So I'll be the first to admit, this park used to be scary... now that the surrounding area has been built up more it seems more traffic is coming to and from the area. This 90-acre park near the University of Cincinnati includes hiking trails, a fishing lake, a historic bandstand, playgrounds, shelters, picnic areas and a disc golf course?! I went through here the other day to catch the foliage at Cincy's peak and it was spectacular. A great place for a stroll or a picnic when bringing family or friends down to the beautiful gaslight district in Clifton. It feels crazy to me that this big of a park is located in such an urban area. It felt like being back in New England for a hot second. Definitely recommend checking it out during the day vrs. at night. read more

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Located a short walk from the University of Cincinnati. Burnet Woods is a nice escape. While on the smaller side, my family and I enjoyed this park. It was created in 1940 by the WPA. One of the areas leading down to picnic area gives patrons the option to take the stairs or the slide. I was surprised how many adults chose the slide. At that point there is also a marker "WPA 1940." There are a couple of hiking trails, that would be easily overlooked if one doesn't venture far enough to the left or right from the picnic area. Just like the park itself, these are fairly short trails. Most of the people at the park looked to be college students. As we were about to leave a few more people with younger children started to arrive. We saw one man fishing. One down side is that we had to drive around to find parking. The sides by the campus are by permit only. After driving around we found the street that went into the middle of the park. No permit required, though it does say "2 hr. parking." read more

Burnet Woods - Take the stairs or the slide. - Parks Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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Throughout college, Burnet Woods always had a bit of a reputation of being sketchy, maybe a place to keep your wits about you. Generally speaking, I think that reputation has gotten a lot better. In fact, I feel like the remote nature of the park gives it some of its charm. If you're walking the trails, perhaps consider your timing or going with a friend. There's also a frisbee golf course here as well, though I've never used it, so I cannot comment on its quality. Burnet woods definitely doesn't have a ton of pizazz, so don't go expecting the most robust park, but there's a lot of great untouched greenspace. The greenspace also allows for some great wildlife. When here for a picnic, I've seen deer just feet away, always really cool to get in some quality time with nature. I've also seen outdoor events (yoga, etc.) by the gazebo before too. If you're in need of some green space, I'd definitely recommend checking it out! read more

Located next to the University of Cincinnati campus, Burnet Woods serves as large green space for the people of Clifton to enjoy and use to escape from urban life. Although the park is not super large, there is a lake, playground, picnic area, and areas for bikers and runners to take advantage of. However, it does remain a lot to be desired. Being in the area it is in, I just feel that Burnet Woods could offer a lot more than what it does. Whether it be, more/updated features, or more trails, I am not really sure honestly. It just seems like something is missing to me. In addition, Burnet Woods can be a little sketchy during the wee hours of the night, but hey, so can most parks located in urban environments. Bottom line: If you are in or live in Clifton, Burnet Woods is a decent play to enjoy a little greenery, However, if you are thinking about making a trip just to see this park, I would probably think again and visit one of our city's other wonderful green areas. read more

I've lived walking distance from Burnet Woods for the past year. I've walked through it a few times alone (not recommended...) and with my boyfriend, I've run through it many times during nice weather, and I've been to a yoga event there once. But, I did these things because of proximity and lack of other options, not because this is an amazing park... because it's not. My favorite urban parks in the US exist in Boston, where I lived and enjoyed reading, knitting, listening to music, etc. in Boston Common and the Public Garden. I also love Bryant Park and Washington Square Park in New York City. These parks are much cleaner with a more welcoming demographic of regulars. All of the parks in Clifton, Corryville, and many neighborhoods in northern Cincinnati are similar in their sketchiness. Although, as previously mentioned, I've been in Burnet Woods alone a few times, I highly recommend walking in pairs or a small group (yes, even during the day). I've witnessed drug deals, fights, cosplay (well at least THAT was hilarious)... even an episode of Police Women of Cincinnati took place in Burnet Woods (where a hooker brought an undercover cop). Being far away from the nicer Cincinnati parks (Sawyer Point, Friendship, etc.) Burnet is... an option. Either bike, drive, or hop on a bus to some parks that have great views, open areas, and a more welcoming crowd, or walk down the street to Burnet and experience the opposite. read more

This park is quite an asset to Clifton. My boyfriend always warns me against Burnett Woods because of a certain unsavory element that appears at night. But during the day this park has a little bit of everything. A few playgrounds, grills, trails, and a lake. This park also has enough hills to really get your heart pumping as you walk or run through. This park is quite large for a city green space and I see something new every time I go. I really enjoy the flowers and trees as they come alive in the Spring. Plus this park has tons of wild chives, Urban Foragers. read more

Went on a small daytime hike to take some pictures with a photography group. Close walk to the university of Cincinnati, and places to eat as well. Not sure if I would walk alone in the area , seemed very dark and not too many lights around. read more

Burnet Woods - Parks Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

This is a good daytime park- but not on the trails if you are solo. This is a very pretty park, but it is also very urban- so if you visit it do so with a group of friends. The main road and outside are ok but I would not walk the paths alone due activities which could be ongoing. Still, it's nice from the outside and perhaps a sanctuary for wildlife. read more

Just came here for the first time since I had some time to kill before going to the VA. Every spot was parking by permit only. The pond seemed nice but smelled rancid. read more

Nestled in the heart of Clifton, Burnet Woods features a lake on one end of the park, a playground on the other, and a bandstand in the middle. There are plenty of walking trails, both paved and dirt. I like how the playground sits in a giant pit below street level. The concrete slide that lines the stairwell is a creative touch and looks like it would be a ton of fun in the winter. Having a greenspace in this dense urban area is wonderful, especially for all the UC students. I do agree with Jessica K., that this park is best visited in pairs. I've seen belongings of homeless folks in the wooded areas, so it's best to remain vigilant. Definitely avoid Burnet Woods at night. The bandstand is often used for weddings, however I would advise against it. I recently attended a ceremony here. The path to the bandstand is extremely long, which makes it awkward for the bride's entrance. Also, the surrounding trees were dropping acorns during the procession. There wasn't a good view of the ceremony unless you sat directly on the aisle. Even then, with the bridal party lined along the stairs, it was hard to watch what was going on. Lastly, there were several piles of wildlife feces around the bandstand. The park is not groomed for wedding ceremonies; it just comes as nature delivers. If you're a Clifton resident in search of some greenery, go here. However, I wouldn't go out of my way to stroll through Burnet Woods. Viewing Time: 90 minutes read more

Located between Ludlow Avenue, Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, and Clifton Avenue, this park is a central location in the neighborhood of Clifton. This park offers several fun activities and is a decent size compared to some of Cincinnati's other parks. The wooded areas of the park have trails that lead around through them and back. There is a small pond in the center with a walkway only around half of the length. Next to the pond are swings and a play set. I think there is also some sort of Nature Center by the pond. Near the corner of Clifton and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive is a sculpture structure that features a series of blocks of different heights that is really fun to climb all over. The frisbee golf course may be one of the most popular activities in the park. It's not a very large course, but offers some variances in difficulty. My favorite trail is the one that leads from the corner of Clifton and Ludlow Avenue and follows along a creek parallel with Ludlow. It is a beautiful park that is not to be missed. It's always been a great place to hang out for people who live in the city. Growing up I could be found in this park often after school. With it's location next to the Ludlow Gaslight district there is a good chance of seediness to be found. I would recommend going when there is plenty of sunlight! read more

Burnet woods is a nice park stuck in the middle of the sprawling urban setting of Clifton. It's a really gorgeous park that doesn't seem to be frequented as much as it should. There is a beautiful Gazebo on the southern side of the park by Ludlow and Clifton that is often used for different sorts of meetings and events. The pond in the middle is a great place to relax and there are often people walking along it. You can also find a Frisbee golf course inside the park that is great. My one piece of advice is to be careful when walking through it because some cars come racing through it and use it as a shortcut. read more

Friends of ours got married over the weekend in the Bandstand, and it was fantastic! The elevated structure made it easy for all of the guests to watch the ceremony, and it was easy to find. That being said, it's definitely not one of the prettiest parks in Cincinnati, and would benefit from some flowers. Any flowers. read more

I haven't fully explored this urban jungle in its entirety, but from what I've seen, I really like it. Granted, you may have heard some of the nasty rumors (some sadly true) about this place, but overall, this is a great park to have in the city (at least during the day). I have jogged through here and find the rolling hills challenging and nature setting very calming. I have also photographed a wedding at the gazebo area and really liked the setup and long pathway that leads to it. The only tips I can recommend are that you park your car in an actual legal spot (some places are for permit holders only) and that you have NOTHING in your car in view. Be safe, smart, and go with a few friends and enjoy this place! read more

Burnet Woods - Big lake...in Clifton? Yes. - Parks Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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This is a nice place to walk through if your a UC student looking to quickly get out of the hustle and bustle of Clifton. And it's much nicer to walk through the park to get to Ludlow Avenue than walk along busy Clifton Avenue. In college I routed many of my jogs through Burnet Woods just to get away from the traffic. There are also some decent picnic areas. However, this is not one of Cincinnati's nicer parks. There are a lot of roads running through the eastern portion and drivers tend to go way too fast. The pond is a little scummy. The hiking trails are not very pretty. And, I would never walk through here after dark. It was nice to have some quiet green space as a college student, but this isn't a place I would make a special trip to now that I've graduated. read more

We've enjoyed and gotten a lot of use as a family out of Burnet Woods, thanks to its proximity and size. Things to like: 1) The lake. While we're not much into fishing, it's the only place nearby that I know of that both allows fishing and doesn't require a fishing licensce. It's restocked once a year, I believe. The best part of the lake, in my opinion, is the side closest to UC. It becomes more of a wetlands, with lots of different wildlife. It's an excellent place to catch (and release) tadpoles. 2) The Nature Center. Even with budget cuts, the park naturalist, Mr. Mike (as the kids call him) does a good job of conducting different programs here. There is a particularly historic planetarium that's used for shows throughout the year inside, and usually weekend activities in the main room throughout the year (although the aforementioned budget cuts will doubtlessly have an impact on this.) The building, built by the WPA, is itself lovely. 3) The concrete slide. Right next to the Nature Center is a WPA-built slide (1940, I believe) that's seen generations of use. While even with a coating it can be a little rough on the seat of your pants, it's still a lot of fun. My wife went down it when she was a little kid, and I spoke with a lady in her 70's who could remember getting in trouble with her mother when she'd come home with holes in her pants after sliding down many, many times. 4) The trails. With the city all around, it's still possible to drown out some of the traffic and various noises and have some quiet nature time hiking the trails here. They're well marked, and there's a trail guide (not that you really need it) available in the Nature Center. 5) The bandstand. Shakespeare in the park on a real bandstand! Not as wonderful: 1) The playgrounds. There are two playgrounds, both of which are pretty plain. The lower playground, near the Nature Center, only has swings. The upper playground is fairly small and has some climbing equipment. However, it sometimes has a bad vibe to it, particularly when there are random people sitting in their cars in the parking lot nearby for no apparent reason. It'd be nice if the city would bring a larger playset, similar to the one at Mt. Storm, to the lower playground...there's definitely demand for it. read more

I don't like how this park is always abandoned. I don't feel like it's a safe place for families. There's never any families around to play with. Thank God the bathrooms are always locked! Cincinnati is not a family friendly place. There aren't any neighborhood playgrounds and despite the beauty of this park, they're way too many adults around the playground area. read more

Great place to take a walk and hang out with friends! Love going sledding there when it's snowy out. Glad it's a part of UC's campus!