Springfield Bog Metro Park - Summit Metro Parks

Since its opening in 2011, visitors to Springfield Bog Metro Park have watched as native plants transformed this former farmland into thriving prairie.

The restoration of this valuable habitat is based on historical surveys of Ohio, which showed prairies near other natural features found within the park: the Continental Divide and bogs. The divide, which spans the entire state, runs through the park and separates water flow, directing water to the north toward Lake Erie and water to the south toward the Ohio River.

Young’s Bog, located on the southern end of the park, is named after the Young family which settled on the land in 1877. These wetlands once produced huckleberries that drew enthusiastic pickers all the way from Canton, Akron and areas north via the Akron-Canton Interurban Railway until commercial picking stopped in the 1950s.

Now, visitors can enjoy watching native blooms burst with color, and look for the many bugs, grassland birds and other wildlife taking advantage of the vast prairie.

Explore the park

Springfield Bog Metro Park offers plenty of beautiful scenery and landscapes for you to explore. The park is open 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., unless otherwise noted. Don’t forget to review the provided key to prepare for your visit.

*Flat, easy trail or section with asphalt or crushed limestone surface. ** Rugged and challenging with uneven surfaces and steep, narrow routes

Prairie Trail

Activities & Amenities: Scenic hiking Pet Friendly Picnic Tables Restrooms

Trail Icon

Trail Name

Length

Class

Rating

Prairie Trail

1.6mi

C

1

This easy trail leads visitors through a now thriving prairie where during summer and fall, a variety of wild sunflowers, asters and grasses make for a kaleidoscope of color. You can enjoy the view from two observation platforms: one to look over Young’s Bog and the other to look out on the manmade “baby bog.”