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There are ADA accessible parking areas and an accessible restroom.
MoMBA has a drinking fountain near the restrooms that is available seasonally from Apr. 1-Oct.31 as well as a drinking fountain equipped with a bottle filler. There is no water available at the Overlook or Lake View entrances.
The overlook entrance has a pit toilet open year-round.
Lake View has a portable toilet open year-round.
MoMBA has a pit toilet with facilities for both men and women side that is also open year-round.
Lake access at the Lake View entrance offers anglers and boaters the ability to put in row boats and other non-motorized watercraft.
The Mad River Trail connects this park with Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Eastwood MetroPark, downtown Dayton, and the larger bikeway network.
In addition, the Huffman Prairie Trail connects Huffman MetroPark with downtown Fairborn.
Learn more about the paved trail network.
The park contains significant bottomland hardwood habitat – trees that can tolerate periodic flooding and soil saturation, which often occurs when the Mad River flows high and the adjacent dam is in operation. The main park also includes a designated meadow, shallow lake and frontage along the Mad River. These habitats draw many migrating birds including many species of ducks, gulls, herons, song birds, woodpeckers, and birds of prey.
The area of the park near MoMBA contains significant mature upland hardwood forest, young forest in succession and meadows. These forests are managed by MetroParks to maximize forest size and ensure a diverse future forest.
The lake is also managed for wildlife habitat and recreational fishing.
An Ohio fishing license is required for the following locations, where state limits also apply:
The Mad River and the lake offer a diverse choice of fishing opportunities at Huffman MetroPark. Bluegill, Catfish, and Carp can be caught in the lake as well as the river, along with Trout and Smallmouth Bass.
The park has over three miles of wooded and open meadow trails for walking, running and cross-country skiing. Get a scenic overlook of the park by hiking the section of trail on the dam.
Discover year-round bird watching. Huffman Lake, the Mad River and natural vegetation provide a welcoming home to red-tailed hawks, herons, great horned owls and several types of woodpeckers; in spring and fall, many migratory birds and ducks will make stop overs . Evening hikers may spot bats in flight.
See our recent bird surveys for species.
During the dam construction in 1919, workers discovered a giant trilobite fossil. The Huffman Dam Trilobite is one of the largest complete trilobites ever found. Measuring 14.5 by 10.5 inches in size, it remains on display at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C.
Geocaching is an activity combining technology and nature, using GPS to search for and find “caches” hidden throughout the world. Visit www.geocaching.com and search by location to get started. Then head out on an adventure to find the geocaches hidden in this park.
Huffman Dam is one of the five earthen dams built in the early 1900’s by the Miami Conservancy District. There are remnants of old railroad bridges and buildings which had to be moved because of the dam.
The land the park now sits on was part of the Mad River flood control system created in 1922 by the Miami Conservancy District. It was leased to MetroParks in 1966 and the park opened to the public on April 1, 1967. Read more about the history of the park.
Along the north section of trail, take a moment at the historical marker for the Kirtland Camp. Members of the Mormon community camped for a month along the banks of the Mad River on their way to Missouri. While encamped, members worked on a section of the Springfield-Dayton turnpike.
The park has over three miles of wooded and open meadow trails for walking, hiking, or running. The trails offer views of the lake and Mad River. Hike to the south, and the trail section on the dam offers an overview of the park. Look for the remains of the Erie Railroad bridge abutments. Along the north section of trail, take a moment at the historical marker for the Kirtland Camp.
The Buckeye Trail (BT), Ohio’s State Trail, and the North Country National Scenic Trail (NCT) run together through Huffman MetroPark. These long distance trails are co-aligned through the Dayton area as they are through much of Ohio, locally following the Mad River and Great Miami Recreation Trails. The trails are marked by 2 x 6 inch blue blazes along the route and volunteers work closely with the land managers to promote the trail and maintain the blazes.
For an overview of the Buckeye and North Country Trail through the Miami Valley look for the blue dotted line on the Miami Valley Bikeways Map.
MoMBA is a premier sustainable single-track mountain bike specific facility. The trails were built as a partnership between FRMP and the Miami Valley Mountain Biking Association (MVMBA). It sports nine miles of trails ranging from beginner to advanced, with punchy climbs and a little bit of everything when it comes to features. Mature hardwoods, creek crossings, switchback climbs and even a rock garden make this one of the best and most diverse trail systems in the region.
Huffman is managed for natural diversity, from the wooded meadows to the river bottom lands to some old growth forest located in the MoMBA section of the park. The habitats draw many migrating birds including many species of ducks, gulls, herons, song birds, woodpeckers, and birds of prey.
Explore unique meadows and wooded areas within the floodplain. Discover year-round bird watching.
Lake access at the Lake View entrance offers paddlers the ability to put in canoes, kayaks or stand up paddleboards.
Reserve the Redtail shelter for your exclusive use using our online reservation system.
Unreserved shelters are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Picnic table sites also are available.
The park has over three miles of wooded and open meadow trails for cross-country skiing.
Cross-country ski the picnic areas and open meadows.
Hiking trails are open all winter long in most MetroParks, including Huffman. Get a scenic overlook of the park by hiking the section of trail on the dam.
Birding is a great way to learn about nature and get outside in your parks. From young to young at heart, people of all ages can enjoy this activity year round. Winter in Ohio offers many opportunities to explore the woods for songbirds.
Latitude: 39.78391
Longitude: -84.119509
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