Miami Whitewater Forest

Awesome park! There’s a large playground and a wet playground for the summer months. There are some nice biking trails (the ones we went on were not particularly shaded, by the way). We saw a lot of horse riders, as well. We did not partake in the lake activities when we went, but certainly plan to in the future. Lovely, well-​kept park with activities for all ages.

I practically grew up here. When I was a kid my parents would take me to the water play park, and now as an adult, my husband and our dog go together.
The lake can get slammed during the warm days, so we like to go on stormy ones, after it’s rained.
We also LOVE their paved Shaker Trace trail and their hiking trails. Oakleaf will always be my favorite of their hiking trails, followed closely by Tallgrass.
When I was a kid, I would ride bikes with my dad on Shaker Trace, and one time he «made» me row him around the lake on a rented boat. I also remember picking out my favorite pedal boat based on the glitter color.
Not much has changed except for updates to their playgrounds and an addition of a giant dog park. And I like it that way. In 20 years, I hope this place is the same.
Whether you live in Cincinnati or Harrison, this place should be a destination for summer fun. It’s relaxing, well-​kept and almost-​free entertainment/​activity for the whole family.

Awesome place! Lots of activities for all ages. Cool playground with pirate ship for kids, boat house with boats and kayaks for family fun or a romantic date, snack bars and the trail! Amazing 7.6 mile outer loop and ~2 mile shorter inner loop, paved, well maintained trail. Really cool for biking, walking or jogging. There is lots of bugs there, so take the repellent! ;) It is particularly nice in the summer months, as you pass the fields of corn, forest and meadows with blooming flowers. When that is gone, the views are not so cool and it might be a bit boring, but it is still a nice opportunity to move a little :) Special note for butterfly lovers: you will have a blast, there is ton of them!

Clearly this park has a lot to offer. We visited the wet play area, but I know I’ll be back to explore the bike trails and view the wildlife with my curious 3 year old.
Since I mainly visited the wet playground, that’s what this review will focus on. Despite overcast skies and a light drizzle early in the morning, the wet playground opened for business. Talking to the lifeguards on duty, however, I discovered that on a day like that, usually they don’t open but they had 3 birthday parties scheduled for today, so they opened. Incidentally, none of the birthday parties showed… but they were good sports about it. So on days that the weather is ify, you may want to call ahead to make sure they’re opened. Anyway, we pretty much had the run of the place since it was an overcast/​drizzly day. The space is cute, but I think smaller than the one in Winton Woods. There’s also a large play structure just before you enter the wet play area that captured my son’s attention, with many many swings (his favorite), also nice.
Evidence that these people run a tight ship… one of my son’s friends had a poopy diaper that may or may not have leaked (it was unsure). They shut off the water and called in a cleaning crew who sprayed down the area with chlorine/​bleach, cleaned the general vicinity with a brush, and then hosed it all down. Basically standard operating procedure for a pool facility. The thing was, they were all so darn nice about it. The parents were slightly embarrassed, but the life guards and the cleaning crew were totally ‘it’s no big deal’ about it. Now this may gross some people out… believe you me, I bet this happens more than we’d like to know… but the fact that they dealt with it swiftly and with care really made me feel better about using the facility. Also, unlike the bathrooms at the Winton Woods wet playground, these bathrooms did not smell like a sewer.

What a great park. Miami Whitewater Forest has so much to offer. At 4,345 acres, Miami Whitewater Forest is the largest of the Hamilton County Parks.
A large newer playground. I was surprised the playground even has a handicap ramp that leads to a handicap boat. The wet playground is great. My kids had a blast. The cool water is perfect on a hot day! It is $ 3 per child or $ 7 for 3 kids under the age of 12, for the water park. Accompanying adults are free. Two kids get in free to the water park on the first day of the month for Hamilton County residence. The pirate theme at the water park was cute.
Boat house to rent boats and kayaks. Frisbee golf, fishing, golf course, horse trails, bike trails, and walking trails. Enjoy walking by the lake or on one of the many trails. There is a snack bar and nature center. I feel like I am leaving something out. This park has so much to offer. On our visit we barely scratched the surface. The hole ride home the kids were planning their next visit. I’m excited for our next visit too.
Want to check it out, but not pay for parking? May-​August, the first day of the month is free parking at all Hamilton County Parks. Several other freebees for Hamilton County residents on that day too. Check the Hamilton Co. Parks website (under events,) for details.

If you haven’t been, go! The Miami Whitewater Forest just might be the most gorgeous of all of the tri-​state park. It has all the amenities you could want… plus some.
There is a paved trail that has a short and long loop, which is great for biking, running, rollerblading, or just walking. There are also several well-​maintained hiking trails and a bridle trail. The lake area is beautiful, and there is plenty nearby to keep you busy. All right by the lake, there is fishing, boating, golf, a snack bar, the gift shop, a playground, and a splash park. The playground and splash park are newer, and my kids love to spend summer days running between the two.
My favorite part of Miami Whitewater, however, is venturing out to the Shaker Trace Wetlands. It’s designated as an important wildlife area, and especially on early mornings in spring, it’s easy to see why. There are birds of all kinds (particularly songbirds, waterfowl, and birds of prey), as well as frogs and turtles and other wetland creatures. You can take the paved trail out for a real adventure or park in the small (somewhat muddy) lot off Baughman Road and follow the grass path to the paved trail. There’s even a nice lookout shelter. Bring binoculars if you have them!
The park also has an endless supply of picnic tables, benches, shelters, and grassy areas, which means it is the perfect place to have a picnic. If you forgot to pack something, there is a nice, friendly-​staffed Marathon store just off the exit (south on Dry Fork Road). As well, the city of Harrison is close by with ample fast food, convenience stores, and even a Kroger.
At least near Cincinnati, I think Miami Whitewater Forest is as good as it gets. It’s a bit of a drive out I-​74, but it is well worth it. Just remember– it is still part of the Hamilton Country Park District, so you need a motor vehicle permit to enter.

I love to go running in this park. They have a paved trail that is relatively flat– good for beginner runners. Twice around it is roughly a 5k, so its great for people training for their first race. The trail is never overcrowded, even at peak times. People are polite and move out of the way for runners and bikers.
The scenery along the trail is very beautiful. It winds its way along a creek. The trail also continues around the lake by the main building. The best part is that there are bathrooms nearby!
If I had children, this would be a great place to take them. They have a huge playground, a water park in the summer, and lots of ducks to run after.
A great warm-​weather hangout for west siders!