Mill Creek Park Guide: Best Trails, Waterfalls, Bridges and Gardens in Youngstown

Most of us have driven through Mill Creek Park a hundred times, but it's easy to miss the best parts if you never get out of the car. Here's what to see, where to park, what's closed right now and what's coming up this fall and winter. Hours and prices were checked against Mill Creek MetroParks' own pages on Oct. 27, 2026.

Quick picks

Only have an hour: Lanterman's Mill and the falls, then a walk across the covered bridge. Start at 1001 Canfield Rd. (State Route 62).
Best hike: the East Gorge and West Gorge loop, about 2 miles along the creek with a boardwalk and sandstone cliffs.
Best photo: the 1895 Suspension Bridge on Valley Drive, often called the Silver Bridge or Cinderella Bridge.
With little kids: Ford Nature Center and the Children's Garden at Fellows Riverside Gardens.
Easy, flat walking or biking: the East Cohasset or East Golf hike and bike trails, both about 1.5 miles of asphalt.
Cost: the park, the trails and Fellows Riverside Gardens are free. Going inside Lanterman's Mill costs $2–$4.

Mill Creek Park basics

Volney Rogers set this land aside in 1891, and it became the first park district in Ohio. Today Mill Creek Park covers more than 2,658 acres of the 5,000-acre Mill Creek MetroParks system. It runs along Mill Creek from Western Reserve Road all the way north to where the creek meets the Mahoning River, with about 20 miles of drives and 50 miles of trails.

The north end is the dramatic part, with the gorge, Lanterman's Falls, hemlocks and sandstone ledges. South of there it opens up into rolling land around the lakes.

Hours: Mill Creek Park is open every day from sunrise to sunset.
Cost: Free to drive, walk and picnic.
Driving: The speed limit is 25 mph unless posted, and you can only park in designated areas.
Dogs: Leashed pets are welcome on trails and drives, but not in picnic areas, recreation areas or the gardens.
Info: The MetroParks administration office is at 7574 Columbiana-Canfield Rd. in Canfield, 330-702-3000.

Before you go: what's closed right now

The City of Youngstown started a roughly two-year sewer project inside the park on Dec. 29, 2025, and it closes some roads and trails:

Roads closed: parts of Tod Avenue, Weaver Road, Price Road, Calvary Run Drive, Milton Avenue, West Glacier Drive (Price Road to West Drive) and West Drive (Birch Hill Drive to Memorial Hill Drive). The MetroParks sewer project page has the exact segments.
Trails closed: Calvary Run Trail, Old Tree Trail, One Way Drive Trail and Slippery Rock Trail.
Lake Glacier Boathouse is closed because of the same project.

Also, East Glacier Drive near Glenwood Avenue closed Oct. 26, 2026 for resurfacing, along with Fellows Drive and the northern part of the Fellows Riverside Gardens parking lot. MetroParks expects about two weeks of work, weather permitting.

Lanterman's Mill and Lanterman's Falls

This is the postcard spot. The mill was built in 1845–46 by German Lanterman and Samuel Kimberly, restored from 1982 to 1985, and it still grinds corn and wheat the old way. You can buy its stone-ground cornmeal and whole wheat flour in the gift shop.

Where: 1001 Canfield Rd. (SR 62), Youngstown. GPS: 41.066806, -80.682140. Phone 330-740-7115.
Inside the mill: Open May through October, Tuesday–Sunday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Closed Mondays and observed holidays.
Admission: Kids under 6 free; students 6–18 (and college students with ID) $2; seniors 60+ $2; Mahoning County adults $3; non-resident adults $4.
Parking: There's a lot at the mill plus an overflow lot. For accessible parking, call the mill ahead of time.

Heads up: The mill's season ends with October, so Saturday, Oct. 31 is the last day to go inside until May. You can still see the falls, the mill and the covered bridge from outside all year.

The covered bridge by the mill isn't as old as it looks. It was finished in 1989, modeled on the kind farmers used to haul grain to the mill.

Best trails in Mill Creek Park

These are the best picks inside Mill Creek Park, based on MetroParks' own trail descriptions:

Trail	Length	What it's like
East Gorge Walk & West Gorge Trail	~2 mi loop	The classic. Boardwalk, creek on one side and a wall of sandstone on the other. Listed in the Mid-America Walking Atlas.
East Cohasset Trail	1.2 mi	Moderate, gentle hills, views of Lake Cohasset and the Suspension Bridge.
East Cohasset Hike & Bike	1.5 mi	Asphalt, closed to cars, above Lake Cohasset.
East Golf Hike & Bike	1.5 mi	Asphalt from Route 224 to Shields Road, with parking at both ends, restrooms and a drinking fountain.
East Newport Hike & Bike	1.75 mi	A marked lane on a one-way road (cars use it too) past Lake Newport, the wetlands and Daffodil Meadow.
Albert E. Davies Wetland Trail	1/4 mi	Accessible boardwalk through the Newport Wetlands to an observation deck.
East Glacier Trail	0.8 mi	Moderate, some hills, wildlife and the Parapet Bridge.

If you want something longer and flatter, the 11-mile paved MetroParks Bikeway runs from Western Reserve Road in Canfield Township to the Mahoning/Trumbull county line in Austintown. Park at the MetroParks Farm or the Mahoning Avenue or Kirk Road trailheads.

The bridges and historic stops

Suspension Bridge (1895): On Valley Drive, 86 feet long, and the oldest bridge in the park. Locals call it the Silver Bridge or the Cinderella Bridge.
Parapet Bridge (1913): On the east side of Lake Glacier. Its big upright boulders earned it the nickname Dragon Bridge, and MetroParks says it's the park's most photographed bridge.
Pioneer Pavilion (1821): A sandstone building that started as a wool mill and is one of the oldest structures in Youngstown. The remains of the Mill Creek Furnace, the city's first blast furnace, are nearby.
The Old Log Cabin (about 1814): On the north shore of Lake Glacier, one of the oldest buildings in Mahoning County.
Volney Rogers Memorial (1920): An eight-foot bronze statue of the park's founder.

Lakes, ponds and wildlife

Lake Cohasset (1897): The oldest and most secluded lake, 28 acres with tall hemlocks. Fishing yes, boating no.
Lake Glacier (1906): 44 acres, with a barrier-free fishing dock on West Glacier Drive. The boathouse is closed for the sewer project.
Lake Newport (1928 dam): The biggest, with 60 acres of open water and 40 acres of wetlands, plus a boat launch on East Newport Drive. Watch for herons and maybe a bald eagle from the wetland boardwalk.
Lily Pond (since 1896): A 3.25-acre pond with a quarter-mile loop trail, a floating boardwalk and two observation decks. No fishing here.

Fishing and private boating run March 1 through Nov. 30, and you need an Ohio fishing license. In season, the Lake Newport Boathouse rents kayaks and pedal boats starting at $12 an hour for Mahoning County residents and $16 for non-residents. Renters must be 18 with ID. Call 330-740-7114 to check before you go, since it's a seasonal operation.

Fellows Riverside Gardens

At the north end of the park, Fellows Riverside Gardens is a free 12-acre garden that draws over 400,000 visitors a year. Spring brings more than 40,000 bulbs, followed by roses and seasonal displays.

Where: 123 McKinley Ave., Youngstown. Phone 330-740-7116.
Gardens: Open daily, year-round, sunrise to sunset. Free.
Davis Education & Visitor Center: Tuesday–Sunday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m., closed Mondays and observed holidays.
Children's Garden: The 1.5-acre Anthony J. Fox Family Foundation Children's Garden has stream, forest and sensory areas to explore, open dawn to dusk.
Food: The Garden Café has been closed since Jan. 1, 2026 for redevelopment. Picnicking isn't allowed in the gardens, so eat at a park picnic area instead.

For more no-cost ideas nearby, see our list of free things to do in Youngstown.

Ford Nature Center and picnic spots for families

Ford Nature Center at 840 Old Furnace Rd. (330-740-7107) is open Tuesday–Sunday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Redone in 2023, it has a hands-on exhibit hall, a bird observation room and a short paved trail built for all abilities. It's a great rainy-day backup.

Picnic tables and grills are spread through Mill Creek Park, and you don't need a reservation or pay anything to use them. The Lower Bears Den Picnic Area has barrier-free restrooms, tables, grills, paved paths and a playground.

Mill Creek Park in late fall and winter

The park doesn't shut down when it gets cold. A few things to plan around:

Christmas at the Mill: Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 28–29, 11 a.m.–3 p.m. at Lanterman's Mill. Free, with roasted chestnuts, handmade gifts for sale and Santa from noon to 2 both days. Bring a new hat, scarf or mittens for the Giving Tree.
Frost & Lights at Fellows Riverside Gardens: Free, Dec. 5, 2026–Jan. 3, 2027. The indoor Festival of Trees is open Tuesday–Sunday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Winter Nights light walks run 5–6 p.m. on Dec. 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 26 and 27, and the Festive Finds craft show is Dec. 12–13. All the details are in our holiday events guide.
Sledding: The free sled hill at Wick Recreation Area, 1861 McCollum Rd., is open Dec. 1–Feb. 28, sunrise to 9 p.m., when there's natural snow on the ground. There's a gentle slope for kids 48 inches and under. Bring your own sled, since there are no rentals.

Guided walks coming up

MetroParks educators lead walks all year. These are on the schedule now, and each one needs advance registration (no walk-ins, no pets) at the MetroParks reservations site or 330-740-7107, ext. 129:

Squirrel Walk & Talk: Saturday, Nov. 7, noon–1:30 p.m., Bears Den Field. About 1.5 miles. Free. Register by Nov. 5.
Walk with a Geologist, East Gorge Trail: Sunday, Nov. 22, noon–2 p.m. Meet at the Lanterman's Mill overflow lot. Free. Register by Nov. 20.
Golden Hour Stroll: Sunday, Nov. 22, 4–5 p.m., from the Lanterman's Mill overflow lot toward Oak Grove. Free. Register by Nov. 20.
Beaver Moon full moon hike: Monday, Nov. 23, 4:45–6:45 p.m., along Lake Newport from the Newport Wetlands parking lot. Ages 12+, $5. Register by Nov. 21.

Looking for more to do that month? Check our November events in Youngstown list.

Bonus: Yellow Creek Park in Struthers

MetroParks also runs Yellow Creek Park, a 76-acre gorge at 17 Lowellville Rd. in Struthers, open sunrise to sunset all year. Its 0.8-mile Hopewell Furnace Trail crosses the creek twice to reach the site of Ohio's first blast furnace, built in 1802, when the water is low. And if you want a bigger hike, our Cuyahoga Valley National Park day trip is about an hour away.

FAQ

Is Mill Creek Park free?

Yes. There's no charge to enter the park, use the trails, drive the roads, use picnic tables or visit Fellows Riverside Gardens. You only pay for extras like going inside Lanterman's Mill ($2–$4, kids under 6 free), boat rentals and some programs.

What are Mill Creek Park's hours?

Sunrise to sunset, every day. Ford Nature Center and the Davis Center at Fellows Riverside Gardens are open Tuesday–Sunday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Lanterman's Mill is open inside May through October, Tuesday–Sunday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.

Where do I park to see Lanterman's Falls?

Use the Lanterman's Mill lot or its overflow lot off Canfield Road (SR 62). The address is 1001 Canfield Rd., Youngstown. From there you can see the falls from the mill's deck and walk to the covered bridge and the Gorge Trail.

Are dogs allowed in Mill Creek Park?

Yes, on a leash on trails and drives. Dogs aren't allowed in picnic areas, recreation areas or the gardens, including Fellows Riverside Gardens.

How long is the Gorge Trail?

The East Gorge Walk and West Gorge Trail make about a 2-mile loop. Part of it is boardwalk, and it can be slick when it's wet or icy, so wear decent shoes.