We recently visited for the first time over the Memorial Day weekend and were pleasantly surprised. We only hiked the Cascade Trail so that is what my review will be on. The park website and things online are very confusing. One site says, permit not required and another say one isn't. The sign at the park also says permit required, but there is no where to purchase one in person or online. We took the chance and parked without one. I did see a worker driving around and he didn't seem to be checking cars. The map seems okay for general navigating and there is signage around. The trails are marked okay I think. There could be some improvement, but the Cascade Trail is a big loop so it isn't a huge deal. The trail was well maintained. A little overgrown in places, but nothing terrible. It's also really flat except for the end of the trail where you need to walk up a big hill to get back to where we parked. My kids did fine with the trial the whole time though. The bridge is super neat and my kids had fun crossing it. The falls were pretty and a nice treat, but you really have to wander around to find a good view of it. Luckily none of us minded that. The creek is really nice to play and walk in. That was by far my kids favorite part. We also found lots of fossils to explore and look at! It was a little muddy after all the rain we had received, but nothing terrible. read more

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My favorite 'hiking' spot in Butler County. My favorite part about this preserve are the trails. There are multiple trails that connect to each other, so if you get bored with hiking your usual trail, it's easy to mix it up a little bit. They are all well kept and maintained. Sometimes there is some litter, but we pick it up. There are two old building foundations on one of the trails and a piece of farm equipment grown into a tree, pretty neat! The park is big, lots of space. read more

Rentschler Forest Preserve Ranger Sta - Parks Near Me - Hamilton, Ohio

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Rentschler Forest MetroPark has a lot of great options for activities and enjoying nature. There are great views of the Great Miami River, and there are several benches and shelterhouses that take advantage of that fact. There is also a canoe/kayak launch along there. There are several trail options, and the Cascades Trail has a neat suspension bridge that the kids really enjoyed crossing (multiple times!) The creek that is home to the aforementioned cascades makes for wonderful creeking opportunities - we found bullfrogs, tiny salamanders, and the like. There are a couple of playgrounds, and the one closest to the entrance was fabulous - it had some very cute features with a tent kids can 'rock climb' on, a very popular 'elevator' that brings kids down from the top of the playset, swings, slides, a jumping area, and more. It also had some nice picnic tables located right there in the shade. We'd love to check out more of the trails in the future. read more

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A very limited review on a very limited experience. We came to the park specifically for a program on soil and water conservation. The website said that the program was free. We did not even think to check and see if a parking permit is needed. Upon entering, a sign saying that a parking permit is needed was displayed. We drove around for a bit, looking for a place to purchase a parking pass. We never found an open place to purchase a pass. What we saw of the grounds was beautiful. The foliage was full and lush. There is a nice playground near one of the areas to launch small boats from. Fishing is permitted. Over the age of 16 a permit is required. read more

Rentschler Forest Preserve Ranger Sta - May fish and launch small boats from this parking area - Parks Near Me - Hamilton, Ohio

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I hosted a hike here on the Pumpkin Vine and Cascade Trails totaling 1.9 miles. Before arriving, I didn't have much hope as to whether it'd be a "pretty" hike because I'd been disappointed at other Butler County parks lately. I was totally wrong. The Pumpkin Vine Trail was a good start with it's rich history and the old homestead to explore. The playground between this trailhead and Cascades trailheads was a nice releif for the 3-year old in our group so she could get some energy out before beginning the second portion of our day hike. Cascades began much like the Pumpkin Vine with normal grassy surface and complete shade. Once we reached the actual cascades the trail is named for, I couldn't help but take tons of pictures! The waterfall was still in action despite no recent rain and the trees beginning to change in color made for beautiful views. I highly recommend visiting this park, especially these two trails. read more

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Great views of Miami river. Walked 3 trails, each a different walk.

Went here for the first time today. Haigh the pumpkin vine and cascade trails. Trails were easy well-maintained.The Cascades weren't running today but it's not rained here in a while so I understand. After the hike , we had a snack while sitting on the bench by the river ,very peaceful and relaxing. Will definitely go here again. read more

Great hidden gem of a park.they have a good amount of space and parkland.i will gladly come back.