Jackson Park System
Looking for a place to relax and commune with nature, plus keep the kids busy at the same time? Check out on of Jackson’s beautiful parks!
Two of Jackson’s major attractions are located within the areas largest park systems
Sparks Foundation County Park
Home of the world famous Cascade Falls. The park is off Kibby Road. This 457-acre park is hosts to a man-made, illuminated waterfall with musical accompaniment. The 16 falls are illuminated 7:30-11:00 pm nightly from Memorial Day through Labor Day. The park boasts an outdoor basketball court, four lighted tennis courts, horseshoe pitching pits, a pier for handicapped fishing, a picnic shelter, paved pedestrian walkways and a large play structure for children ages 5-12. The Cascades 18-hole golf course and the nine-hole Cascades Short Course golf course and Ken Douglas Learning Center are also part of parks system. There also is a miniature golf course, batting cages and paddleboat rental, ice cream store, and Cascades Manor House Restaurant and banquet facility.
Sharp Park
Ella Sharp Museum, Jackson’s center of history and the visual arts is located within the park. This 562-acre park at Horton Road and Fourth Street is the largest in the Jackson city limits. It has facilities for field games, picnicking and cultural activities. Special facilities include an arboretum and the Peter F. Hurst Planetarium. It also features cross-country ski trails, an Olympic-size swimming pool, 18-hole miniature golf, formal flower gardens, nature trails, an 18-hole golf course, a golf practice/learning center, two lighted softball fields, three regular softball fields, basketball courts, a volleyball court, playground areas, a fishing site, ten soccer fields, four tennis courts, two picnic areas with shelters, and four baseball fields.
State Parks
Hayes State Park
The park near Brooklyn has 185 campsites including mini-cabins and handicap-accessible sites. A day-use picnic area with tables, grills, concession stands, sanitation stations, bathhouses and boat launches. For information, call 517.467.7401.
Waterloo State Recreation Area
The 21,000-acre state recreation area includes much of northeastern Jackson County and extends into Washtenaw County. It is the third largest state recreation area in Michigan. The Portage Lake Campground is the chief attraction of the area in Jackson County. There are three cabins available for rent throughout the Waterloo Recreation area. Each cabin sleeps from eight to 20 people. For cabin rental information call 734.475.8307.
Jackson City Parks
Beech Tree Park
Half acre park at VanBuren and Blackstone has open green space and is home of the State Champion Beech Tree.
Best Field
Six-acre park on Lewis Street near Locust Street. Baseball diamonds and horseshoe pits and parks maintenance garage.
Betsy Butterfield Memorial Park
One acre off West Avenue at Brighton Street. Playground equipment.
Blackman Park
Half acre at the corner of Michigan Avenue and S. Jackson Street with green space, sidewalks and park benches.
Blair Memorial Park
Three quarters of an acre off Greenwood Avenue and S. Jackson Street with green space, sidewalks and park benches.
Bloomfield Park
This 2.2-acre park off W. Michigan Avenue between Durand and Thompson streets has tennis courts, basketball courts, a ball field, playground equipment and picnic tables.
Bucky Harris Park
This half-acre park is on the corner of Jackson Street and Michigan Avenue and has green space with benches, fountains and a concert stage.
Norm Creger Memorial Park
One-fifth of an acre located at the corner of Pleasant and Pringle streets with green space, and playground equipment.
Exchange Park
This 4-acre park is at the corner of Merriman and Euclid Streets. It includes a ball field, two tennis courts, two basketball courts and playground equipment.
Kiwanis Park
This 1.5-acre park on Blakely Street between Seymour and Elm avenues has a lighted softball field and playground equipment.
Leekes Park
On the corner of Prospect and Milwaukee streets is 1/5 of an acre with green space with a walkway and benches.
Lions Parks
Corner of N. Blackstone and Adams streets, this 7-acre park has playground equipment, two basketball courts, one lighted softball field and one regular softball field and a tennis court.
Loomis Park
This 14-acre city park is on the north side of E. Michigan Avenue, bounded by Ganson, Edgewood, and Gilbert streets. It has two outdoor basketball courts and two tennis courts. There is also an ice-skating rink, a large wooden playground structure and picnic shelter. The Boos Recreation Center in the park has an indoor gymnasium and meeting facilities.
Martin Luther King Recreation Center
The center at 1107 Adrian Avenue has an indoor gymnasium and meeting rooms. The surrounding 9-acre grounds have playground equipment, two basketball and tennis courts, ball fields and picnicking.
Nixon Park
Swimming pool with water features, skateboard area, rollerblade arena, four softball fields, playground equipment, and a picnic area with shelter.
Optimist Park
Off Clinton Road near Burger King, this 5-acre park has a softball field, basketball court and playground equipment.
Partnership Park
Half acre on W. Mason and Williams streets has playground equipment, benches and picnic shelter.
Rotary Park
This 3-acre park between Deyo and Plymouth streets off Elm Avenue has basketball courts, tennis courts, a small ball field and playground equipment.
Jackson County Parks
Clark Lake County Park
The 7-acre park is off Ocean Beach Road in Columbia Township. Facilities include grills, portable toilets, picnic tables, playgrounds and a beach and boat launch.
Clear Lake County Park
Off Clear Lake Road in Waterloo Township, this 5-acre park has portable toilets, picnic area, shelter, a playground and beach.
Gillett's Lake County Park
Off Gillett's Lake Road in Leoni Township, the park has a beach, shelter, picnic area, portable toilets, playground and softball diamond.
Grass Lake County Park
Off N. Lake Street in Grass Lake Township, this 9-acre park has picnic tables, grills, a shelter by reservation, playground area, modern restrooms, a boat launch and swimming area.
Horton Mill Pond County Park
Off Moscow Road, south end of Village of Horton, Hanover Township, this 5-acre park has a picnic shelter, playground area, and pit toilets.
Lime Lake County Park
On Teft Road in Spring Arbor Township, this 2-acre park includes a boat launch, swimming area, and portable toilets.
Little Wolf Lake County Park
Off Wolf Lake Road in Napoleon Township, this park includes portable toilets, playgrounds, picnic tables and picnic shelter, and swimming area.
Minard Mills County Park
Springport and Minard roads in Tompkins Township, this 5-acre park has picnic tables, grills, playground area, ball diamond and pit toilets.
Pleasant Lake County Park
This 22-acre park located at Styles Road in Henrietta Township has a 69-site campground with water and electricity at every site, showers, restrooms, picnic area and three picnic shelters by reservation, a sandy-beach swim area, biking trails, fishing, horseshoes, basketball courts, playground and boat dock.
Portage Lake County Park
Portage Lake Road in Waterloo Township, this 3-acre park has picnic tables, grills, playground equipment, a swimming area, boat launch and portable toilets.
Round Lake County Park
Round Lake Road in Liberty Township, this 2.5-acre park has grills, picnic area, boat launch, playground area, portable toilets, and a flowing well for filling your water jugs.
Swains Lake County Park
The 26-acre park in Pulaski Township has a boat launch as well as showers and restrooms. Other facilities include 56 camping sites with water and electricity, and a recreational vehicle dump site, two large picnic shelters with tables by reservation, one softball diamond, horseshoe pits, playground equipment, a basketball and volleyball court, hiking, biking, fishing and a nature trail, sand box and swimming area.
Vandercook Lake County Park
Off Fourth Street on Avenue A in Vandercook Lake this park includes a beach, two ball diamonds, a boat launch, basketball court, restrooms, concession stand, two picnic shelters, on open and the other by reservation, and playground.
Vineyard Lake County Park
Off M-124 on North Drive in Norvell Township, this 8.5-acre park has playground equipment, swimming area, portable toilets and a boat launch.
Township & Village Parks
Ahren’s Park
This Norvell Township park is on Norvell Road between Sharon Valley and Cady roads. It offers a baseball diamond, playground equipment, pavilion picnic tables and grills.
Gallagher Park
On Second Street, between Audrey and W. Gordon streets in Spring Arbor, this park has softball diamonds and playground equipment.
Gottschalk Park
This park at 420 Homer Street, Concord, has five ball diamonds, playground equipment, three soccer fields, picnic tables, picnic pavilion, restrooms, two tennis courts and horseshoe pits.
Groner Park
Off Elizabeth Street, south of Michigan Avenue, Parma, the park has two ball diamonds, two tennis courts, pavilion and playground equipment.
Leoni Township Park
On Fifth Street between Broad and S. Lakeside streets, this park on Center Lake has playground facilities, picnic tables, restrooms and a boat launch.
Rod I. Mills Memorial Park
This 80-acre Blackman Township Park on Parnall Road between Rives Junction Road and US 127 offers two softball diamonds, playground equipment, pavilion, picnic facilities, outhouses, and nature trails.
Napoleon Village Square
At East Avenue and Austin Road, the partially fenced Napoleon Township Park has two pavilions, playground equipment and portable restrooms.
Rives Township Park
Off Main Street behind the fire station, the park has a ball diamond, playground equipment and a basketball court.
Swains Memorial Park
At the end of Tecumseh Street at River Street, just east of M-50, this Brooklyn park has a pavilion, picnic tables, restrooms available for groups by prior arrangement, portable toilets, new enlarged playground area and basketball courts.
Playgrounds
Allen Elementary
900 E. Pearl Street
Playground equipment.
Amy Firth School
205 Seymour Avenue
1 acre, basketball court, ball field, playground equipment.
Bennett Elementary
820 Bennett Street
0.3 acre, playground equipment, small ball field.
Cascades Elementary
1200 S. Wisner Street
3.5 acres, basketball court, ball field, playground equipment.
Chittock Street
1039 Chittock
0.20 acre, playground equipment.
Frost Elementary
1226 S. S. Wisner Street
Several ball fields and a large play area.
Hunt Elementary
1143 N. Brown Street
Backstops for ball diamonds, playground equipment, basketball courts, large play area.
McCulloch Elementary
216 E. Biddle Street
0.50 acre, basketball court, playground equipment.
Northeast Elementary
1024 Fleming Avenue
Ball field and limited play equipment.
Middle School At Parkside
2400 Fourth Street
Two baseball and two softball fields, track and a practice football field.
Queen of the Miraculous Medal School
811 S. Wisner Street
1 acre, backstop, playground equipment.
St. John Athletic Field
915 Cooper Street
Several softball fields and a football field.
St. Joseph School
712 N. Waterloo Street
0.2 acre, playground equipment.
St. Mary School
116 E. Wesley Street
0.1 acre, playground equipment.
Sharp Park School
766 Park Road
0.5 acre, basketball hoop, playground equipment.
Tomlinson Elementary
730 Tomlinson Street
1.5 acres, ball field, playground equipment.
Tompkins Township Hall
9999 Tompkins Road
Two ball diamonds.
Wilson Elementary
310 W. Morrell Street
0.5 acre, basketball court, playground equipment.