I absolutely LOVE Oak Openings and the beauty of this Toledo Metropark! There are so many amazing places to explore and I wanted to share some of my favorite photos and locations from the last 10 years I have been photographing engagements and weddings.
Oak Openings, located between Swanton and Whitehouse, is the largest Metropark in Toledo and is close to 5,000 acres in size. I love that the climate varies between sand dunes, trails, bodies of water, and iconic pine trees. I mostly take photos here for engagement sessions, but fall wedding ceremonies as well as portraits at “The Spot”, the location for the tall pine trees, are also popular.
Here are my top 3 favorite locations for photos at Oak Openings:
The Best Photo Locations at Oak Openings
The Spot
Easily the most popular and frequented locations inside Oak Openings. The Spot is one of those places that is hard to find the first time you are driving around, but once you find it, you’ll forever know where it is. To get to the Spot, take Girdham Road until you get to Monclova. You’ll slightly pass Monclova and see a dirt area to pull off to (likely with other cars pulled off there). You’ll park and be able to see a horse trail made of sand and the trees are to the side! You can also use Google Maps and type “The Spot” and be able to find this hidden gem! Unless there is snow, this location looks the same year-round.
The Fields Surrounding The Spot
Convenient when I have a short engagement session or a small window for wedding portraits and want to switch things up, but also a beautiful field. Before and after The Spot on Girdham Road is a field on all sides and depending on the time of day, I use either side.
Evergreen Lake
A beautiful location for a wedding ceremony, Evergreen Lake features a nice-sized parking lot for guests, restrooms, and a grassy area overlooking the Lake and trees.
According to their website, wedding ceremonies are allowed between 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. to dark with a maximum guest count of 100. You can look at availability and reservation times by clicking here. There is a modest $75 fee required as well as a reservation in order to have a wedding ceremony here.
Mallard Lake
Located on Wilkins Road, Mallard Lake features an open field, a large bridge, dock, and of course, a lake. Ample trails and areas to space out, Mallard Lake is just beautiful.