Huffman MetroPark

Huffman MetroPark is being managed for natural diversity, making it an ideal spot for wildlife viewing. The lake and Mad River highlight this 316- acre MetroPark. The park has over three miles of wooded and open meadow trails for walking, running and cross-country skiing. This park is home to the MetroParks Mountain Biking Area, MoMBA --- and expert and beginner cyclists alike will find fun and challenge on this course.Other highlights include:

• Access to Mad River Trail, Buckeye Trail, North Country Trail, & Huffman Prairie Trail
• River Access
• River and lake fishing
• Excellent birding (over 200 species logged)

Huffman Dam

One of the five dry dams built by the Miami Conservancy District after the Great Flood of 1913. 

Learn more about Huffman Dam | About the integrated flood protection system

Trails

• Mad River Trail
  • The Mad River Trail connects to the park at the top of the Huffman Dam. Taking this paved trail west will lead users through Eastwood MetroPark into downtown Dayton. Heading east, users can connect with Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, the Air Force Museum, Huffman Prairie Trail, and the Kauffman Avenue Bikeway, which extends to Wright State University and Fairborn.
    
    
• Buckeye & North Country Trails
  • The Buckeye and North Country Trails pass through Huffman MetroPark. This section of the Buckeye Trail is part of a 1,440-mile continuous loop that encircles Ohio. The North Country National Scenic Trail stretches across seven states and will be 4,600 miles long when completed. These trails link and make historical and scenic features accessible and provide long-distance hiking.
    
    
• Huffman Prairie Trail
  • The Huffman Prairie Trail is part of the statewide Buckeye Trail, connecting Huffman MetroPark with downtown Fairborn. Along the trail, users will pass the Wright Brothers Memorial Park and the Huffman Prairie State Natural Landmark, one of the largest prairie remnants in Ohio and a unique part of the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historic Park.
    
    

MetroParks Mountain Biking Area (MoMBA)

Five River MetroParks has the only trails in the area built specifically for and open exclusively to Mountain Biking at the MetroParks Mountain Biking Area (MoMBA) within Huffman MetroPark. MOMBA provides more than 9 miles of trails for riders from beginners to the most advanced. Additional amenities include a Beginner trail, Tot Track, restrooms, water and a fixit station.

Fishing & Paddling

The river provides great fishing opportunities with a local population of brown trout, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, rock bass, bluegill, crappie and carp. Paddlers can put in upstream and take out before reaching the dam. The Mad River was designated as a state water trail in August 2010.

History

Chief Engineer Arthur Morgan of the Miami Conservancy District felt strongly that the lands surrounding the dry dams (when not actively storing floodwaters) should be available to the public for outdoor recreation use.

In 1967, Five Rivers MetroParks leased Huffman MetroPark from the Miami Conservancy District. Since then, MetroParks has been managing the park, and many changes have happened. Huffman MetroPark now is primarily managed for natural diversity, providing the Miami Valley with a variety of outdoor activities.

Huffman MetroPark, by its very name, draws connections to bicycles for local residents. The park and earthen dam within it are named after the Huffman family, founders of the Huffy Bike Corporation back in 1892. Horace Huffman, Jr., became a community organizer who pushed for the development of river bikeways in the 1970s.

(Information via Five Rivers MetroParks)