Dayton Grotto Gardens

Erik Bogart

This is one of the most wonderful places in the state that I've visited. We are in town for a baseball tournament! We were looking for a nature park to Vista! Stumbled into this via lakeside park. First is the fact it's very vast and open. Next is that it's absolutely beautiful! Small Lakes, wild life, flowers and plant life of some of the most amazing things. Then the real surprises started. We found the historical connections, which I loved. As an excavator, I'm a bit of a rock need. There are some amazing rocks. Layers of mixed types, millions and millions of years of river sediment!. Then you can in the orignal stair cases. These Civil War vets had picked and hand placed along the side. When we think of that era and it's soldiers we think of gray sky's, hard times and hard times. Then you get a glimpse to post war vets, finding the beauty in the same rocks today. Then the icing on the cake is small picturesque caves and water features. Then stuff like the monarch butterfly bed, masonry, and more. One last thing that was my favorite, while this is open To the public, the signs around the lakes saying no fishing except vets. That's great to me. The public has plenty of places and opportunities to fish anywhere. Many of the vets housed here can't. So saving the fish here for them is very important and special This place is a 10/10!

Jorden Helton

Little gorgeous hidden gem. I was absolutely blown away by how lovely everything was. We spoke with a veteran that told us everything was done by volunteers and donations. A huge thank you to everyone that has given their time.

Rachel Deatley

This place is truly beautiful. The volunteers have put so much time and effort making the gardens into an amazing sanctuary for veterans.

David Burns

In wintertime obviously the gardens are dormant but I only get to Dayton around the holidays. I had never visited this historic post-Civil War site and wanted to see it. Even in winter repose it is quite nice. The spring is still flowing so the waterfall is active. As a conscientious objector, I appreciated the Purple Heart memorializing a medic who died protecting two wounded soldiers.