Whether you love it or loathe it, one thing’s undeniable about golf — this game takes up a lot of space. And when golfers are on the course, the manicured greens and water features don’t really mix with other activities. Random people can’t just throw a blanket on the sand trap and have a picnic — in fact, at most private courses, non-members aren’t even allowed on the property. Public golf courses can sometimes be more versatile, as the grounds serve well for cross-country skiing, grassy parking lots, or other athletic events. But whether the location is private or public, once the clubs come out, everybody else has to steer clear.
This sprawling consumption of land is particularly evident at the Acacia Reservation in Lyndhurst, Ohio. The former golf course has been converted into a public park, which encompasses a staggering 155 acres. No longer a private domain for carts and caddies, Acacia is free to visit and open to all, and it’s just a half-hour drive from downtown Cleveland.
Ohio is already well known for its repurposed Rust Belt properties, such as Friendship Park, a former mining site turned scenic park for camping, hiking, and lake fun. Acacia Reservation is proving that even luxury estates, formerly reserved for moneyed suburbanites, can be adapted in new and innovative ways. The new status has allowed nature to reclaim these former fairways – researchers have documented 465 species here, including 139 types of birds, so be sure to pack your binoculars.
Things to do in Acacia Reservation
Most people will come to Acacia Reservation to walk the trails and admire the scenery. A paved trail, Woodpecker Way, curves into a loop through a significant chunk of the park for a total distance of 1.8 miles. Additional trails branch off Woodpecker Way, allowing you to extend or shorten your trek. Paved surfaces make these paths good for walking, cycling, and rollerblading, and there’s still plenty of regular mown grass for picnics and lawn games. Center Pond is partly ringed with a raised boardwalk, which helps keep your feet dry in the soggier seasons. And the gentle hills found throughout the landscape are ideal for a scenic stroll – Ohio is a famously flat state, but one popular loop around the park still manages to gain over 100 feet of elevation…