Recreation

Miami Valley Trails

Springfield offers countless miles of picturesque biking and hiking trails. Ride the Little Miami Scenic Trail to nearby Young's Jersey Dairy to enjoy their world-famous ice cream, and then continue on to charming Yellow Springs for boutique shopping and dining. Or, leave from downtown on the Buck Creek Scenic Trail which takes you into Buck Creek State Park which features boating on its 2100-acre lake, swimming, camping, fishing, hiking, and 26 two-bedroom cottages.

Locust Hills Golf Club

Locust Hills is a 36-Hole Public Golf Course. The two courses are the Maple and Locust. Both courses are golfer friendly and provides a fun experience to all skill levels. Locust Hills prides itself in great customer service and offering a family friendly atmosphere. PGA Golf Instruction is also available from resident pro Andrew Kitchen.

Rocky Lakes Golf Course

Rocky Lakes Golf Course in Springfield is like playing two courses in one. The shorter front nine is wide-open, offering a gentle start before moving on to the more slightly more demanding, par-36 back nine. Mature trees and water hazards come into play on the back as well as the occasional bunker.

Lower Valley Pike Scenic Byway

This meandering historic road features sweeping vistas, the sites of pioneer town New Boston, the Daniel Hertzler House and the Estel Wenrick Wetlands Park. Begins near the Ohio Masonic Home at US Route 40 in Springfield.

Springfield Country Club

Known as one of the finest private clubs in the region, the Springfield Country Club offers a wide variety of events and programs for men, women, juniors, couples and families. The Club features an 18-hole championship golf course designed by the renowned, Donald Ross.

Reid Park Golf Course

National Trail Parks and Recreation District is proud to offer our community 36-holes of golf at the Reid Memorial Golf Complex. This facility offers a unique challenge and layout to test your skills. We strive to maintain and operate quality courses while offering a variety of golfing opportunities for all ages and abilities at reasonable prices. Our courses are also a great place for hosting your fund-raising events or corporate golf outings.

National Golf Links

National Golf Links (NGL) would like to invite you to play a beautiful championship golf course designed by Jodi Kinney. National Golf Links opened as a family owned and operated 9 hole course in May of 1995. In May of 2000, NGL became an 18 hole course with a range of 5,100 yards from the red tees to 7,200 yards from the championship tees. The links style course provides a natural setting with rolling hills, creeks and ponds which gives it a European feel. The thick, lush fairways are a blue grass-rye combination and the large bent grass greens are undulated and true. There is a driving range as well as a pitching and putting green available for your convenience. We have often heard from our golfers that our course is a "hidden jewel."

Windy Knoll Golf Club

Windy Knoll Golf Club, established in 2001, is one of the newest in the Springfield area and an excellent addition to the rich golf tradition of Ohio. The links style course honors this tradition.

Estel Wenrick Wetlands

Spend an afternoon roaming 255 rich acres of high quality wetlands and woodlands. The wetlands is a refuge for wildlife and features many thriving species of Ohio waterfowl, including the blue heron. Trails provide paths through the preserve so that hikers, bird watchers, and nature lovers can enjoy and explore this undisturbed natural environment.

Mad River Adventures

Mad River Adventures offers canoe, kayak, and tubing trips on the cool, clear waters of the Mad River. These family friendly trips can be tailored to people wanting to spend all day or just an hour or two on the water. Bring a picnic or your fishing gear and have a great time on the river!

Mad River Trout Stream

Ohio’s oldest trout stream is the Mad River. Stocking of this river began in the late 1800s with the introduction of brook trout. Then in 1884, rainbow trout were introduced to the stream; and in 1931, ODNR switched to stocking brown trout in the stream. Today the stream is stocked annually with 6”-8” brown trout to supplement the population. Fly fishing is good on the Mad River, as there are good hatches of mayflies, caddis flies, and other popular trout foods throughout the spring, summer, and fall months.

Glen Helen Nature Preserve

Glen Helen is the legacy of alumnus Hugh Taylor Birch, who, in 1929, donated the wooded glen to Antioch College in memory of his daughter, Helen. With this gift, the College accepted the responsibility of preserving the land in perpetuity. Additional gifts expanded the preserve, which now encompasses 1000 acres, all accessible from a 25-mile network of footpaths.

Springfield Splash Zone Waterpark

Springfield's Splash Zone Waterpark is family fun for everyone including: Over 400 feet of water slides, a 280-foot lazy river, water vortex, sprayground, 25-yard competition pool, 2 one-meter diving boards, zero-depth beach entry, and Ohio's first bowl slide!

Markin Farms Zipline Adventure

Enjoy the beauty of our 90 acre farm with your choice of several zipline packages. We offer both Sunset & Twilight zips which offer beautiful sunsets and spectacular views of the night sky. Nothing compares to the sights & thrills of our canopy tour high above the trees.

John Bryan State Park

In addition to the traditional camping and hiking, John Bryan State Park offers many other recreational opportunities! Nature lovers will be in paradise at John Bryan. The diverse flora and fauna include over 100 different species of trees and shrubs and over 340 species of wild flowers. More than 90 different varieties of birds call John Bryan State Park home and share the area with white-tail deer, beaver, coyotes, gray squirrels, fox squirrels, and even an occasional white squirrel! Hike any of the ten different trails found in the park, or just lounge in any of the four picnic areas at John Bryan to get a peek of the abundant wildlife.

Clifton Gorge

This 268-acre preserve protects one of the most spectacular dolomite and limestone gorges in the state. Registered as a National Natural Landmark in 1968, Clifton Gorge encompasses a 2-mile stretch of the Little Miami State and National Scenic River, just east of John Bryan State Park.

Geologically, it is an outstanding example of interglacial and post-glacial canyon cutting. At one point, the river funnels through a deep, narrow channel, which was apparently formed by the enlarging and connecting of a series of potholes in the resistant Silurian dolomite bedrock. In other sections of the gorge, cliff overhangs have broken off forming massive slump blocks scattered along the valley floor.

Buck Creek Nature Park

Buck Creek Nature Park is located directly behind Carleton Davidson Stadium at 1101 Mitchell Blvd. The Park is adjacent to Buck Creek and includes wildflower gardens and multiple active play areas for children.

Snyder Park

Located just blocks from downtown, Snyder Park was established in 1895 as a gift from local businessmen and philanthropists John and David Snyder. Designed by noted landscape architect Herman Haerlin, Snyder Park is known as Springfield's "Central Park".

The park includes whitewater features, biking & hiking trails, historic architectural structures and an all-inclusive playground.

NTPRD Chiller

The coolest place for family fun in Springfield! Chiller's regulation ice surface offers public ice skating, skating and hockey classes, youth and college hockey and special events.

Ohio Caverns

Ohio Caverns is one of Ohio's most popular tourist attractions. The caverns remain a steady 54 degrees year round featuring some of the most unique formations in America. Guests from around the world come to experience the 35 acre park for an all-day family fun adventure.

Biking and Hiking

Springfield offers countless miles of picturesque biking and hiking trails. Ride the Little Miami Scenic Trail to nearby Young’s Jersey Dairy to enjoy their world-famous ice cream, and then continue on to charming Yellow Springs for boutique shopping and dining. Or, leave from downtown on the Buck Creek Scenic Trail which takes you to Buck Creek State Park.

ECO Sports Corridor Whitewater Park

Thanks to the removal of low-head dams and some significant in-stream improvements, Springfield's Buck Creek is now whitewater country. The ECO Sports Corridor features four recreational whitewater kayaking areas including a large-scale “park & play” area in Snyder Park. Visitors from all over the Midwest have been drawn to Springfield to experience this unique downtown whitewater site.

Young's Jersey Dairy

Whether you want to play a round of miniature golf with the family, hit the batting cages, enjoy a relaxing dinner, visit the petting zoo, or get a world-famous ice cream cone, Young’s Jersey Dairy is your destination. Complete your visit to Young’s with a trip to the gift shop. With fun for all ages, Young’s has been a favorite among local families – and nearly 1.5 million annual visitors - for years!

Buck Creek State Park

The park's recreational facilities center on the 2,120-acre lake, offering endless water-related opportunities including boating, water skiing, fishing and swimming. The park also includes campsites, cottages, endless hiking trails and beautiful picnic spots.