Butternut Hollow Park

"Most ideal little piece of playground paradise: very new and creative 3 story playground with insane slides that you definitely want to help your children. But has playground for smaller kids too, and cool activity centers on the sides for the kiddos too (like a musical center). It’s on the side of a beautiful pond with ducks, geese, and vultures on the sides there as well. So be careful of all the poo but totally worth running around and having some fun! Just pure fun here!"

"Great playground facility. Clean and well maintained. Though you have to watch your step on the grass, especially by the water - lots of goose poop. There's a variety of aparati for children of varying abilities to use, from toddler to 12 years old. Plenty of shade, a pavilion with table and benches, and a port-a-potty are all available. Parking is pretty limited, maybe 10 or 12 cars total."

"Butternut Hollow park is a family friendly neighborhood park and playground with a pond. In this visit I enjoyed a walk to the park on my lunch break to view the season's waterfowl hatchlings. I was happy to see two families of geese with their goslings. There are several park benches and picnic tables. I especially like the water fountain in the pond as a scenic background. This would be a great park for children. They can enjoy the playground which has sections geared to children of different ages. It is set back from the pond and has areas for adults to sit. One should be aware the pond could be a danger for unsupervised children. There is a partial fence which improves safety. There is a parking lot for about a dozen cars. On busy days such as in the good weather in summer, the capacity of the lot can get exceeded. Many choose to simply park along the road instead. It is a dead end abutting the town property for winter maintenance vehicles and one business ( auto repair) so there is ample space. It is close to the playground for easy access. While the area has grass, it would not be difficult too use a baby stroller or a wheelchair because it is well mowed and the distance is short. There is also a port o potty available. Note: I did not see it at a later visit date. I have seen people fishing in the pond. This is another popular activity. Be aware there may be fish hooks so shoes should be worn. This is s muddy duck pond and is not suitable for swimming or bathing. The bacterial count is likely high so opt for another location for summer swimming. It's also not recommended for skating. My visits to the park are most often for a quick picnic lunch or as part of my jogging route. The size is about 6 acres, or a few house lots. It takes about 5 minutes to jog the perimeter. I love watching the ducks, geese, and occasions seagulls. It is a relaxing place to enjoy the seasons. It happens to be conveniently located for me, but if I were further away I might visit less often in favor of a local park in my area. It is a great neighborhood asset but probably not an out of town draw if you have something similar close by. The exception is if you are drawn to the playground equipment for kids, which is pretty nice. A downside to many ducks and geese is the lawn sometimes becomes littered with feces. This trip the area was very clean. I most notice this problem in the fall months when the young ones are nearly full size. I do not recommend sitting in the grass even with a blanket, but rather to use the picnic tables and benches. There is a picnic Pavillion near the play area too. Update: I made a late summer visit and choosing ones steps in the grass was already necessary. Overall it's a great local treasure for a neighborhood park in Middletown. I recommend it for picnics, enjoying the scenery, the playground, pond fishing, and outdoor exercise. If you're looking for something larger you might consider the riverfront, or if these features are not a particular draw for you, something in your neighborhood might be more suitable. Miller's pond is a few miles from here where you can swim, fish, and grill. For its intended purpose I love Butternut Hollow and consider it an oasis to recharge during busy days."

"Shaded and clean park. Two little pavillions for a rest. The parking is small but there is plenty of space up along the quiet road. A good variety of equipment for all ages and groups. The sound hut has buttons for animal noises and THEY ACTUALLY WORK. this is my new favorite park but BEWARE OF GOOSE POOP."

"I wanted to take more pictures, but they would have had people I did not know in them. There are places to sit here for lunch or if you just want to sit on the bench and look out at the lake/pond area. The play area has a couple of sections, one for toddlers and one for bigger kids. I really like that idea. There are about 10 parking spots and you can park on the street if need be. 2 minute drive from Washington Street in Middletown. They do have an outhouse for public use. I'm not sure it is a dog friendly park."