I love a good hike, but if you’re anything like me, your favorite Cleveland Metroparks hiking spots are as familiar as the back of your hand. While it’s great to have this familiarity, this can also make the spectacular landscapes we have in our own backyard feel, well, a bit pedestrian. Mundane. Such words should never be used to describe our magnificent landscape, so the occasional trip to a new park is a worthwhile investment. If you’re looking for a new park near Cleveland, you don’t have to travel far! Trail Lake Park opened in Streetsboro, Ohio, just a few years ago, and it’s a beautiful landscape with an incredible history.

In November of 2020, the Portage Park District unveiled Trail Lake Park for the first time.

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Located in Streetsboro between Seasons and Ferguson roads, this lovely little park is a true hidden gem. It's about 35 minutes from Cleveland, but its beauty will take you to another world.

The 1.62-mile paved Opsrey Loop around the lake is ADA accessible, and the lake's dock is, too.

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Whether you're a wheelchair user or a parent with a stroller, this easy walkway makes getting the most out of the park effortless. The path will take you through mixed woodlands and meadows, the latter of which is especially beautiful when the clouds are painting the sky with intricate designs.

If natural surface trails are more your style, you'll love the 1.48 mile Kingfisher Way hike.

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On AllTrails, Kingfisher Way has a 4.4 star rating. Parts of it merge with Osprey Loop, so it would be expected that they'd share the same woodlands and meadows along their routes. However, Kingfisher Way will also take you through wetlands and diverse successional habitats. Both trails offer a beautiful way to enjoy the park.

While there's much to see at this pretty park in Streetsboro, the 30-acre lake at its center is perhaps its most eye-catching feature.

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This property was once owned by a nature columnist for the Record-Courier named William Gressard. A passionate conservationist, he's to thank for the beauty of this landscape... and for the lake, too! Gressard originally created the lake to support his family’s fish farm business. Today, catch-and-keep fishing is permitted in the lake.

And Gressard's story is just a small window into the history of this park.

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Once upon a time, indigenous peoples crossed this landscape on a well-known footpath known as "Trail No. 7," or the Mahoning Trail. Its path can be traced down to where the Mahoning River enters the state, though it stretched all the way to the Sandusky Bay. Another interesting place in the park is actually a segment of Osprey Loop, which follows a historic railroad course that once carried President Abraham Lincoln on his inaugural tour.

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As you take in views that once greeted early Ohioans and one ill-fated president, you just might fall in love with this 222-acre park.

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Interestingly, the Portage Park District publishes archaeology reports that allow you a more in-depth look at the history of their parks. It's fascinating to think that this wild, untamed land has supported foot traffic for a long chunk of American history.

For more adventurous visitors, kayaking and canoeing on the lake is a treat like no other.

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Trail Lake Park is a treat to hike, but seeing it from the water is an experience like no other. Just be sure to keep in mind the ODNR regulations before you head out on the water.

Ice sports are not allowed on the lake, but it is worth seeing in every season nonetheless.

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This gorgeous park is a stunner, whether you visit in winter, spring, summer, or fall. I'm a big fan of the wide open views the park offers... this is truly big sky country.

With hiking and picnicking areas, it's easy to spend a few hours at a time in Trail Lake Park.

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Why not unplug and go reconnect with nature?! Streetsboro isn't far from home, but it feels like another planet with the solitude and solace this gorgeous park offers.

You're going to love exploring this new park near Cleveland.

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Look for Trail Lake Park at 605 Ravenna Rd, Streetsboro, OH, 44241.

This stunning new park near Cleveland is a treat to visit, and it’s close enough to home for a quick day trip. This area just seems to enjoy a slower pace of life, so don’t rush the visit. Take the time to reconnect with nature and reflect on our area’s unique history.

While you’re in the area, you might enjoy a trip to Tinker’s Creek State Park. It’s fueled by the same Tinker’s Creek that flows through the Cleveland Metroparks, but out in Streetsboro, it creates a wetland environment that’s truly stunning.

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Trail Lake Park, 605 Ravenna Rd, Streetsboro, OH 44241, USA