Orion Oaks County Park — Attraction in Orion Charter Township

Hiking is one of the many things I love to do with my free time and I make it my point to hike as often as I can on as many trails as I can. For me it’s about a lot of things but mostly it’s the quiet escape and peacefulness that comes from a hike alone in the woods that I enjoy most and the trails here offer just take. The woods can offer a humbling experience for those who appreciate how far we’ve come and I think we could all use that from time to time in our hectic technology driven lives but unfortunately that experience is becoming less and less available in our own backyards as areas become more populated which is why I have to commend Lake Orion for preserving such a large area of land for the people to enjoy such as myself.

Now for the stuff you really want to know: The trails are very well marked with signage at all intersecting points so getting lost would be very difficult. The trails are well maintained, and groomed back wide enough for easy travel with two people walking side by side. There wasn’t any muddy areas that I came across in my visits here and I would categorize these trails as easy in difficulty(meaning senior citizen & physically challenged friendly). And unless you have the majority of your day to commit it’s unlikely you’ll hike all the trails in one visit so you can have many enjoyable trips here without getting burned out on the...

Unsafe and Disrespectful Encounter — Park Management Must Enforce Leash Rules. I generally enjoy walking in this park and visit it often. However, I’ve noticed a recurring and concerning issue: many dog owners do not leash their dogs, even in areas where leashing is clearly required.

Today, I had an upsetting and frankly unsafe experience. On the path leading to Trail Stop 4 — outside the designated dog park — a man allowed his large dog to run freely without a leash. I stopped to give him a chance to leash the dog, but he made no effort to do so, even as his dog explored the bushes and moved toward me. I politely asked him to put the leash on. He ignored me. As the dog approached me, I shouted more firmly, and still, he did nothing.

The dog eventually charged toward me. I was frightened, and the owner continued to walk slowly, pretending to look at his phone. When I confronted him calmly and reminded him that dogs must be leashed here, his shocking reply was, “No, you need to be leashed!”

This behavior was not only irresponsible but also aggressive and intimidating. Dogs off-leash can be a danger and a source of distress to other park users, especially when their owners act with such disregard.

I strongly urge park management to enforce leash rules more rigorously and to ensure all visitors feel safe while enjoying...

This park is huge! A great place for dogs to meet, greet, & swim OR if your dog doesn't play well with others, there are plenty of trails for just you & your friend. All fenced in and special areas for little dogs though they are welcome to play everywhere. The only cost is the parking $5 or less they sell on-site or you can get a season pass. Very cheap for a day's worth of fun. Your dog will thank you & be worn out by the end! However, as with any good thing that is free, there are plenty of piles of dog doo for you and your friend to step in & then drag into your car. Despite the fact that there are bags provided in every section of the park, I still heard a woman say to her 2 sons, after her dog made a very large pile, "let's just leave it". I walked over and handed her a bag to which she replied she didn't want to leave her kids to go and get a bag. Keep in mind, the bags were only a few feet away (they are in EVERY section) and I'm sure one of her sons would have been glad to run & get one. Anyone can own a dog but not everyone is a responsible dog owner. (These are the type of people that throw dirty diapers out car windows) If you can avoid stepping in stinky, your friend will love this park & beg you to...