North Park Walking Stick Woods Natural Area

Love it 😍

This is a hidden gem with great trails to explore and several nature play areas for kids.

Love this place. The trail is well-maintained and there are some really cool constructed nature play areas. Hardest part is finding the entrance. They really need to add a gate on Central Park. I included a map to show how to access it - start at the playground entrance and walk around to the other side of the fence and across the service drive to easily access the trail. My kid loves it here. The playground at the park is nice too.

It’s places like this that build longevity living in the city with kids. Such an enjoyable space for kids to play complete with loose wood, picnic tables, paths and well… nature. Coming back.

Walking Sticks Woods is a great natural area for kids to explore. The one tricky part is finding the entrance. You can enter Peterson Park through a gate near Central Park and Ardmore. Walk west toward the playground and fieldhouse and then turn south to the parking lot/service drive just south of the playground (this is visible from the playground but there is a fence). Head back east (toward Central Park) and you'll see the path. There is also a small parking lot just south of the fieldhouse - but that is only accessible via the entrance off Pulaski.