Last Updated on May 20, 2023 by Natalie
We’ve spent a lot of weeks hiking the main loop trail that starts at Evergreen Lake, part of the Oak Openings Metropark region near Toledo, Ohio. How long is this trail? What age range of kids (and adults) will be able to hike it? Let’s get into it and talk about hiking at Oak Openings Metropark Evergreen Lake Trail with kids!
Hiking at Oak Openings Metropark Evergreen Lake Trail with Kids
The kids and I have started hiking more on various trails and we found one we love at Oak Openings Metropark!
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Short History of Oak Openings Region
Oak Openings region is a large region in Northwest Ohio and it extends into Michigan. The region consists of approximately 130 sq miles (340 sq km). It’s a diverse area that looks a lot different than most of Ohio. It’s considered to be as ecologically important as the Florida Everglades (another area I love).
Oak Openings Preserve Metropark is a park system within the Oak Openings region that is maintained by the Metroparks Toledo. The park itself is mostly within Swanton Twp, Ohio. However, the Evergreen Lake trail is located in Whitehouse, Ohio.
Evergreen Green Lake Address
Evergreen Lake Area
5700 S. Berkey-Southern Rd.
Whitehouse, OH, 43571
Hiking on the Evergreen Lake Trail, Oak Openings Preserve Metropark
Even having grown up somewhat near Oak Openings Metropark, I hadn’t been to the park since I was very young. Back then, my family did cross country skiing there. Nowadays, I am more interested in hiking and I love to hike year round.
We started hiking there in December and went weekly through May. This gave us the advantage of seeing the trail in two different seasons. We were hiking with a group of families, which provides an even better idea of the trail’s ease or difficulty.
Distance
The trail is a loop around Evergreen Lake and it’s less than 1.5 miles long. This is from the parking area right at Evergreen Green Lake (address above). The official distance is 2.2 miles, which is measured from the main Oak Openings Metropark parking area.
What ages can handle this hike?
During our hikes with our group, the youngest child brought on hike was around 14 months old. The parent brought a stroller (it’s a natural terrain trail and a stroller can probably handle a trail as long as the trail stays dry, but this won’t always be an option). The youngest walking child was 3 years old. Our group stops and plays, explores, and we take a break at the resting area on the other side of the lake.
Our youngest regular (meaning they come to every hike) is four years old and she completes it every week without any issues.
The trail is relatively flat and it hasn’t been a problem for the kids or adults (up to age 45 in our group). We regularly see older adults walking the trail, as well.
Animals on the Trail
While we have only seen various birds and a raccoon while on the trail, we see a lot of people walking their dogs. We have also seen a few people riding their horses because it’s close to and intersects with one of the horseback riding trails!
This has been such a cool opportunity for the kids who haven’t had any experience with horses before, as often we are allowed to pet the horses (only if the rider/horse owner says it is okay). My kids have recently started horseback riding lessons and any horse interactions are exciting for them.
Trail Terrain Overview
Most of Northwest Ohio is flat. Actually, much of the terrain from Northwest Ohio down to central Ohio is flat, too. It makes for easy, if boring driving. Much of the terrain on the Evergreen Lake Trail is flat, as well. However, it feels unlike any other part of Ohio I’ve had the privilege of visiting. It reminds me a lot of the Pacific Northwest, with the skinny, tall evergreens and (usually) flat, glassy lake.
While researching this post, I read that the evergreen were originally planted to help with soil erosion in the area and are coming to the natural end of their lifespan. As they naturally die or are felled for public safety, they will not be replanted. The area will change over the years and that will be fascinating to watch.
Seasonal Changes
It has been fun to hike the same trail for two seasons so far: winter and spring.
Though our group is changing up parks, I hope to be able to visit sometime in the summer and fall to see how it looks at that time.
Winter hiking is one of my favorite times to hike. This year, the really cold weather wasn’t too long. I also found that I didn’t suffer from any seasonal depression because I was outside for at least a few hours every week. We also has some incredible sunny days during our winter hikes that make it feel amazing to be outside even in the cold weather. There were also a few really cold days, as well as snow and ice to deal with during our hikes.
Watching the trail go from the winter die off and back into a flourishing green has also been wonderful. The kids have made some wonderful friendships within our group and that also makes our hikes incredible special. Our group isn’t a hiking specific group. We were lucky to join the hikes even before we started with the co-op that runs the weekly hikes and it really cemented the friendships for our kids.
In fact, my kids hike willingly with our group. They don’t love hiking with just me anymore. Seasons change and the kids are in a different season of growing up. They are still getting a huge dose of nature and loving nature in a different way.
Conclusion
I love hiking, especially in the colder months. My kids like hiking when they are hiking with their friends. All of us have developed friendships due to hiking weekly with a group and I love that! I also love hiking the Evergreen Lake trail at Oak Openings Preserve Metropark. It’s a trail I wouldn’t necessarily have found on my own and it’s a beautiful trail that currently resembles the Pacific Northwest (it reminds me of the time I hike in Bellingham, Washington several years ago). I’m grateful to have such an amazing region and metropark in Ohio!
Do you love hiking? Have you hiked at Oak Openings Metropark? What’s your favorite trail? The best feedback comes from my readers. Please leave a comment or suggestion. Thank you!Oak Openings Metropark
