Field Notes Ohio

Ohio's parks, forests and wildlife areas with camping, the ancient mounds beside them, and the Buckeye Trail that links them. Stories, trails, wildlife, and where to eat and fuel up nearby. Book campsites on ReserveOhio.
Try:
The Buckeye TrailA 1,444-mile blue-blazed loop around Ohio, with all 26 sections.
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Mounds & Earthworks43 ancient sites, including the Great Serpent Mound and the Newark Earthworks.
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Historic Sites39 places, from Fort Steuben and Zoar to Camp Chase and the Rankin House, from the frontier to the Civil War.
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Road Trips33 drives, from the Lincoln Highway to the Morgan Heritage Trail.
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Lake Erie Beaches20 public beaches from Conneaut to Toledo and the islands, with a map.
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Oddities & Roadside Attractions19 giants, ghosts and folk-art stops, plus a Mothman just over the line.
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Caves & Caverns12 show caverns, recess caves and rock shelters, with a map.
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Waterfalls34 falls from the Cuyahoga Valley to the Hocking Hills, with trail notes and a map.
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Explore Ohio

One map for every park, mound, historic site, beach, cave, waterfall and oddity in the app.

Lake ErieWest Virginia27 places277 places77 places73 places35 places519 places1913 places1319 places1916 places168 places810 places1010 places109 places98 places820 places204 places43 places3Barkcamp State Park4 places47 places77 places76 places69 places917 places173 places3Harrison Lake State Park2 places2Forked Run State Park3 places32 places26 places610 places103 places32 places2

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117 parks in 7 regions

Island MetroPark

Dayton · Montgomery County · Southwest Ohio
Managed by Five Rivers MetroParks
43acres
—trail miles
—established

Visiting information you can trust

Content last reviewed
September 2026 — this is when Field Notes Ohio's content was last checked, not a live status.
Primary official source
Five Rivers MetroParks (search this park)
Location confidence
Verified property location
Island MetroPark, 101 E Helena St, Dayton
Check current conditions
Official conditions or closures
Reservations or tickets
ReserveOhio — camping and cabin bookings
Hunting or permits
Hunting is not permitted in MetroParks.

Prices, hours, closures, campsite availability and trail conditions shown elsewhere on this page are not live — always confirm with the official source before you go.

The story of this land

Island MetroPark is a 43-acre park in downtown Dayton, at the point where the Stillwater River flows into the Great Miami. Its roots as a park go back to the 19th century. It has been restored, and it holds a bandshell, shelters, landscaped beds and a playground and water play area, all under mature sycamores and maples, with fish, beavers and soft-shell turtles to watch from the banks. The flat stretch of the Great Miami here is used for rowing.

The Gayle B. Price Jr. Bridge, a suspension bridge, crosses to the meeting of the Great Miami River and Stillwater River trails, and the Buckeye Trail and the North Country Trail both pass through the park. Dayton is a Trail Town for both. At the north end, near a short grass prairie, Five Rivers MetroParks keeps a primitive trailside campsite for hikers, cyclists and paddlers; it is by permit only, allows no fires and has a restroom within 1,000 feet.

Things to do in the park

  • Camp at the trailside site on the Buckeye Trail
  • Cross the Gayle B. Price Jr. Bridge
  • Paddle or row the Great Miami
  • Ride the Great Miami River Trail
  • Catch a concert at the bandshell

Trails

Maps, reviews and recent trail reports for Island MetroPark.

Find trails on AllTrails →

Things to do nearby

  • Carillon Historical Park
  • Huffman Prairie Flying Field
  • Downtown Dayton and the Oregon District

Hiking trails

The Great Miami River Trail and a paved park loop; the Buckeye Trail and North Country Trail pass through

Wildlife you might see

  • Fish, beavers and soft-shell turtles along the riverbanks
  • Mature sycamore and maple shade
  • Prairie plantings at the north end

Fishing

  • Fishing from the riverbanks. Ohio fishing license required for ages 16 and up.

Hunting

Hunting is not permitted in MetroParks.

Waterfalls near Island MetroPark

Falls inside or within reach of this park. Stay behind railings and on marked trails; wet rock is slick in every season.

Englewood MetroPark Falls (Martindale, Patty, and Oak Falls)

Englewood · Montgomery County
Three small waterfalls, Martindale, Patty, and Oak Falls, tucked into a 1,900 acre Five Rivers MetroPark along the Stillwater River northwest of Dayton.
Low fallsModerate hike
About 8 miles from this park

The Buckeye Trail at Island MetroPark

Ohio's 1,444-mile blue-blazed loop passes through or beside this park. Tap a section for its route, camping, water and resupply.

18 Troy Section

52 miles · Greene, Montgomery, Miami, Shelby
A downtown Dayton park with a trailside campsite
3 parksTrail towns

Campsites

Trailside campsite
One primitive site with room for up to two small tents near the north end, Buckeye Trail Point 8; no fires; a permit is required; a two-night maximum
By permit from Five Rivers MetroParks

On site

  • Main entrance at 101 E Helena St
  • A rowing dock and boathouse entrance at 124 E Helena St
  • Restroom within 1,000 feet of the campsite
  • Shelters, playground and water play area
Get a trailside camping permit →
Field Notes Ohio isn't connected to Five Rivers MetroParks, so it can't hold a site or take payment. Tapping through opens it in a new tab — search "Island MetroPark" there to finish reserving.
Prefer the phone?937-275-7275

MetroParks says its trailside campsites are open year-round, while the Buckeye Trail Association's Troy Section page lists Island's camp as open April to early October; confirm with Five Rivers MetroParks.

Restaurants nearby

CULTURE
Order at the counter; burgers, pasta and wonton nachos in the Oregon District; open Tuesday to Saturday afternoons
Directions
Oregon Express
Thin-crust pizza and a balcony bar in the Oregon District; open daily
Directions

Gas stations nearby

bp
Open 24 hours; the doors may be locked overnight, with payment at the window
Directions

Details last checked 2026-09-22. Confirm hours and prices before you go.