Why do we love heading to Ward?  First of all, it’s huge…4,315 acres huge.   And while we never run across many animals of the human variety, we always see tons of wildlife.  Flocks of turkeys are a crowd pleaser in this family, and deer, rabbits, butterflies and birds have all factored into our hikes.  A variety of trails run through the park, and the trails are maintained in a very family friendly way.  For the most part, they’re wide, dirt trails that are safe and easy for little feet, and even doable (in some cases) with a jogging stroller.  I wouldn’t recommend heading to Ward in wet or even damp weather, as the trails get quite muddy and the rocks are very slippery.  And yes, I have learned that the hard way…several times!

We always bring a football to throw around and a backpack filled with, among other things, paper so that the kids can do rubbings of some of the plants that they see.  If you have small kids who tire easily of hiking you might enjoy the playground or even the Museum, which is small, but has some interesting animal displays as well as Native American history and artifacts.

Parking is easy, and access will run you $10.  Dogs are welcome, but must be on leashes.  No such laws apply to the kids – just let ‘em run wild, and enjoy the hike!