One of MetroParks of Butler County’s newest parks, Timberman Ridge MetroPark opened as a part of Forest Run MetroPark in 2014. Join me for an inside look at the park’s history, and what makes Timberman Ridge so sweet!
The southwest corner of section 11 of Ross Township was owned by John Timberman according to the 1836 Atlas of Butler County, giving the road and ridge its name. By 1895 the land was the farm of J.F. Engle and eventually, 169 acres were bought by Richard and Martha Fitton in 1965. The areas not cleared for farm crops or pasture support a mixed hardwood forest prominently featuring maple and oak trees. Several maple trees at Timberman Ridge have been tapped for sap to produce maple syrup as featured in the “Magic in the Maples” program on Valentine’s Day.
Since the park’s opening, it has undergone multiple improvements. The Kestrel Shelter was converted from a farm equipment shed to a reservable picnic shelter and the floor was releveled in 2023. The shelter’s outer white walls got a facelift with a mural titled Fresh Flowers for All to Enjoy! painted in 2024 by Inspiration Studios. The park’s playground was installed in 2023, then enhanced again in 2024 with a sun-shaded picnic table, much to the delight of young and old alike. The most recent improvement was opening the four-season flush toilets at the far end of the main parking lot. All of the recent improvements except the mural were made possible by a $488,000 State Capital grant.
The former Richard and Martha Fitton house became the office building for MetroParks’ Director, Deputy Director, Director of Planning, the Marketing team and their staff several years back. Unfortunately, the office was severely damaged on June 22, 2022, when a large oak tree fell into the building during a severe wind event in Ross Township. The reconstruction efforts took over a year, and staff moved back into the offices in July 2023.
Timberman Ridge MetroPark boasts over ten miles of trails that meander through prairie, forest, and wetland habitats. The Timberman Ridge Trail was paved in 2019 when the parking lot was expanded near the Kestrel Shelter. The other four cross-country trail loops interconnect and are used both by hikers and by local schools for training and meets. This extensive trail network can be accessed from three trailhead parking lots on New London, Warvel and Timberman Roads. Three catch-and-release fishing ponds are a sweet bonus in the MetroPark as well.
Timberman Ridge has been the site of prescribed burns, a tried and true conservation practice used to maintain the park’s prairies. By burning off woody plants and old thatch, new growth of grasses, forbs and wildflowers have a chance to thrive and ensure a diverse, high-quality ecosystem that is beneficial to pollinators. And a final sweet-an apiary (bee hives) are located at Timberman Ridge MetroPark. These important pollinators thrive on pollen sourced from the park’s native prairies. A third-party beekeeper maintains hives in a fenced enclosure and offers a honey-harvesting program in the fall.
So, visit Timberman Ridge to explore all the opportunities this 169-acre MetroPark has to offer – whether you enjoy fishing, hiking, playing on the newest equipment, enjoying a picnic in a beautifully painted shelter or participating in a wide variety of public programs – you will have a sweet experience.
