Fort Thomas Tower Park

Love me some tower park! The kids always have a blast here. Great Hiking and Mountain Biking trails. Big playground does get a bit soggy after a good rain.

My two hiking friends and myself visited Tower Park recently because I found it on some hiking websites. We were pleased to find plenty of paved areas (for strollers) and a playground for our kiddos. We originally came for the hiking, but wanted to explore all of the paved roads first since our Hike It Baby group has many parents that require strollers for their little ones. So we didn’t get too far on the trails, but at least got a view of the Ohio River before heading back to the cars to feed our babes. We all agreed to visit again soon to do trails only!

I love Tower Park. There are great trails, perfect for hiking or biking. There’s a huge updated playground with improved shelter and bathroom facilities, as well as an amphitheater (tip: Naked Karate Girls are performing this Tuesday, June 16 at 7 pm. Bring a non-​perishable item to donate to Brighton Center). There are also tennis courts, a softball field, a track, and a soccer field. There really is plenty for everyone!

Not a bad spot to go. They have a real large kid’s jungle Jim set at the front of the park and free space to picnic near the area for families. There’s also an amphitheater there but never seen it in use. An ok track to use for walking/​running. A softball/​baseball field. An a pretty big space to play a little soccer of lacrosse. The ground is pretty uneven so be careful with the ankles. Then there’s the occasional droppings of deer. Lol all in all not a bad park.

This park doesn’t have it all, but it sure is a great gem in Ft. Thomas. It has an updated playground and shelter for families which the kids absolutely love. There is also a new amphitheater which is used during the summer for concerts.

Tower Park has hosted many very good concerts in their new amphitheater this summer with more to come. These are on Tuesdays at 7. Lots of parking, refreshments available during concerts ! Special events also scheduled year round in the Armory and Mess Hall. Tennis courts, baseball field, military museum. Nice children’s playground, clean bathroom. Picnic areas, trails for hiking… biking, a great park !

New playground is very nice. They have updated the park very much.

We’ve brought our toddler here several times to play on the playground and it’s a great place for that. There’s plentiful, close parking and acceptable restroom facilities for convenience. The playground section is large – a section with ride-​on bouncy critters and then a big jungle gym system with swings, slides, and climbing, etc. And there’s a little gazebo right in the middle for parents to sit & watch the fun. Despite the mulch, the ground can get a little muddy after rain, but everything is generally in good condition.
This park is huge and we haven’t explored it all, but I know there are picnic shelters and tennis and basketball courts and more, plus walking trails (you can download trail maps on their website). Shelters must be reserved (for a fee) but everything else is free.

I discovered this great little park today over in Ft. Thomas. Unlike the other reviewers I haven’t done the mountain biking but it sounds awesome.
The great things this park has going for it?
— Super super clean!
— Great picnic area and shelter
— HUGE playground with a ton of different things for kids to play on
— A great little softball field in the back
— Trails
The negatives, well there’s really only one. For some reason when I walked back to the back by the softball fields there was a huge government seized circle of properties that were taped off with caution tape and were scary as heck. They all looked abandoned, not sure what’s going on with that, but overall it’s a nice park!

Tower Park is a solid park in Fort Thomas that offers a little something for everyone!
There are playgrounds, tennis courts, plenty of ample picnic spots, basketball courts, an amphitheater, and a gymnasium/​rec center (where I have actually attended a wedding reception). What more could you ask for? Plus it’s all enclosed in an easily accessible, well-​maintained, and scenic park.
However, the reason I frequent this park whenever I’m in the area is the mountain biking/​running trails (I use them for the latter). The trails basically loop all around the outside of the park within the woods and are awesome. They are quite technical with lots of rocks, roots, stumps, and the like, and they can get somewhat treacherous following snow or rain. The trails offer some mild elevation changes (though these changes are quite sudden in some parts), and also offer some nice views of the Ohio River. One downside is that the trails are not spectacularly well-​marked. They are all marked at their respective trailheads, but then there is little in the way of blazes for the most part. Thus, it’s pretty easy to get «lost» though it’s tough to stray too far from safety or civilization given the relative short length of the trail system overall (just a couple miles). Despite the short length of the individual trails, you can patch together a more than decent run by connecting different trails and running some loops. Getting lost also adds some miles to your runs…
It’s never been very crowded when I’ve been running these trails. Usually I just pass a few dog walkers, but otherwise am left to my thoughts and the sound of my feet striking the trail.

I have never actually done any of the regular «park» activities, so I’m not a good person to either note what all they have, or the quality of any of it. But what I do regularly is the hiking trails, which I LOVE. It’s a very easy trek (except if it has just rained or snowed, it can get extremely slippery and a bit dangerous). But if it has been dry, the trails are an easy walk, about 30 – 45 minutes, depending on how fast you walk (I generally am just ambling along). It’s the only outdoorsy place, besides a dog park, that I can take my dogs and let them off leash. The «off leash» part technically isn’t legal, but if we see anyone else on the trails we just leash them back up real quick (we only see other people about 50% of the time, and when we do it’s just a couple).
The Boy Scout keep this trail up, and they do a great job. So thankful for this place!

Sorry Tower Park, I tried to like you but I keep getting disappointed.
I discovered the park by Googling for paved trails, and have been there a couple of times for a bike ride or roller skating. The park is in need of some repairs, with rugged asphalt, a crumbling basketball court, and uneven sidewalks.
My first attempt to roller skate here was my last. The pavement is nowhere smooth enough and is full of little pebbles and potholes. There also isn’t a closed trail, just paths that are shared with roadways. It was impossible to skate on, and too close to automobiles to be safe.
Then I came back with my bike. The trails (which again, were described as paved) are actually mountain bike trails. As you can see by the pictures, the dirt paths are narrow, steep, and full of tree roots, stumps, and rugged terrain. I was expecting a peaceful ride through the woods, but had a near-​death experience on the trail. There is an Army Reserve base in the park; these trails are more for their skill level.
I continued my bike ride on the street inside the park. Although it sits off the main road, there was a ridiculous amount of traffic between:
— Kids getting dropped off for sports practice
— People driving on and off the military base
— Residents coming /​going from their homes, located inside the park
Tower Park isn’t a very peaceful place; it’s much too active for my liking. With the lack of maintenance, as well as a lack of water fountains, I doubt I’ll be back.
On a positive note, I did stumble upon an area of old houses in the rear of the park that looked abandoned. A sign read «U.S. Government Property» but didn’t explain any further than that. Are these historic landmarks? Army housing? Condemned buildings? Whatever it is, these rustic homes were beautiful.

This park is in a great location, and quite possibly one of the best kept secrets in the area in terms of mountain biking.
*MOUNTAIN BIKING*
My friend and I, missing California and desperate for some good mountain biking, found out about Tower Park on
…the few opinions on there seemed overwhelmingly positive and definitely brought up how challenging the course was.
I’m not a pro by any means, but I can handle my own. The trails are very technical (read: plenty of roots and stumps), and the elevation changes are significant, but manageable. There are some great vistas looking out onto the Ohio River, and plenty of ways to get lost.
The entry points to the trails are exactly visible, but once you get in, there are plenty of signs to let you know where you are. If you ever get lost, find your way to any of the wider gravel trails and you’re good to go.
*GENERAL*
The park itself looks great. There are courts for basketball, tennis, and sand volleyball, fields for baseball/​softball, plenty of open space, and a new amphitheatre is under construction.
This park has quickly become a favorite of mine in the Northern Kentucky area!

Very nice trails however you must be a very experienced rider to handle these trails. Very technical and some what dangerous if you are not experienced enough. I myself was not ready for this level of difficulty. I will return again to have another run at it in the future. Long live long rides!

I grew up spending almost every day at this park, its a great family destination. With quite a deep historical background, ranging from the Civil War, to housing the remains of those who perished in the Beverly Hills Supper Club fire (in the Armory where the basketball courts are now).
Housing Highlands High School’s track & field, as well as a well designed soccer pitch.
Renovated several years ago, the play area is much improved from when I began attending the park.

Tower Park’s namesake is the 102 foot tall Stone Water Tower, an 19^th century remnant of the U.S. Army’s barracks in Ft. Thomas. Today, the tower serves as an emblem of the city’s rich military history.
Tower Park is a popular spot for family picnics and church outings because of the numerous outdoor activities that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. The park contains six lighted tennis courts, four sand volleyball courts, four shuffleboard courts, two basketball courts, and four horseshoe pits.
The shelters are often reserved on the weekends, so plan ahead and make your reservation for the park board.

Located at the site of the Fort Thomas Stone Water Tower, this area encompasses over 85 acres of land and has a huge playground area, ball fields, sheltered picnic areas, tennis courts, an amphitheater, restrooms and more.
The park area is nicely landscaped and contains walking and biking trails. There are also basketball and sand volleyball courts. To use one of the shelters, you must make reservations through the Ft. Thomas recreation department.