A new, 168-acre park containing some of Butler County's remaining old-growth forest will open this month.
Davidson Woods MetroPark, located between Hamilton and Oxford in Hanover Township, will have three walking trails and connect to the nearby Four Mile Creek.
One of the trails is ADA-accessible and leads to a bluff that overlooks Four Mile Creek.
MetroParks of Butler County first acquired the land in Hanover Township in 2007, Katie Ely-Wood, communications manager for MetroParks of Butler County, said in an email to The Enquirer. She said MetroParks held the undeveloped land until it got funding to create the park.
Park partly funded by Biden-era law
The agency received $450,000 in American Rescue Plan Act dollars, a Biden-era federal funding program, for the park. It also received a $369,839
Clean Ohio Grant.
MetroParks of Butler County is also using state and federal funds to upgrade three of its other parks.
Park will have 'a very different feel'
Davidson Woods has been "largely untouched by modern agriculture," according to the MetroParks website.
Ely-Wood said that this is MetroParks' first park in Hanover Township and it will "have a very different feel from any of our other parks."
"Davidson Woods contains some of the largest old-growth forest left in Butler County and has the feel of stepping into land that you might find at an Ohio State Park," Ely-Wood said.
Where is the Davidson Woods?
Davidson Woods MetroPark is located in Hanover Township, the midpoint between Hamilton and Oxford and around 38 miles north of Cincinnati. It's accessible at 1200 Hogue Road.
When will the park open?
MetroParks of Butler County will open up to visitors at 5 p.m. Oct. 22.
When can I visit?
After the grand opening Oct. 22, the park will be open from 8 a.m. until dusk each day.
What does it cost to visit?
The park is free to visit.
What can I do at Davidson Woods MetroPark?
Visitors can fish, kayak and paddle on Four Mile Creek. However, visitors must bring their own equipment because there isn't a place to rent at the park.
Ely-Wood said visitors can birdwatch, and it's a "great place to spot bald eagles."
Visitors can also hike on the park's three trails. Ely-Wood said the trails aren't paved, so visitors should bring hiking boots and poles and be prepared for mud.
They should also bring water because the park doesn't have a water fountain.
Where can I park?
Davidson Woods has a small parking lot located at 1200 Hogue Road.
Click here for a map of the park.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: New park in Butler County a 'great place to spot bald eagles'
