Knox County Park District

07/03/2025

07/02/2025

You may not see a mountain lion, bobcat or black bear while hiking in our parks, but your chances of seeing a white-tailed deer are pretty good!

07/01/2025

As many of you know, there were two confirmed Black Bear sightings in neighboring Licking County just last month, and there have been many others around the state. In spite of the growing population, the Black Bear is classified as endangered in Ohio due to their absence since the mid-1800's and the need for continued monitoring.

Have you seen a black bear in Knox County? If so, please share your experience in the comment section.

06/30/2025

It was a beautiful day for the grand opening of The Brown Family Environmental Center's new trail system on Yauger Road, Mount Vernon, Ohio! This is directly across from Wolf Run Park and will be a great asset to the community. Park District director, Dave Heithaus, was on hand to speak to the importance of this green space.

06/27/2025

Summer intern Will Stemen has been hanging around with some snake-in-the-grass friends this week!

06/25/2025

Many KUDOS to these wonderful youth who volunteered to help us with some projects for the Park District!

This work group is part of a summer youth program coordinated by Opportunity Knox and OhioMeansJobs. This group of teenagers assisted the Knox County Park District, June 16th-18th and painted five picnic tables from various park locations, mulched and weeded around the Wolf Run Regional Park main parking area, as well as trimmed back encroaching vegetation along the walking paths within Wolf Run. A huge thank you is in order for the work accomplished by these young community members!

06/24/2025

If you live in Knox County, you may hear low-flying planes this week. The Ohio Department of Agriculture is treating approximately 13,500 acres this week for Spongy Moths (previously known as Gypsy Moths). The strategy is to disrupt mating by using SPLAT GM-O (for gypsy moth organic). The SPLAT GM-O contains the pheromone that female spongy moths emit to attract males, and works by confusing males, which can't tell whether they are being attracted to a female moth or a droplet of the product. The result is significantly fewer successful matings and fewer moths the following season. SPLAT GM-O is specific to spongy moth and is made with food grade materials. The EPA has approved SPLAT GM-O for use in organic food production areas.

The product will not be applied to areas with no tree canopy, so the pilots will turn off their spray booms over large agricultural plots or open water. More information on SPLAT GM-O is available on ODA's website, scroll down to "Treatment Materials" and click there for the label, MSDA, and a fact sheet.

06/23/2025

BACK TO NATURE SERIES AT ARCH PARK COMMUNITY GARDEN!

June is National Pollinator Month! Learn more about these garden superheroes at the first Back to Nature event THIS THURSDAY, June 26th at the Arch Park Community Garden.

More than 150 of our common food crops, from avocados to zucchini, rely on pollinators to move pollen among flowers to facilitate fertilization, which ultimately leads to the development of fruits and seeds. Celebrate the hard work of these busy animals with a special picnic featuring the fruits of their labor.

Join us for a PICNIC WITH OUR POLLINATOR PALS on Thursday June 26th at 6 PM at the Arch Park Community Garden.

Activities are geared towards children K-6th grade and will be focused on exploring and connecting with nature through art, games, stories, and food.

These family centered events are sponsored by the Parent Support Initiative, Knox Public Health, and the Green Teens program. Upcoming Back to Nature events scheduled at Arch Park this summer include Art in the Park on Thursday, July 10th and Stories in the Park on Thursday, July 31st from 6 – 7:30 PM. Arch Park is located on Arch Ave.

06/18/2025

Today is NATIONAL GO FISHING DAY and we have just the pond for you! Head over to Wolf Run Regional Park's Wolf Run Pond and Fishing Pier and drop a line! If streams or rivers are more your kettle of fish, Knox County has many from which to choose, including the Kokosing and Mohican Rivers. You deserve some time off, so have some fun and go fish!

06/17/2025

If traveling the Kokosing Gap Trail, beware of slow-moving....turtles!

More nesting along the KGT today.

06/17/2025

Bring your family, come with friends, or enjoy some time alone! For more information about our 9 parks, including maps, visit our website at knoxcountyparks.org.

06/16/2025

Butterflies are a valuable group of pollinators in nature, transferring pollen from flower to flower as they nourish themselves on the nectar. These beautiful and delicate creatures are highly sensitive indicators of an ecosystem's health and also help to support it.

Enjoy these lovely photos courtesy of Kathy Noblet!