Best of the West(side)

There is so much to love about West Fork Park. Located in Green Township, this park has play areas for the littlest ones up through elementary school age. It is completely fenced in and the play surface is solid rubber or artificial turf – so no need to worry about dirt or mulch. This playground is worth the drive from any part of town.

West Fork Park Playground Highlights

• Great for all ages – from crawlers to bigger kids
• No mulch – play areas are solid rubber surface or artificial turf
• Fully fenced-in, plus ample parking
• On-site restrooms
• Two shaded picnic spots with plenty of tables
• Cool features include a maze, playhouse for crawlers, musical instruments, zip line, artificial turf hill with built-in tunnels and slides, and a giant, 3-story play structure for bigger kids

Overview

Enter the playground through the gate to the right of the asphalt drive (remember, it’s fully fenced-in). To the right of the gate, you will see a rainbow maze surrounded by built-in features such as gumdrop steps and racing lanes. Next to the maze is the little kid play area, featuring structures for crawlers and toddlers. To the right of this area are the restrooms and two more gates. Behind this area are built-in musical instruments and the zip line. Beyond the maze you can find the artificial turf hill, big kid climbing structure, climbing rock, picnic areas and swings. There is a LOT to do here!

For the littlest littles

I love that West Fork Park has an area for toddler and crawlers. There aren’t many outdoor play options in Cincinnati when your child isn’t walking yet, so having a piece of playground equipment dedicated to crawlers makes this place extra special. Nestled under a large umbrella, this spot features a little play house about a step off the ground. There is a ramp and step to access inside, and interactive features throughout. Just steps away is a larger play house for toddlers to enjoy.

For bigger kids

The main climbing structure for bigger kids is huge! It consists of three main sections connected by bridges. While this area is labeled for ages 5-12, my son can navigate it seamlessly at age 3. I really like that it has different access points (regular stairs, a ladder that looks like bear prints, etc.), but it’s not so open that you worry about your child falling off the side. There are also slides at different levels, so you don’t have to stress about getting your child to the very top to enjoy the slide down.

The three-story tower looks intimidating, but the top level can only be accessed by ladder inside of the tower and is fully enclosed up top. Still, this level is probably best for kids who can navigate up there on their own. The tower also features a tunnel that goes outside of the main climbing structure – a feature I find a little nerve-wracking but my little daredevil loves!

Separately, there is a little rock climbing structure and zip line for older kids. The artificial turf hill and maze areas are great for most ages – but I’d skip them if your child isn’t walking yet.

The not so greats

The bathroom situation. While it’s always awesome to have on-site restrooms at a playground, my biggest gripe about West Fork Park is the bathroom situation. There is only one that faces the playground and is within the fence – and it’s the Men’s restroom. To access the women’s restroom, you have to go out of the gate and around to the backside of the building. This makes no sense to me! To have to drag your child out of the playground and disappear around the corner to use the bathroom is inconvenient at best. I do not understand this set-up, but it irks me every time I need to go!

The swings. This park has swings, just not a ton of them. There are a handful of regular swings, one bucket swing, and one inclusive swing. Something to keep in mind if you have a swing-obsessed child like me.

No sand, no water. While there are a TON of features at this playground, there is not a sandbox or any water features. Which could be good or bad – depending on your kiddo and how that particular day is going.

Very sunny. This park is not very shady, despite its location nestled in the woods. However, the little kids area and picnic spots are covered by large umbrellas.

---

Overall, this is a great little playground with a ton to do! I love that there are play structures for crawlers, as well as bigger kids. West Fork Park is located on the westside of Cincinnati, but it’s worth the drive from any part of town.

West Fork Park is located in Green Township and can be found at 4764 W Fork Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45247