California Woods Nature Preserve

Located just east of Lunken Airport and not too far from the both the Little Miami and Ohio River is California Woods Nature Preserve. Lick Run Creek runs through this nature preserve and can be accessed from several trails. 

Please note that no pets are allowed in the preserve.

California Woods Nature Preserve is located at 5400 Kellogg Ave, Cincinnati, OH  45230

French Park

One of the most frequently recommended spots to take kids creeking is French Park in Amberley Village. Conveniently, the best spot to access the creek in French Park is from Creek Trail. It’s a very easy creek to access set in a very pretty park.

French Park is located at 3012 Section Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45237

Gower Park

For a creeking spot that isn’t too woodsy, head to Gower Park in Sharonville. Located next to the playground (and across the street from the community center), this creek is the perfect spot to dip your toes after a play date.

To access the creek, look for the stairway down to the creek behind the swings and next to the patio area. There is an opening in the fence where the stairs begin. It’s very easy to miss – but the view from the walking path on the other side of the creek can show you exactly where to go!

And while this creek isn’t very large, there is still plenty to explore such as a waterfall, big rocks to climb, and fossils to find.

Gower Park is located at 10997 Thornview Dr, Sharonville, OH 45241

Keehner Park

Head up to West Chester to explore Mill Creek in Keehner Park. I remember splashing through this creek as a child, and it’s still just as fun!

There are 2 entrances into Keehner Park. The second entrance (by the log cabin) is the best place to park for creeking. Several trails lead down from the parking lot to the trail that runs along Mill Creek. 

Keehner Park is located at 7411 Barret Road, West Chester, OH 45069

Pioneer Park & Dulle Park

In Montgomery, you’ll find two great parks to go creeking – right across the street from one another. The North Branch Sycamore Creek runs through both Pioneer Park and Dulle Park – although Pioneer Park is the more popular spot for creeking. 

The best place to reach the creek in Dulle Park is near the small playground. When you turn into the park, stay to the right and drive back until you reach the playground. To reach the creek in Pioneer Park, take the most left path when the walking path splits at the entry of the park.

Pioneer Park is located at 10505 Deerfield Rd, Cincinnati, OH  45242

Dulle Park is located at 10530 Deerfield Rd, Cincinnati, OH  45242

Miami Whitewater Forest

Over in Harrison, you’ll find Miami Whitewater Forest where you can enjoy exploring Dry Fork Creek. To reach this creek, park in the small lot off of Mt. Hope Road and follow the Shaker Trace Inner Loop to the water. This is on the opposite side from the main visitors center and parking lot.

Miami White Water Forest is located at 9001 Mount Hope Rd, Harrison, OH 45030

Sharon Woods

While Sharon Woods Harbor offers a fun, man-made creek, if you’re looking for the real thing, you’ll need to head over to the other Side of the park, from the Lebanon road entrance. 

After entering Sharon Woods from Lebanon road, either turn at the first left at Buckeye Falls Drive or the next left the parking lot for the Sharon Centre. Sharon Creek is located between the two parking lots. Access to the creek is right next to the Buckeye Falls parking lot, while access from the Sharon Centre parking lot is a short walk along a paved trail. 

Sharon Woods is located at 11450 Lebanon Rd, Sharonville, OH 45241

Horseshoe Falls at Caesar Creek

Located a bit outside of Cincinnati is Caesar Creek. Here you can enjoy hiking, camping, fishing, swimming, and of course, creeking. One of the best spots for creeking is Horseshoe Falls. Take Perimeter Trail and you will find the falls just south of the Swinging Bridge. According to their website, it is about 1.5 miles from the Nature Center or the spillway parking lot. 

The best time to visit is during a dry spell, as any recent rainfall will create a fast-moving current. 

Horseshoe Falls at Caesar Creek is located at 3286 N Clarksville Rd, Waynesville, OH 45068

Enjoy playing in the water with your kiddos? Then make sure to check out all the spots for water fun around Cincinnati!

Gower Park

Highlights

• Great playground for early walkers to bigger kids
• One of the bigger playground structures around for older kids
• Cool new features for 2021
• Cute little creek to explore next to the playground

Overview

Sharonville’s Gower Park is located across the street from the city’s rec center and library. In addition to the playground and creek, Gower Park has a walking path, picnic tables, gazebos, ball fields and tennis courts. Parking is available next to the rec center or on the other side of the tennis courts.

When you first enter the park, you’ll see the newly updated area of the playground. Gower Park recently debuted updated swings, wheelchair accessible merry-go-round, teeter-totter and a climbing dome. Next to this area is the toddler playground. Lastly, you’ll find the main playground structure, including a large rock wall. The playground is partially fenced in, with openings on the sides of the playground and a large opening to a path leading across the street to the rec center.

Further back from the street and next to the playground, you will find a patio area with picnic tables and access to the small creek. The closest bathrooms are located in a building across a bridge from the playground.

The playground

There is so much to explore on the main playground at Gower Park. First, the large 3-story playground structure boasts two slides (including one from the top level), several staircases and ladders, and interactive toys at every level. There is also a cool internal ladder to reach the top floor. Next is a two-story playground structure with a ladder and slide. A cool tunnel attaches this structure to the bigger structure. Rounding out the main playground is a rock climbing wall and rope wall.

There are a lot of little features I like about this part of the playground. Our favorite feature is the bug scavenger hunt, where you search for pictures of different bugs hidden all over the playground. On the ground level you will find a pretend storefront, kid-sized picnic table, and more interactive toys. Having these playground features low to the ground is awesome for kids who are still mastering walking.

I also really like how there are features for a variety of skill sets. For example, there is an easy staircase to access the third level of the playground structure, but there is also a more challenging vertical ladder too. That being said, you’ll likely want to stick close by a young toddler exploring this part of the playground. But by age 3, my son can manage exploring on his own without me worrying (too much).

Toddler playground

The toddler area at Gower Park includes a dinosaur climbing structure and two vehicle spring rider toys. The dinosaur structure is pretty low to the ground, and can be easily navigated by a young toddler. Most of this area of the playground is covered in mulch, so it is best for kids who are already walking.

Gower Park recently added to the toddler playground area, which is detailed below.

New for 2021

I was pleasantly surprised to walk into the playground at Gower Park this summer and find some cool new features and swings.

New to the toddler playground is a small climbing dome, a 4-person teeter-totter, and a wheelchair accessible merry-go-round. My son loved playing on the merry-go-round, and I loved how the base is at ground level and includes a spot specifically for wheelchairs. This area of the playground is also solid surface rubber – another element making this playground accessible for all children.

Gower Park also updated all their swings. The playground now features two saucer swings, two regular swings, one bucket swing, and one ADA swing. The saucer swings are so much fun, and a nice upgrade from the tire swings.

The creek

What I love about the creek at Gower Park is that it’s right next the playground. You don’t have to venture deep in the woods to find it; it’s just a few yards from civilization.

Look for the stairway down to the creek behind the swings and next to the patio area. There is an opening in the fence where the stairs begin. It’s very easy to miss – but the view from the walking path on the other side of the creek can show you exactly where to go!

The creek isn’t very large, but there is still plenty to explore. There is a waterfall, lots of rocks to climb on, and fossils to find.

Bathrooms

Head over the bridge closest to the main playground to find the main bathrooms in the Lovitt Building. If these bathrooms are closed, keep following the walking path up the hill to find the second bathroom.

The bathroom by the ball fields is essentially a fancy outhouse. It’s a bit smelly in there – be prepared for your toddler to loudly announce that the potty is very smelly before you go.

The not so greats

While there is a lot to love about the playground at Gower Park, there are some not so great aspects to be aware of.

Only partially fenced in. Gower Park is only partially fenced in, and unfortunately is also close to a busy street. A fence runs most of the length of the side of the playground near Thornview Drive, but there is a large opening to a path leading across the street to the rec center. The sides of the playground are also not fenced in, and there is a large opening in the fence along the back side of the playground that leads to the creek below.

Lots of mulch. Although the newer parts of Gower Park have solid surface rubber covering the ground, most of the playground is covered in much.

Bathrooms not super close or convenient. Having to leave the playground to go to the bathroom is never fun, but it’s even less ideal when the bathrooms aren’t located nearby. Having to cross a bridge, and then walk up a big hill to find a bathroom is definitely not so great.

Highlights

• Large playground with solid surface ground
• Separate play area for toddlers
• Both a splash pad and man-made creek to cool you down
• Still pieces from the prehistoric theme dating back from our childhood

Overview

When you walk through the large entrance at Sharon Woods Harbor, the first thing you will see is the long, man-made creek stretching before you just in front of the side of the boathouse. To your left, picnic tables stretch down to the end of the creek. The creek ends just before an overlook with a view of Sharon Lake. One set of restrooms is also located nearby at the back of the boathouse.

On the other side of the boathouse is a large overhang with a snack bar and plenty of picnic tables. Behind the picnic tables is a stairwell leading down to the lake. If you have kids who like to wander off, make sure to keep an eye on them in this area.

Next to the snack bar area is the splash pad. Moving forward towards the parking lot is the toddler playground, the rock formation (complete with a big-toothed kitty), the main playground, a smaller picnic shelter and then a building with individual unisex bathrooms and a changing area. Closing the loop, you’ll find the beginning of the creek next to the big playground.

The playground

The main playground at Sharon Woods Harbor is one large play structure. Part of this playground is designed to be wheelchair accessible, with a large ramp running down the center and back to the left of the playground. The ramp ends at a set of monkey bars and a slide, but there are several interactive features to play with along the way.

The other half of the play structure is a higher platform with several slides and a rock wall to climb. This section can be accessed from a tunnel located about midway up the ramp or by a set of stairs next to the ramp. The ground is made of solid surface rubber, and there is a lot space to run around and play in this playground area.

On the edge of this playground is a large, man-made rock structure that acts as a wall to separate this playground from the toddler playground. Kids love to climb across and over the rocks, but what they really love is to sit on the back of the saber-toothed tiger that sits atop the highest rock. I know this because as a kid, I loved sitting on top of this saber-toothed tiger, just as my kid does today (and if you’re counting, yes, that does make this part of the Sharon Woods Harbor playground pretty old).

The toddler playground

Sharon Woods Harbor has a cute toddler playground for the not-quite-so-big kids. The toddler playground consists of a smaller playground structure, 2 bucket swings, and a rock wall tunnel. It isn’t a huge area, but it’s a nice spot for an early walker to explore and play.

What I like about the toddler playground structure is that there is one way in and out. The steps are easy to climb or crawl up, and the slide isn’t too steep. Little ones would have more fun crawling through the rock wall tunnel than climbing over it. It’s great that there are swings in this area, but unfortunately, these are the only swings in the entire Sharon Woods Harbor playground.

The splash pad & creek

The water feature at Sharon Woods Harbor consists of a splash pad next to the playground and a man-made creek that runs along the side of the boathouse. Both water features are operating for summer 2021.

The creek is fed by a little bubbler near the playground, then runs the length of the boathouse. There are metal casts of fossils to discover throughout the creek. The water never gets more than a few inches deep, so this is a perfect space for little ones to explore.

The splash pad is located next to the toddler playground. It’s a mid-sized splash pad consisting of circles of different sized fountains shooting water from the ground. It’s not a huge splash pad, but it compliments the creek nicely.

The not so greats

No shade. Although there are trees galore in Sharon Woods, there are very few in Sharon Woods Harbor. The ground and playground equipment can heat up quickly in the summer sun.  

Not much for crawlers. Although the ground in the playground area is solid surface rubber, Sharon Woods Harbor is not the spot for crawlers. There’s is not much on this playground to explore on the ground level and as I mentioned, ground heats up quickly – which can hurt little hands and knees.

Not many swings. There are only 2 swings at the Sharon Woods Harbor playground. Both swings are bucket swings, which means there are no regular swings for bigger kids or ADA swings.

Not fully fenced in. There is a fence that separates Sharon Woods Harbor from the parking lot, walking path and lake. However, there are some big gaps in the fence that made me nervous when my son was younger. The entrance way from the parking lot is quite large and does not have a gate. There is also a stairway by the snack bar area (and close to the splash pad) that leads down to the lake. These are the two biggest spots to be aware of if your kid has the tendency to take off running (we’ve all been there).

While the playground and splash pad at Sharon Woods Harbor are free, a Great Parks Annual Motor Vehicle Pass is required to enter the park. More info can be found on the Great Parks of Hamilton County website.

The water

The Otto Armleder Memorial Aquatic Sprayground has a huge surface area of sprayers that can accommodate a lot of kids (and parents). The sprayers are arranged in a large bullseye with an inner and outer circle of sprayers. This provides a large area to run around and through the water.

Different sized sprayers shoot water at different heights throughout the water area. It does not, however, have any fancy water cannons, spraying hoops to run through or any sort of theme. This sprayground is more akin to a giant sprinkler.

If you grew up in Cincinnati, you may remember Otto Armleder Memorial Aquatic Sprayground as the spot where you could play on the big concrete steps as water rushed down. Although those steps are now fenced off, this sprayground is still a lot of fun and is a great spot to cool down on those hot Cincinnati summer days.

The facilities

The Otto Armleder Memorial Aquatic Sprayground is completely fenced in, except for the 2 entrances – one on the park side and one on the street side. There is a ramp and a set of stairs leading in from the park side; there is no incline from the street entrance.

The men’s and women’s restrooms are located along the back wall of the sprayground. Although there is no specific changing room, there is a family restroom type set-up located in the same space as the women’s restroom. And guys, be prepared to get wet – there is really no way to avoid getting sprayed by water when walking to the men’s restroom.

The sprayground has plenty of seating, with a large concrete bench and stadium seating to the side of the fountains. There is also a big lawn area outside of the sprayground with an awesome view of the Ohio River that makes the perfect spot for a picnic.

Great Parks of Hamilton County Wet Playgrounds

The two Great Parks of Hamilton County Wet Playgrounds with entry fees (Winton Woods: Parky’s Ark and Woodland Mound: Parky’s Wetland Adventure) are CLOSED for summer 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, the splash pad and man-made creek at Sharon Woods Harbor will be open this summer and is tons of fun!

Liberty Center Splash Pad

As of the beginning of June 2021, the splash pad at Liberty Center in Liberty Township is undergoing maintenance and will be closed until further notice.