Parks | Northside Hill Neighborhood Association

Explore each park below or visit the City of Eau Claire website for official park information and shelter reservations.

Mt. Simon Park

Along the Chippewa River and Dells Pond, Mt. Simon combines active recreation, wooded trails and some of the neighborhood’s most recognizable scenery.

Playgrounds Hiking Trails Disc Golf Volleyball Boat Landing Pavilions Picnic Areas River Access

Lower Mt. Simon

Lower Mt. Simon is the park’s busier recreation area. It includes a playground, boat landing, two pavilions, a nine-hole disc golf course, two volleyball courts, picnic space and the park’s existing public restroom.

With access to the water and plenty of room for group activities, it is a popular destination for casual recreation, community gatherings and afternoons near the river.

Upper Mt. Simon

Upper Mt. Simon offers a different experience, with a colorful playground, open green space, hiking trails and access to the bluffs and the well-known Top of the World overlook.

The park can feel active and social in one area, then quiet and wooded just a short walk away. That variety is a big part of what makes Mt. Simon special.

Help Improve Upper Mt. Simon

Upper Mt. Simon does not have a nearby public restroom. NHNA is raising money toward a permanent restroom near the playground so families and other park visitors can stay longer and enjoy more of the park.

Explore the Restroom Project

New playground in Upper Mt. Simon Park — New playground in Upper Mt. Simon.

Mt. Simon Park entry sign near the playground — Entry sign near the playground area.

View from the Top of the World overlook at Mt. Simon Park — View from Top of the World.

View from a tee pad on the Mt. Simon disc golf course — Hole 2 on the Mt. Simon disc golf course.

Picnic area by the Mt. Simon disc golf course.

McDonough Park

Overlooking Dells Pond, McDonough Park is one of Northside Hill’s most active gathering places and a destination for recreation across generations.

Pickleball Playground Basketball Bocce Shuffleboard Exercise Equipment Walking Paths Fishing Shelter

The 8.6-acre park combines playground and picnic space, a shelter, basketball, fishing, walking paths and scenic views with one of Eau Claire’s most active recreational communities.

In recent years, McDonough has undergone a major community-driven transformation into an Active Aging Fitness Park. It now includes 12 pickleball courts, bocce and shuffleboard courts, outdoor exercise equipment, table tennis, game tables, accessible walking paths and overlooks of Dells Pond.

McDonough has served as a recreation space for generations of Northside residents. Today, children play, neighbors walk and picnic, pickleball players gather and people of different ages and abilities spend time together outdoors.

The park is also home to the Northside Hill Neighborhood Association’s annual neighborhood picnic and other community gatherings.

Community-powered change: McDonough’s 12 pickleball courts grew from what had been an aging, lightly used tennis facility. Local players helped raise money to convert and expand the courts, contributing to a much larger transformation centered on active aging, accessibility and recreation for all generations.

View of McDonough Park overlooking Dells Pond — Overlooking Dells Pond at McDonough Park.

Mt. Tom Park

Mt. Tom is one of Northside Hill’s quieter treasures, offering wooded trails, neighborhood history and scenic views across Eau Claire.

Nature Trails Scenic Views Benches Birdwatching Wooded Space

Rising above the surrounding neighborhood, this 20.2-acre wooded park offers a different experience from the activity-focused spaces at Mt. Simon and McDonough.

Mt. Tom is a place to slow down, walk through the woods, watch for birds, enjoy the changing seasons and take in the city from above.

The hill has been part of Northside life for generations. More than a century ago, local churches and neighborhood residents gathered there for community picnics and celebrations. Today, it remains a place where the city quickly gives way to trees, trails and a little bit of quiet.

Beneath the summit: Hidden below Mt. Tom is a 3.2-million-gallon concrete water reservoir built in 1924 and 1925. Engineers used the hill’s natural height to help provide water pressure across much of Eau Claire. Nearly a century later, the reservoir remains an important part of the city’s water system.

Open lawn and mature trees at Mt. Tom Park — Open lawn beneath mature trees.

Grassy clearing beneath the Mt. Tom tree canopy — A quiet clearing beneath the tree canopy.

Mature tree in the wooded Mt. Tom landscape — One of Mt. Tom’s mature trees.

Colorful artwork on a utility structure at Mt. Tom Park — Colorful artwork along the park grounds.

Bench overlooking a quiet clearing at Mt. Tom Park — A bench overlooking a quiet clearing.

Help Care for the Parks We Share

Our parks are stronger when neighbors use them, care for them and speak up for their future. You can help by volunteering, supporting a park project or sharing your ideas with the Association.

Get Involved Support Our Work Share a Park Idea