If you’re anything like me, your favorite part of the fall months is watching the leaves change. All the shades of orange, red and brown make everything feel golden when you’re out hiking. Kent happens to have so many beautiful parks and trails to reconnect with nature as the leaves change and finals pressure starts to set in. So let’s check out a few!
John brown tannery park
Tannery park is a beautiful wooded park sitting right along the Cuyahoga River and has plenty of history to go along with it. John Brown, born in Connecticut in 1800, learned how to work with leather from his father, Owen Brown. In 1853, after settling in the area, he built a tannery where the park now sits and entered business with Zenas B. Kent, though the partnership was short lived.
His business as a leather maker wasn’t his most notable attribute, however, as Brown was a dedicated abolitionist. According to the Kent Historical Society Museum, Brown eventually fled to Canada after fighting against slavery in Kansas. He came back to America in 1859 and helped raid an arsenal in Virginia, but the raid failed. He was sentenced to death by hanging for this, and lost his life in the December after the raid.
Though the building was torn down in 1976, his name still stuck with the park as a memorial. Now, the space serves multiple purposes for the public. It’s a beautiful space for a fall themed picnic at one of the many benches and tables or the gazebo. The Portage County Hike and Bike Trail is also fit for a sightseeing stroll or bike ride.
If fishing is more your speed, there are multiple beaches along the river as well, according to Kent’s website. Though it’s getting chillier as fall sets in, keep the tubing, canoeing and kayaking options in mind for the spring.
Chase Park
Chase Park sits right outside the west end of Kent State’s campus and spans over 10-acres of woods. Open from dawn to dusk, the park has playground equipment, a basketball court and a pavilion among many other options for recreation.
Franklin Township’s website also highlights the site’s handicapped accessible fitness course. With a basketball course, open sports field and a designated fitness area, the park is great for anyone looking to get some exercise in.
Picnic tables and gazebos can host a peaceful picnic, or you could take a walk over the wooden walkway over a beautiful water feature of the park. The pavilion can also be reserved for events and reunions with larger groups of people.
Heritage Park
Heritage Park is one of the first parks I visited when I transferred to Kent State. Previously home to a lock-and-dam, the park stands out with its excessive green space and the colorful eclipse mural in the middle.
This park is located in the heart of downtown, right off of Main Street. Kent’s website says picnickers and dog walkers are common around the park, and a peaceful waterfall makes it a great place to get some fresh air. The small park has access to the Franklin Mills Riveredge Park, where you can overlook the river.
Make sure to see the views through the bridge to the river, where you can also spot some folks canoeing or kayaking. Being out in nature is nothing without a water feature.
Franklin Mills Riveredge Park
Franklin Mills Riveredge Park follows the western edge of the Cuyahoga River as it runs along Kent. The wooded bank follows as the park runs from Brady’s Leap Park to Tannery Park, according to Kent’s website.
The park is accessible through three entry points, a staircase on the west from River Street, Main Street on the North using a staircase and Stow Street in the South. Much of the park is shaded under the changing colors in the trees.
The park includes decks and stairways to view the falls at the Main Street Dam and the entirety of Heritage Park. Named after the original settlement along the river, the trail features benches, picnic tables and observation decks fit for good views. Other pathways and decks can take viewers closer to the water where you can fish, or just enjoy the beauty of the running water.
Northeast Ohio is a bustling ecosystem, changing constantly. Kent has opportunities to see the beautiful nature from flowers to squirrels and geese, so go reconnect with nature this fall!