted |
| Spring Valley Country Club Private Park | Private owners | 157 | Open |
| Bur Oak Local Park | County | 114 | Open |
| Cherry Ridge Country Club Private Park | Private owners | 73 | Open |
| West Recreation Field Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 46 | Open |
| Elywood Park Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 44 | Open |
| Elyria South Park Local Park | Town or city | 34 | Open |
| North Park Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 32 | Open |
| Academy Circle Park Local Park | Town or city | 26 | Open |
| East Park Recreation Center Local Park | Town or city | 24 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
27 places to go in Elyria
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Plus 18 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
3 scenic views without a name on the map.
3 named trails and 1 lakes & rivers
12 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
37 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 3 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
25 more on the History page.
The best walking months in Elyria: May to 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 | 14.9 | 13.8 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.8 | 9.2 |
| High (°F) | 34 | 37 | 46 | 59 | 70 | 79 | 83 | 81 | 75 | 63 | 50 | 39 |
| Rain (in) | 2.6 | 2.1 | 2.7 | 3.5 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 3.7 | 3.6 | 3.7 | 3.4 | 3.0 | 2.7 |
February is the driest month (2.1 in) and July the warmest (highs of 83 °F). 3.9 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Elyria →
Elyria and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elyria | 8% | 0.4 | 9 | 83% | B+ |
| Carlisle Township | 14% | 0.6 | 63 | 17% | B+ |
| Eaton Township | 5% | 0.9 | 10 | 30% | B− |
| Amherst Township | 2% | 0.1 | 11 | 44% | C |
| North Ridgeville | 3% | 0.3 | 15 | 48% | B− |
| Sheffield | 11% | 0.4 | 23 | 17% | B |
| Sheffield Township | 11% | under 0.1 | under 1 | 37% | C |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Elyria
Where can I hike in Elyria?
The longest trail networks: West Recreation Field, 2.1 miles; East Park, 1.5 miles; Cascade Park, 1.3 miles; Elywood Park, 0.8 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Elyria is conserved land?
8% 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 Elyria’s trails?
West Recreation Field and East Park don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Elyria?
12 miles of bike routes are on the map: 2.3 of painted or protected lanes, 8.1 of off-road paths and 1.8 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Elyria?
8,036 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Elyria or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 455 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Elyria have?
Ahead of 65% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #317 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 Elyria neighbors.
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 →