Spree celebrates The Living Landscape of the Metro Parks
Get a head start on the 63rd annual Fall Hiking Spree at the Fall Hiking Spree Kick-Off, Sunday, August 23 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Goodyear Heights Metro Park/Main Entrance (2077 Newton St., Akron). Join guided hikes of the 1.8-mile Parcours Trail at 9:30 a.m. or 12:30 p.m., or hike it anytime on your own that day to earn spree credit. Spree forms will be available and Fall Hiking Spree t-shirts will be for sale (credit cards only). To receive your hiking shield (pictured), all other hikes must be completed September 1 through November 30, 2026.
A first-time participant who completes eight hikes will earn a hiking staff and metal shield. A returning spree hiker will earn a shield. Hikes can be completed on a person’s own schedule and at their own pace. Fall Hiking Spree rewards are free to Summit County residents. Out-of-county residents pay to receive rewards ($10 for first-year hikers, $5 for veteran hikers). Guided spree hikes are listed on the park district’s Programs & Events calendar.
Hiking forms are available online, in the September/October issue of Green Islands magazine and at the following locations:
- F.A. Seiberling Nature Realm (1828 Smith Rd., Akron)
- Liberty Park Nature Center (9999 Liberty Rd., Twinsburg)
- Summit Lake Nature Center (411 Ira Ave., Akron).
- In a dropbox outside the park district’s Administrative Offices (975 Treaty Line Rd., Akron)
- Park kiosks
- Acme Fresh Market locations in Summit County
This year’s Fall Hiking Spree theme is The Living Landscape. Summit Metro Parks encourages visitors to consider how the Metro Parks have evolved from past to present. Explore what’s changed, what remains the same and all that nature has to offer this fall. Beginning September 1, look for signs at the beginning of each Fall Hiking Spree trail to enjoy learning more about the spree theme. The full list of 2026 spree trails and forms are available at summitmetroparks.org.
Each year, an estimated 50,000 people sign up to participate in the spree. In 2025, there were 14,420 spree finishers.
Established in 1921, Summit Metro Parks has been Your Back Yard for more than 100 years. The park district manages more than 16,000 acres throughout 16 parks, two nature centers, one visitors center and over 150 miles of trails, including 22 miles of the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail. Learn more at summitmetroparks.org