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Woodward Park
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
24 reviews for Woodward Park
24 reviews in English
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Review from Stephanie l.
Fresno, CA
12/27/2011
Woodward Park is a great place to go...pretty much any time of the year. The SJ river is fun to swim in, the bmx park (while it isn't the safest) is a good time if you know what you're doing so you don't hurt yourself (my dad broke his hand a few years back), and the dirt trail are great for running and biking, lots of decent sized hills. The three mile loop around the park is fun for longboarding, there's a few small hills. Lastly the Eaten trail is great for bikes, eventually it extends to Friant road. There's also a lot of great open fields to take your kids to play, and there's some nice picnic spots. Overall a nice park, it's pretty large and a little bit of something for everyone.
Only thing I wish they didn't do is put that dog park in...too many bratty dogs with owners who don't know how to control them. Not to mention the dogs on the trails with no leash. People should be thankful we have such a dog friendly park here in Fresno, don't ruin it by abusing the privilege. -
Review from Arthur A.
Victorville, CA
8/17/2011
This is the best park in town. So big and clean. A lot activities you can do around here. Weekend is always busy. People jog, hike and ride there bikes. Lots of playground and picnic area. My family always come here. I love to jog here. I just don't like the area where theres a ton geese or ducks or swans or whatever staring at you or about to chase you. Too many of them.
The park needs to put up more signs/guides on there trails and pathways. I was there using the trails/pathways.. you do not see a sign to the nearest restroom, nearest parking lot or where are you in park? -
Review from Mireille D.
Glendale, CA
1/12/2012
Such a beautiful park, I loved everything about it. The park itself is fairly large, but it's so peaceful. Woodward park is definitely worth visiting while in Fresno.
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Review from Carsten C.
Fresno, CA
11/10/2010
Nice Park for Jogging, Hiking, Dog Running, Family Picnics, BMX Tracking, even Horse Riding and much more. Unfortunately not totally free like the Central Park in New York City, but at least does it not cost an arm and a leg to get in.
$5 for onetime admission with a Car or $30 for an annual pass. If you go there by food or bicycle, no admission must be paid. The park can also entered free with a car when it is closed during the night. The park is open April through October, 6am to 10pm and November through March, 6am to 7pm. There are several points where only pedestrians and bikes can enter the park.
If you live too far away to get there on foot or bicycle, but don't mind to walk a little, park your car at the public and free parking lots of the commercial area at Friant Rd / Ft.Washington Rd at the Northeastern End of the park and walk across Friant Rd. to enter the park on foot and free this way.
Another nearby and free parking area is located at the southern end of the park at Audubon Drive right on the Eastern Side, before the Bridge over Highway 41 if you come from Friant Rd (using Friant Rd. Exit of HWY-41 and turned left on Friant Rd.)
The park is located in the far North of Fresno, CA and stretches along N.Friant Road (North-South) to the very outskirts of the city. The park is the starting point of the Lewis E. Eaton part of the San Joaquin River Parkway trail which extends further north to Copper River.
Its a great location to spend family weekends in the open. Nice lawns, Barbecue "Pits" or Grills at Tables under Pavilions / Shelters are available at 6 locations for $30/Day per Table (25-30 people, with max capacity of ca 210 people for an entire shelter), so all you need to bring is Charcoals and the Meat. Electricity is also available (for music etc.). A smaller 7th shelter for 60 people ("Gazebo") is also available for $72 per day.
Free tables without cover, BBQ and electricity are available too on a first come first served basis.
Also perfect for Kids Birthday parties. Playgrounds for the little ones are also available.
BTW. Woodward Park is the largest regional park in the Central Valley of California.
Here is a link to a Map of the park in PDF-format
http://www.fresno.gov/... -
Review from Miss W.
San Francisco, CA
12/1/2010
A true outdoor sanctuary in an otherwise suburban strip-malled Central California. This is how I want to remember Fresno, a luscious oasis of green in the desert.
I mostly frequented Woodward to run the trails, a lovely scenic escape and safe for solo ladies in spandex. Plenty of hills and shirtless men to keep things interesting. Watch out for endorsed high-speed cyclists.
Tip: dog owners let their pups drink directly from the water fountains. If you taste a subtle dog saliva flavor, it's not just you. -
Review from Pam R.
Fresno, CA
6/3/2010
The park itself is rather nice. There is a manicured section with watered grass and areas for picnics. There are also a rougher areas for longer walking, dirt biking, and some new bmx bike area that I instantly avoided. And there is a dog park.
I used to go to the park every day. Now I never go. The main problem I have is with the people who use the park.
I stopped using the dog park, in part because my dog is high energy and would get a little out of control. Nothing bad, but she does charge around and will play a little too gregariously.
It didn't help though that people actually bring their small children in the dog park to play while their parents ignore them, especially when there is a playground in eye's sight of the dog park. Great parenting skills.
I also started to have problems with other people's dogs attacking mine. Again, my dog is spastic, but not viscous. One time resulted in a $275 vet fee. That was the last we saw of the dog park.
I then started taking my dogs (now two) to the rough lower section of the park. This started as a nice way to exercise spasmoid while keeping her on leash. Unfortunately a large percentage of Fresno dog owners do not adhere to leash laws - which the park DOES have (and they are posted).
Packs of dogs running up to mine and fighting while their owners stare stupidly and laugh is not my idea of proper public space etiquette. My dog is spastic but always under my control.
I'm not a big fan of the open barbed wire in that section either. A friend's dog got stuck on a stray piece once and it cut her leg open. A great lawsuit waiting to happen. Anyone want to make a few bucks?
Then I tried to restrict our walks to the manicured portion of the park. However, this has declined considerably as well. The areas are now often littered with chicken and rib bones from the masses who gorge themselves on the lawns and can't be bothered to walk 10 feet to a garbage can. I got tired of trying to pull bones from my dogs' mouths every few feet.
The park definitely has taken a low-class turn. It is a shame because it was a nice place when I first moved here. Now I feel as if I have been forced out. -
Review from K. A. R.
Clovis, CA
2/28/2009
Every year the local Japanese cultural society hosts the Toro Nagashi ceremony at Woodward Park. Toro Nagashi happens at the end of the three-day Obon Festivel, a time to remember the dead. I guess the closest event on our side of the world would be Dia de los Muertos.
Toro Nagashi involves placing the names of deceased family members/friends on a lantern, along with any messages you might have for them, and setting it float on a lake or river. The lantern is supposed to represent the spirits of the departed returning to their realm. (During Obon, they're thought to come back and be among us.)
It's a very touching way of saying good-bye to someone you love.
I've participated in Toro Nagashi here twice, and was extremely impressed both times. The ceremony itself culminates in hundreds of illuminated lanterns floating on the lake, and it's really neat to see folks from all ethnic backgrounds and religions participating in this Japanese ceremony.
Because Obon, and therefore Toro Nagashi, is based on the solar calendar the exact days change every year, but it happens around the middle of July.
PLEASE NOTE: I'm NOT in any way an expert on any aspect of Japanese culture. This review is based solely on my interpretation of Obon and Toro Nagashi. -
Review from Nala L.
San Jose, CA
9/7/2008
Our family always come here for picnics! This park has it all! Great walking/biking/skating trails, lots of areas to bbq, playgrounds for the kids, and even a dog park. There is a lovely Japanese Garden with a huge coit pond. It costs only a few bucks and kids under a certain age are free. Lots of wedding pictures are taken here.
My favorite is the lakes full of ducks, geese and a couple of swans. I love taking a couple of bags of bread and spend the afternoon feeding them. -
Review from Christian P.
Seattle, WA
4/17/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Far from downtown Fresno. Located in the suburbs of Fresno. I really enjoyed the Japanese Garden. It was only $3 per person to enter the garden. Of course you have to pay to get into the main park itself which I believe was $4 or $5. The guy was cute that worked at the entrance who took out payment to enter the park.
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Review from Lisa d.
Fresno, CA
5/12/2009
This Regional Park is wonderful! Do yourself a favor, pay the $30 annual permit to come in all year long, it's so worth it! I find myself here on bike, on rollerblade, on foot, etc. This is a family favorite and now the German Shepherd, Ava, loves it too, for the Dog Park.
Check out the BMX scene. -
Review from S R.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 8/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
havent been her in a while. i dont remember there being so many large areas of dirt and weeds. these areas are an eyesore, create dust, and are just plain unusable as park space. maybe the city is cutting back on expenses? this place has definitely gone downhill a little, which is sad, because it is the best park in fresno.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/1/2010
best park in fresno. lake, ducks, dog park, bbqs, open areas, lots of shade, amphitheater, right… Read more »
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Review from Nichole M.
Fresno, CA
9/28/2006
I always enjoy myself at this park. Let me list the reasons:
#1 My lil girls 1st birthday was held here! We needed to have a place that would have 50 hungry mexicans, and their wild kids. Ta-Da. Perfect. It also has tons of trees, so it held the 90 pound pinata we had.
#2 My sister got married here. It was a small ceremony, in the Japanese Gardens. That area of the park is very pretty. There are beautiful bridges, ponds, and peacocks!
#3 They have ducks!
* Be careful when you feed them. These duckies turn into vultures when they see bread. And they will swarm you the way zombies do.
BUT............................................ since it is a nice and big park, you would get the inevitable shitty kids that are allowed to just play in the water fountain, and fuck with the duckies. Here's yet another example:
This fathers day we came here. There was a lot of us, and we shared a shelter (a lot of tables with a roof over it) with another family. It was fine, considering there was ample amount of tables in between us. Anyway we're eating, and I finish feeding my ONE year old. I take her out of her stroller, and throw away our plates. By that time one of her cousins was yelling, "NICHOLE!!!!!!! " I turn around and all I see is my lil girl crying, and this lil punk shit 2 year old behind her. I don't know what happened, but I put two and two together and ran over to her, then I yelled at that lil booger. "SHE'S A LITTLE GIRL, AND YOU'RE MUCH BIGGER THAN HER, YOU DON'T HIT LITTLE GIRLS!!!!!!!!!" I stopped when his eyes started to water. (It was his birthday party I figured I'll ease up on him)
After that his chola and gangster ass parents just stared at me they didn't even say anything. Now clearly if you saw my mouth vesus
my frame, you would have thought that his group would have killed me and had the chola girls rape me, but they KNEW that their lil brat had to of been doing something.
I asked the cousin of ours what happened and he said that he came up to her, and took her "princess" car and then started punching her in the back. My poor mija.
So again beware of shit kids roaming the park. But that's every park. -
Review from Delaine Z.
Fresno, CA
9/19/2007
It's been remodeled...you can go two directions now instead of one continuous loop. I give the park credit for that. There are some new playgrounds for small children, more kudos. The amphitheater has been covered so you don't roast at a Shakespeare play.
But otherwise, it's the same old park. Looks a little worn around the edges. You can hear the Hwy 41 traffic. The geese are everywhere. I don't feel compelled to be there. -
Review from Virlie B.
Portland, OR
2/6/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Very big. $30 year-round entrance fee per vehicle. $5 each visit. Nice dog park. Open all year long and very well kept. Best in Fresno.
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Review from DaisyMae D.
Fresno, CA
4/17/2007
I think Woodward is the nicest park in town. I like that it has a dog park, as I have 3 dogs that need room to run around.
The only thing you have to be careful of is people driving the wrong way on one way streets. It never fails, everytime we go there, we always meet that 1 person driving the wrong way. -
Review from Stanley K.
San Francisco, CA
12/20/2010 1 Check-in Here
One of the cleaner parks in Fresno, but it's no Golden Gate Park (SF), Echo Park (LA) or Central Park (NY). It's decent at most for runners and cyclo path riders. Not ideal for distance or speed riders or marathon runners. Its great for bbqs, bocce, cornhole, frisbee golf, and bootcamp.
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Review from Jessica W.
Sacramento, CA
10/23/2010
Great park. It's only a couple of dollars to drive through or you can park near by at a business center and walk in for free. There are dog parks, japanese gardens, tons of trails and it's just a really nice park; best in the Fresno area.
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Review from kim n.
9/28/2006
It had been a tradition when I was younger to ride my bike here out on Xmas day when there was not a soul in site. Something mind clearing about being alone and surrounded by only nature. I've found a similar sensation while snowboarding in powder solo now but I think this is the place that I discovered that feeling of Zen. As a counter I've also spent many late night staying out post drinking and what not and sneaking in here to watch the stars. A great place to get away from the rapidly developing sprawl the city has become.
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Review from Steven B.
Fresno, CA
11/8/2010
I love this place, especially for disc golf and longboarding... But $5 entry? REALLY???
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Review from Steven C.
Fresno, CA
11/17/2008
This is another one of those places that you should visit to forget that you are in a bigger city with tons of cars everywhere. I attended a wedding held here and afterwards, I spent hours and hours sitting on a bench feeding ducks and walking along the lake sides. Sounds like a cliche scene from a movie, but that's what happened.
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Review from Misty V.
Clovis, CA
6/23/2009
The geese and ducks are scary! The place can be beautiful in various parts. Great for large functions. I think the fact that you live in Clovis gives you a larger entrance fee is stupid. I don't go there because of that.
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Review from Laurie S.
Fresno, CA
6/22/2009
We have been enjoying Woodward Park for over 10 years and it is still improving, as witnessed by the new bmx & mountain bike skills courses. I'm telling everyone I know about the skills course - "good job" to all involved in making it happen!
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Review from Scott B.
Danville, CA
6/6/2009
Don't waste your $5 if you are going here to jog. For starters there is no one that works at the park that can tell you were the jogging trail is located. There are no maps of the park. The jogging trail overlooks a land fill and trailer park. No wonder that it was a beatifil evening and the park was virtually empty.
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Review from Megan B.
8/16/2007
I can't imagine what my childhood in Fresno would've been like without Woodward Park. It was always a safe place we could come play with our friends, from feeding the geese (beware, they bite!), playing on the multiple playgrounds, riding our bikes, going to birthday parties, participating in races, rollerblading, playing in the creek, the list goes on and on! Their facilities (restrooms, playground equiptment, benches, tables, etc) were always well maintained and safe. Yes, at times you do have to pay for parking, but it was always a pleasure to give a donation to a park that gave so much back to me. And if we didn't have the extra cash to pay for parking, we would always just ride our bikes for a little extra exercise. If you get a chance, be sure to visit the Japanese Gardens. It's a great place to take pictures, take a date on a romantic stroll, or just enjoy a nice afternoon. Woodward Park also has lots of trees to offer some much needed shade during those excrutiating summer days.
