Just a few miles north of RiverScape, where the Stillwater River flows into the Great Miami, is Island MetroPark, an urban oasis with a long Dayton history.
Its roots as a park were planted in the 19th century. Now the park is beautifully restored, and people from all over the area gather for community events, picnics or an afternoon of spotting fish, beavers and soft-shell turtles from the riverbanks, all under the shade of stately sycamore and maple trees. One of the reasons Dayton is a great place for people is because, beginning more than a century ago, conservationists left room to make it a great place for plants and animals, too. Island MetroPark is one of those places.
The restrooms, picnic shelters, playground area and band shell are ADA accessible. There are two parking spots for people with disabilities in the parking lot. Two of the public restrooms have an accessible stall. There is one drinking fountain that works well for accessibility and two others that have dog watering capabilities.
The Buckeye and North Country Trails pass through Island MetroPark. This section of the Buckeye Trail is part of a 1,440-mile continuous loop that completely encircles Ohio. The North Country National Scenic Trail stretches across seven states and will be 4,600 miles long when completed. These trails link and make historic and scenic features accessible and provide long-distance hiking. Learn more about the BT/NCT.
The Great Miami River Trail passes through Island MetroPark, where you can enjoy beautiful landscaped beds, myriad picnic shelters and fishing opportunities and a children’s sprayground and playground. Across the suspension bridge, you’ll find the intersection of the Great Miami River Trail and Stillwater River Trail. Visit Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark by riding straight through Triangle Park and along DeWeese Parkway, home to the Boonshoft Museum of Discovery. Or, take a right at the intersection to follow the Great Miami River Trail through north Dayton toward Taylorsville MetroPark.
The scenic beauty of the Stillwater River attracts paddlers and fishermen from all over the country. The river was designated as a state water trail in 2010. It flows through Englewood, Aullwood Garden, Wegerzyn Gardens, and Island MetroParks as well as a few protected conservation areas.
Learn more about the Stillwater River Water Trail
The Great Miami River is perfect for paddlers and offers miles of beautiful streamside forests. It was designated as a state water trail in 2010. It flows through Taylorsville, Island, Deed’s Point, RiverScape and Sunrise MetroParks as well as a few protected conservation areas. New whitewater features, called the RiverScape River Run, are further downstream downtown.
Learn more about the Great Miami River Water Trail