How fortunate are the residents of Louisville to have this beautiful 554 acre State Park and lovely green space at their doorstep. Pickle Ball brought us here today, and we were pleased with availability in this beautiful setting. Other offerings include: *Playground near the tennis/pickleball courts *Soccer fields *BMX *Running, hiking, walking trails (dogs must be leashed) *Dog park And much more! The park states it closes at 10 p, m. read more

We visit Tom Sawyer Park on occasion. Tonight we brought our dinner to the park and sat on lawn chairs in the grass. There was also a wood bench in the area. The grass was quite wet and slightly muddy. It had been cut recently. The park offers a playground and swimming pool. We enjoyed the trails, both paved and gravel. The trees are mature and plentiful. There are restrooms usually open and available. There are plenty of trash cans too. Suggestions are to repair the benches to make them more usable and offer more picnic tables in good condition. read more

Five stars for E. P. Tom Sawyer State Park. This place has become one of my favorite spots to just reset for a bit. Tons of open space to walk and clear your head, and the trails are easy to enjoy whether you want a quick stroll or a longer walk. Everything felt clean and well taken care of, which always makes a difference. I also loved how peaceful it was even with other people around. Perfect place to get outside, get some steps in, and just enjoy the day. Definitely coming back again. read more

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This place is great! Grew up in Anchorage around the corner. They have everything from a great pool, trails, fitness course, gym, indoor volleyball/basketball, tennis, and motocross bike course. Even haunted woods, or so some say... Enjoy all it has to offer for all ages and interests. read more

Was in town for the day and needed a place to walk my dog. It was a nice place with a couple of nice trails. There was a cross country meet going on and most everything g was closed down for the season but we had a pleasant visit. read more

This is a great place to take a walk in a wooded area. Sure, there's large soccer fields, an archery course, etc. but I prefer the number of natural wooded paths that gives a sense of peace and quiet. As an added bonus near the archery course is the remnants of the old Central State Hospital Cemetery that is both historic and somber. read more

E.P. Tom Sawyer State Park - A headstone at the remnants of the old Central State Hospital Cemetery. - Parks Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

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It's been a long, long time! We came before the start of Spring so the trees were still naked but it didn't take away from exploring the walking trails. Two are available and I'm fairly sure we kept combining them during right- and left-hand turns. My favorite part was the creek bubbling next to the path. So pretty. I'm going to come back when the trees have filled in. The park is huge and offers a variety of activities: playground, soccer goals, archery targets, shelters for picnics and plenty of area to toss down a blanket for reading. An activities center touts swimming, basketball and pickle ball. Some areas require a paid entry and some are able to be rented, including the outdoor shelters. The park offers a massive parking lot! You can access it from its main entrance and also a smaller parking lot off Hurstbourne. Dogs welcome and must be leashed at all times. Bathrooms located near the shelter and activities center. read more

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This park is good but I'm not sure why this is considered a state park. We come here often just because it's not a far drive from where we live. It is big park with a good mount of stuff like trails, a playground, courts and a pool. It's always crowded because it's a popular spot for cross country practices and they always practice where people are walking so you have to be mindful. I have a bucket list to visit every state park in Kentucky and I realized this one is not as nice as some of the other ones that I have been to. There is no dining hall, horseback riding, lodges or boat rentals. It's a good spot to go to if you are visiting Louisville but I always think about how people may be disappointed in making a drive to Tom Sawyer and realize it's not that great. If you're in the area, it's fine but don't expect a big experience when you come to tom Sawyer read more

We always enjoy coming to Tom Sawyer to walk with our dogs, or to go to the dog park! This park has different trails you can walk/hike, multiple playgrounds, various sports facilities, and more! We love coming here to walk and our pups love it too! The park is always well maintained and looks nice. There is a lot of parking here as well! read more

E.P. Tom Sawyer State Park - Parks Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

I love this park. It's conveniently located and I'm a competitive tennis player so I play here frequently (they had 12 courts) but with the recent surface removal of the back 6 courts, I'm having to make other arrangements. A few years ago I had heard rumors of pickleball courts being proposed, along with reservations and fees, but I haven't heard what the latest plans are. It's a sad thing to see as those courts are full after 4 on suitable days, and high schools have been playing there as well. Maybe they'll at least add lights since they downsized, but I'm not expecting much. Regardless, I will still walk the beautiful trails, and enjoy everything else it has to offer. A bonus is the radio controlled airplane airport that my nephew loves! **Most of my photos were taken this past fall** read more

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What an awesome park! It's insanely huge and there was so much to explore! They've pretty much got everything here: soccer fields, volleyball nets, indoor gym, GIGANTIC pool and walking trails. This park is home to the Goose Creek Trail, which is about 1.25 miles and tons of fun to go through. Their pool is open to the public and they also have swim fitness classes for deep and shallow water. If you're into sports, they've got some tournaments you can sign up for. read more

E.P. Tom Sawyer State Park - Parks Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

One of the nicest park facilities in the County. They have numerous walking trails, fields for soccer, baseball, softball, Lacrosse and even an Olympic size swimming pool. My Granddaughter plays Lacrosse for Assumption High School and they had a game today with another local High School so we decided to go and watch. The fields were in fair shape and could use some repairs It is such a nice facility that we'll return soon and take advantage of the trails for some hiking activity. read more

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After an Elite Yelp event in the area we decided to hike the park. It was a chilly day but we bundled up and were fine after we got going. We parked at the soccer fields and walked the Goose Creek Trail. It was well traveled and maintained but with all the rain/snow we have had it was quite muddy in places. My major complaint was the trail appeared to be well marked but did not follow the same trail directions I was using on All Trails. This trail is mostly all flat, so an easy hike. It runs along the creek that that is nice to be able to stop along the way and see/hear the rushing water. Another plus were the benches that were scattered along the trail. That is always a plus to be able to sit and enjoy nature. A lot of the trail runs along some major road so most of the time we could hear traffic, again not a plus when walking. Plenty of parking at the soccer fields but I would not drive out of my way to hike here. read more

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This park is very large. Tons of room to walk and run and play and whatever. It's very clean. It's in a great area. It's a state park instead of a city park. I'm not sure what that means except maybe the employees are paid by Kentucky instead of the city? And it's maintained by the state instead of the city? Don't know. Doesn't matter. Love it. Huge and gorgeous. They have an archery area if you care. I don't, but some might. Really nice tennis courts. The dog park is awesome. Huge and clean and nice. Have to have a pass, though. You can get the pass from Feeder's Supply. Visit the park. Have a picnic. Make sure you check schedules in advance. They sometimes have cross country events out here that may disrupt your having a good time. read more

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This is not just a park. It is a multi-sport complex and water park. This place is huge. It has basketball courts, tennis courts, baseball fields, a fitness trail, an archery range, a play ground and a BMX track. The grounds are well maintained, which is very impressive considering the vast amount of a acreage it covers. There is ample parking available across two parking lots. It appears that you need a permit to play on the fields, so you just cannot roll up and play a soccer game. They also have park benches and picnic tables scattered around the park and pavilions are available for rent. Entry into the park is free, but it may cost to play on some of the fields or rent a pavilion. There is also a fee to enter the pool/water park area, if it is even open. The park is mostly peaceful, with the exception of the occasional person talking loudly on their cell phone while they are walking the trail. There are porta-potty all over the place as well as a few bathroom structures. The fitness trail says it is a mile loop, but it seemed longer than that. It's keep going and going, There is a little workout area along the trail too. I really loved this park. It is very tranquil and soothing and I will definitely be back. read more

After a week of being stuck indoors with a horrible cold/flu, I had a raging case of cabin fever and the need to become one with Mother Nature. Tom Sawyer was the closest park to our home and we ended up there. WOW!!! I am ashamed of myself that this beautiful park has been in my back door for the past 3 years and I have never ventured into its paths of wonder! I have a sneaky feeling that I will be back often as it is huge and has so very much to offer. I saw soccer fields, volleyball nets, an actual paved landing strip for remote control planes (how cool is that!), picnic tables/sheds, children's play areas, and so much more!! There are several walking paths with plenty of benches for when you feel the need to stop and rest or reflect. I enjoyed the serenity and peacefulness of ambling along several paths today. I can't wait to come back again! read more

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A Fantastic state park Located three miles from I 265 and Westport Rd. Great place to enjoy an afternoon So many attractions. It has more things to do the any other park in Metro Louisville. So much to do for all ages. Pet friendly park - fenced. ( all other park areas pets allowed, but must be on a leash at all times ) Indoor swimming pool. Sports--from just about every ball sport there is. There is even archery, walking trails plus a true BMX course! Beautiful walking paths meandering through wooded scenic trails with benches to rest or reflect on nature. There are several different areas with different offerings. The Hayes/ Sawyer portion has a hall for special occasions. ( Check for availability ). Each area has its own entrances, all with ample parking. Truly a diamond in the rough! read more

E.P. Tom Sawyer State Park - Parks Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

*Insert Stefon Voice* This place has everything: a pool, running trails, hiking trails, a skate park, fields and courts, archery....and a creepy tunnel that used to be part of an old sanatarium. Seriously, though. It is pretty all-encompassing. The trails are lovely and there are beautiful and also weird things to see. It's a bit of a drive for me to get to, but it is certainly worth it! read more

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We planned a lunch stop at Tom Sawyer State Park on a road trip to Tennessee. We chose this park for the number of 5 star Yelp reviews detailing how dog friendly this park is. The park had plenty of parking and easy access to all the features. The dog park was spacious and well taken care of. There were some other dogs and their owners but since the area is so large it did not feel overly crowded. The walking trail is about a mile long and a pretty easy stroll with beautiful scenery along the way. As a mom you are always keeping an eye out for clean bathroom facilities for your children and Tom Sawyer State Park definitely does a great job with this. We were so impressed that we also stopped at this park on our way home. read more

Spacious area that I frequent alone or with my dog. Lots of land to walk or jog with friendly community members who acknowledge one another when passing. I enjoy visiting this park for a light to moderate cardio session. read more

Such a great spot for a nature walk. Lots of trails. Perfect for a picnic. Lots of sport activities. Beautiful scenery. Easy parking. Not accessible by sidewalk. I tried walking there and you have to walk down a busy road with no side walk. read more

I love this place. I run here regularly. There are some great running/hiking trails. A crushed stone 1mike walking path, soccer fields, bmx path, softball fields, tennis courts a pool.... What more do you want if you wanna be outdoors. I love the fact that if I run at dusk I almost always see deer. It gives you a back woods type of feel while still being in the city. It's also not over run with people like some of the parks. As many times as I've been I still like exploiting the trails and the different ways they connect. Very unique! read more

E.P. Tom Sawyer State Park - Parks Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

I grew up visiting this park, as it's only about a mile or so away from my parents' house. It's a nice park, but definitely has a lot of open green space but not a whole lot of trees (well, at least along the regular walking path). Lots of garbage litters the trail as well... Maybe it would help if they put more than one garbage can along the walking path. Also, how long has this park been here that they haven't paved the walking path... A few decades or so? It used to be gravel, but the gravel has literally been walked into dust - it needs some attention badly. It'll stick with my nice Lexington area parks, thank you very much. read more

E.P. Tom Sawyer State Park - Was unaware that the regular walking loop was bike unfriendly. - Parks Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

I love this park for the 1 mile gravel walking loop and the picnic spots. Nothing beats the smell of a charcoal barbecue when I'm walking my dog, and it makes me think of the lazy days of summer when I was a kid and the 3 month break seemed an eternity. Like many others have said, the Goose Creek Trail can be confusing, and I usually take a wrong turn on it at some point. Just goes to show I need a few more times of walking the puppy around this place to get my bearings. I'm already looking forward to the next nice weekend so I can hang around in Tom Sawyer and take a relaxing stroll! read more

Junior Olympic-sized pool, a dog park,(accessible with a permit), trails, the seemingly annual "Chocolate 5k," charcoal grills, archery...and more! Its an expansive park with a lot to do. Of course, there's a playground too. (By the dog park). The pool is CASH only and there's a small food and drink stand. Beware of the locker rooms...filthy! The pool itself is very nice, as is the dog park. read more

E.P. Tom Sawyer State Park - Pool! - Parks Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

Great park to visit with the family & pup! I usually just come here to walk various trails w/ our dog.She gets very excited to come here.Love the trees in the fall. Always see lots of people enjoying BBQ'S & walking cute dogs, working out, playing sports, dog training,etc read more

E.P. Tom Sawyer State Park - Tom Sawyer park - Parks Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

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My "get away" while in the city. Being from the country, I often miss the sight of woods and fields while living in the city. That's why I am so thankful for this park. Its very large. I'm not sure of the actual acreage but you can spend a whole day walking over all the trails and fields and not hit the same spot twice. It has a multitude of things to do for every type of person. They have soccer, baseball, softball, and football fields. They have tennis courts. There is an archery range. There is a really nice BMX course that is open to the public. There are a few playgrounds for children as well. My favorite part are the numerous hiking trails through the woods. They meander throughout all of the wooded areas and fields and enable you to venture far away from civilization and see creek's and ponds and plenty of wildlife. read more

E.P. Tom Sawyer State Park - Parks Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

I absolutely love this park. It has it all. Wooded trails, tennis courts, a recreation center, running/walking paths, grassy areas, and so much more. I've been coming here for years with my dogs and it's such a great place to go walking. They have loops that are marked with mileage or you can run through their hiking paths for more of a challenge. This park is extremely dog friendly. Off to the side, they even have a dog park. Note, you will need to be a member and have your dogs vaccinated before entering, but it's not that expensive and it totally worth it if you have a social dog. Tom Sawyer is well used and constantly has numerous events. read more

E.P. Tom Sawyer State Park - Parks Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

Tom Sawyer State Park is such an asset to Louisville's park scene. The trails are easily accessible. The community center has a pool and offers activities for all ages. You can rent picnic areas for company functions or family reunions. For little ones there is a playground. BMXers have a great park to ride. There is an archery range, soccer fields, tennis courts and softball field. For photographers the wildlife is abundant. I am eying a deer as I write this review!! read more

E.P. Tom Sawyer State Park - A doe and 2 fawns - Parks Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

Tom Sawyer State Park is truly one of the best uses of tax-payer money in the area even as some of the facility features remain closed or heavily restricted due to covid. There are lots of amenities (Olympic sized pool- with regulation 1-meter diving board, soccer fields, walking paths/trails, playgrounds, volley ball, tennis courts, dog park, archery range, an amazing BMX track, radio-controlled airplane field (with paved runway), indoor basketball court, lighted soft-ball fields, community center, reservable pavilions with large grills, pick-nick tables and restrooms and more. The grounds are beautiful and the actual history behind the park is fascinating as well. The park is the converted property of the old state-run Lakeland Lunatic Asylum created just after the Civil War- later it became the Central State Hospital which remained in operation until the mid 1980's though at an increasingly limited capacity as a newer campus off of LaGrange was being built, starting in the 1960's. The last of the main structures of the old campus were demolished in the early 1990's with that property being taken over by the park as well. The new, replacement Central State Hospital off of LaGrange road is where patients are housed today. Much of what you see used to be farm land and orchards worked and tended by actual patients. Many of the most interesting and notable "remains" of the former facility are more hidden but can still be found all over the park. These are in the more secluded and wooded areas so you have to go a bit off the main paths to see them. Some of these areas have recently been fenced off due to vandalism and general mischief around much of the old asylum structural remains but there are plenty of walking paths and service roads around the property that get you close to (if not right on top of) where many of the old facility buildings once stood. Also of note, the park's namesake, Judge E.P. "Tom" Sawyer, was the father of Diane Sawyer, the news media super-star. read more

I have been to this park multiple times but have never had the pleasure of hiking one of the wooded trails. I have walked the main loop several times and had a picnic in the green grass a time or two. I love this park. It's very well kept and beautiful. It's the closest park to where I used to live which also made it convenient. read more

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I've been coming to Tom Sawyer park for a while now, and I'm always leaving happy and worn out. I love to bring my dog here to tire him out with a lobg walk or jaunt in the dog park. The dog park is only accessible with a key fob (paid subscription) to Louisville city dog parks. But it is worth it. What a nice dog park, with PLENTY of running room, patches of trees, a small and large dog section, fresh running water, and doggie exercise equipment. Besides the dog park, I love to wander the trails and marvel at the large trees. There are plenty of places to sit on picnic tables and benches to take a rest in the shade. The park also houses soccer and baseball fields, a couple playgrounds for children, shelters for small gatherings, and a pool (I have never been to the pool). I often see runners and joggers enjoying the natural terrain. You won't find much pavement here. I also never see trash or litter strewn about. Next, I hope to have a picnic in the park with my family- dogs included! I have attached a few of my favorite Tom Sawyer photos. read more

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One of my favorite parks! It is small but easy to hike and navigate. There are soccer fields, archery, a playground, a paved track, dog park etc. to accommodate all sorts of outdoors-people. read more

I found myself here participating in the Louisville Orienteering event in a Tuesday night. There was plenty of parking near what I think was the Goose Creek loop. The trail was very well maintained and clearly marked. At the time, I was not sure what trail I was on or how long it was, so I didn't do the whole trail, and just turned around, coming out the same way I came. I look forward to going back and more completely exploring the park and its amenities. read more

Park has a lot of potential. Trees are being wiped out and I do not see new ones being replaced. There are not any flower gardens, lacks enough meadows & litter is all over. Its just a sports center & there are not enough trees or shade. The trail needs more shade trees!! Even more sad is the small creeks are all dried out. Another boring over mowed "park" just designed for humans vs wildlife. Blah!! read more

I'm giving this park 5 stars because I could see the potential in the park. Lol... this was my first time running at Tom Sawyer, and what a morning. It was the KDF Training with Norton Sports. It was raining and the trails we were supposed to run were flooded. I opted to stay on the 1 mile track which had its share of puddles too. I did have to stop and use the restroom, which I try to avoid at all cost at any park, but it was clean and well kept, so I was pleasantly surprised. The park seems huge with alot of sections to it. We meet at the activity center. I didn't go in, but the building was really nice. I definitely plan to go for a run on a less wet day and check it out a little closer. I also saw at least 4 deer running along the rode at the park which was pretty cool. read more

Tom Sawyer is a nice park, so much to do, my kids had so much fun my dogs had so much fun running around at the park!

Dirt bike track. Head to the entrance around the curve not the main one with the big sign out front. There is a big parking lot back there and it is where the dirt bike track is. If you ever thought you wanted to try your hand riding a dirt bike track well, here you go! But do it quick before the county schools get out because then you have to contend with the kids and really, who wants to have kids blow by you on the track to make you feel like you are 70 years old and should really be walking with a cane - even if you are in your 30's (or 40's or whatever...). This is very cool though! read more

I've used and enjoyed the park since the pool opened in 1975. My children ran cross country and played soccer at the fields. Not until today did I have a bad experience. I was told I couldn't ride my bike on the gravel road from Hurstbourne Lane to the ball fields. It is so easy and convenient to just ride over from the subdivision. The ranger instructed me to leave and from now on ride an additional 1.7 miles on busy streets. Some softball games last well beyond dark and at age 65 I cannot keep up with traffic or trust my reflexes well enough to ride the streets. Saw hundreds of beer cans and sleeping employees idling their cars with AC running over the years, yet the ranger seems to be more interested in harassing a senior on their bicycle. Why can cars drive on the road and not bicycles? read more

So much to do in this park and I only explored one fraction of it. The things I do know about are: the softball field and volleyball courts. Pretty standard. Also, there is a dog park and a pool somewhere, that I never found. Apparently visitors come to use the park for bootcamp and probably high school soccer or football summer practice/training. I can tell you, if I was one of those kids, I'd probably dread coming to this park. But only because there are endless paths and open spaces to do drills and training. It would be exhausting. At least it wouldn't be repetitive. All in all, great park for a play day or a grill out or some good exercise. I'd want to come back and bring my bike to try out the trails. Or better yet, dust off my old rollerblades and glide gracefully (or not at all) throughout the park! read more