Summit Lake Nature Center

Nature center

Discover history, community and nature during your visit to this location along the Towpath Trail.

Visit Summit Lake

Building Hours

Wednesday through Saturday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sunday: 12 to 5 p.m.
Closed Mondays & Tuesdays

Address

411 Ira Ave., Akron, OH 44301
330-864-8431

After the successful pilot of a pop-up nature center inside the Reach Opportunity Center at Summit Lake, in 2021 Summit Metro Parks established the permanent Summit Lake Nature Center inside an historic building that was once a pump house used for industrial purposes.

We are grateful to our project partners at Summit Lake including: City of Akron, Knight Foundation, Let’s Grow Akron, Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition, Ohio Department of Natural Resources and Summit Lake Build Corps.

Colorful interpretive displays cover the walls of a nature center.

Cultural and natural history displays inside Summit Lake Nature Center.

Several children run down a concrete path.

The nearby Towpath Trail provides a space to connect with nature.

Tall hydroponic stations and colorful desk chairs line the window-covered walls.

View of the upstairs program space at Summit Lake Nature Center.

Colorful displays cover the walls of a nature center.

Interior exhibits at Summit Lake Nature Center.

The nature center includes:

New ways to connect with nature within a healthy and thriving urban lake ecosystem
Exhibits highlighting the people and natural resources of the Summit Lake community
Free programming focused on wildlife education, urban gardening and water-based recreation
Live native animal displays
Easy access to the Towpath Trail, local bus service and Summit Lake

Looking for more to explore?

Nature Centers

Explore the park district’s other nature centers in Summit County.

See locations