Gilmore Metropark

Power lines and swamps that smell like poo give this park it’s charming appeal. The entire trail is under a power line, or else running by a visible industrial plant, wastewater facility, or railroad track. This gives us park a unique industrial element that everyone is aspiring to their nature walk. There’s only dead bushes and swamps to see on either side of you, accompanied by the occasional orgiastic flock of gnats, so reflection of the final sea of life and reproduction is thought-inspiring. No shortage of noise from the local airport, railroad, and Route 4!!! If you’re a helicopter noise aficionado, enjoy the sounds of semi trucks backing up, and the occasional passing Train, then this park is for you. I love parks, and I love nature trails, but this has to rank in the bottom five of the hundreds I’ve been to.nnUpdate: I found from reading some of the signs that the reason it smells like Poo is because there’s a literally the sewer running into the swamps. They’re working on relocating that, but right now you’re smelling your own sewer. The overwhelming smell of poo is only occasionally broken by the wistful, charming scent of drug use of locals. Perhaps the only thing better than going on a nice nature walk in God’s country is not coming to this park.

Very nice walk beside the forest, railroads, and through some fields. The trail also has some nice ponds along the way with one lookout bridge over the pond. It was a very quiet walk (except the train passing nearby) without any other people on the walk as well. There is a small parking lot off the side of the road too.nnPARKING:nPlease do note that you are supposed to have a hanging tag/permit to park there as part of Butler county metroparks. The permit is free to residents of Butler county and annual permit costs only $15, and locations to purchase said permit are on the website (Not available for purchase at the park!).

Nice walking trails. Great for bird watching! Wildflowers in the Spring, tall grass and brush in the Autumn. Be prepared for muddy patches on the trails.

Visited in September 2019. Nice trails but the smell of sewer and the swarms of gnats were just horrible. We also found a pile of clothes on the trail, it looked like someone had a moment like Michael Douglas in the movie Falling Down. It was kind of creepy. Maybe better during a different time of year. But I will not be going back.

Nice easy hike around pond and marshes.