Located in Amberley Village, French Park is one of Cincinnati’s most underrated and overlooked parks.
This 275-acre park was originally an estate owned by Herbert Greer French until he bequeathed it to the Cincinnati Park Board following his death in 1942.
The park has several unique features, including a massive two story brick house known as The French House, a variety of hiking trails, and a picnic shelter with grills and tables.
It only takes one visit to this park to understand why it’s one of Cincinnati’s hidden gems.
The French House
The French House is a two story brick house located in the center of the park.
It was originally built in the 1900s but has since been renovated multiple times and is a popular place to rent out for weddings and other private events.
The park even offers tents, tables, and chairs available for rental to make it as simple as possible to host an event at this historic house.
Hiking Trails
The real reason that French Park is one of the most underrated parks in all of Cincinnati is because of its impressive amount of scenic hiking trails that weave through forested areas and along creek beds throughout the park.
The outermost loop of trails is about three miles along, but you can combine several trails to hike for as long as you’d like.
The image below shows a satellite view of the park. Each of the tiny grey lines are trails. Notice how there’s a massive hiking loop along the perimeter of the park along with several smaller trails that weave through the park.
All of the trailheads are accessible from the parking lots and you only have to walk for a couple minutes on any of the paths until you begin to feel like you’ve entered a different world.
There are several wooden bridges along the trails that make it convenient to walk over the small stream that runs throughout the park.
The trails offer a variety of different terrains including stepping stones and wooden steps in different places:
The creek that runs throughout the park also offers several places to stop and enjoy the peaceful flow of the water.
Most of the trails are clearly marked and labelled as well, so although you may feel quite deep in the forest in certain places, you should never feel lost.
Other Amenities
In addition to the wide variety of hiking trails, French Park also offers a picnic shelter with tables and grills that serves as an excellent place to host a small gathering.
Next to the picnic shelter is a swing set, a volleyball net, and plenty of open space available for running around with kids or pets.
Visit French Park
No matter how you slice it, French Park is truly a hidden gem among Cincinnati’s parks and one that is well worth the visit.
You can visit the park at located at 3012 Section Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45237 and you can find more information about the park including events going on at various times throughout the year at Cincinnati Parks.
Looking for more green places to explore around the Queen City? Check out our Complete Guide to Cincinnati Parks, Gardens, and Nature Centers.
