Home › Ohio › Elyria › Black River Reservation High Meadows
Black River Reservation High Meadows
4.6 ★★★★★ 403 Google reviews · Running trail in Elyria, Ohio · Posted hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Paved
- Distance
- 4.5 mi
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Posted hours
Confirmed from Black River Reservation High Meadows' own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
Two paved multipurpose trails follow the Black River in this community park with 3 picnic areas.
What runners say about Black River Reservation High Meadows
“My daughter and I enjoyed walking the nicely paved trail (great for bikes, too), and stopped to visit the restrooms, which were clean and well maintained.”
“It's an open location with something for everyone from private restrooms, a playground, and once again - truly massive picnic shelters - all surrounded by scenic greenery.”
“Black River Reservation is a great trail for walking or running.”
“Mile markers start at the meadows South of I-90, and trail continues through the old steel mill grounds to the north of the main park.”
A nice park for biking and some walking, didn’t think it was the best for a stroller or wagon with a toddler... the location lends it to being quite windy and the noise from the traffic overwhelmed my son. They do have a playground that has slides suitable to toddlers which is great.
Decent park maintained year round. Nothing very exciting, but good for a bit of mid-distance walking even in the dead of winter. Mile markers start at the meadows South of I-90, and trail continues through the old steel mill grounds to the north of the main park.
We love walking here with our dog. Only complaint it how busy it can be, but that is not the fault of the park. Plenty of parking and nice trails and the hidden waterfall is gem
A very nice place to take a walk, spend time with friends and family, have a picnic all while enjoying the outdoors. There are many trails, bridges, hills, local wild life and even a nice river for fishing or just hanging out on the banks with someone you care about.
Trail conditions & character
“It's an open location with something for everyone from private restrooms, a playground, and once again - truly massive picnic shelters - all surrounded by scenic greenery.”
“My daughter and I enjoyed walking the nicely paved trail (great for bikes, too), and stopped to visit the restrooms, which were clean and well maintained.”
“It's an open location with something for everyone from private restrooms, a playground, and once again - truly massive picnic shelters - all surrounded by scenic greenery.”
“Mile markers start at the meadows South of I-90, and trail continues through the old steel mill grounds to the north of the main park.”
Plan your run at Black River Reservation High Meadows
The practical stuff
- AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
- SurfacePaved — asphalt or concrete. Fast and predictable, runnable year-round, and fine with a stroller
- Distance4.5 mi as reported — check whether that is one way or a round trip before you commit
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- At the trailheadrestrooms — reported by runners
- Websiteloraincountymetroparks.com
- Phone(440) 458-5121
- Social Instagram · Facebook
Hours
| Monday | 8 AM–8:30 PM |
| Tuesday | 8 AM–8:30 PM |
| Wednesday | 8 AM–8:30 PM |
| Thursday | 8 AM–8:30 PM |
| Friday | 8 AM–8:30 PM |
| Saturday | 8 AM–8:30 PM |
| Sunday | 8 AM–8:30 PM |
Running trails near Elyria
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
Lorain County Metro Parks High Meadows Shelter #1
4.7 ★★★★★ 191 reviews
Popular outdoor area featuring a playground, picnic sites and a 10-mile trail popular for walking and running.
Black River Reservation Bur Oak
4.7 ★★★★★ 353 reviews
Park featuring a paved trail and multiple short secondary trails, plus picnic facilities.
Hilltop Park
4.8 ★★★★★ 5 reviews
Finwood Forest Park
4.4 ★★★★☆ 95 reviews
Park with walking trails and a waterfall, plus opportunities for photography and remote-control truck use.