Oak Openings Preserve Metropark, Swanton

About Oak Openings Preserve Metropark

Oak Openings Preserve Metropark, Ohio's largest metropark at 5,000 acres, sprawls across sandy terrain between Whitehouse and Swanton with habitats ranging from oak savanna to wetlands. Visitors hike, bike, and ride horses across more than 70 miles of trails, including a dedicated cross-country ski trail and singletrack mountain bike path. The preserve hosts the nation's only public treehouse village, two campgrounds, and two cabins for overnight stays. Naturalists come to spot bluebirds, indigo buntings, whippoorwills, and Lark sparrows, along with migrating songbirds in spring. The landscape showcases prickly-pear cactus, wild lupine, sand cherry, and orchids thriving in distinct ecological zones. Stands of pine and spruce planted decades ago still attract photographers. The Nature Conservancy designated this sandy region one of the 200 "Last Great Places on Earth." The preserve suits families seeking nature immersion, birders, equestrians, and cyclists exploring diverse habitats and trail networks.