Scioto Audubon is the newest Metro Park, a 71-acre oasis in the downtown heart of a major city. It’s a partnership effort between Metro Parks, the City of Columbus Recreation and Parks Department and Audubon Ohio. The park sits on the bank of the Scioto River on the Whittier peninsula in Columbus, already a magnet for shore birds and birds of preys. Metro Parks has created seven wetland cells in the park, approximately five acres in total, to enhance the wildlife habitat. Wetland birds such as wood ducks, blue-winged teal and sand pipers have been attracted to the park, along with egrets, northern pintail ducks, pied-billed grebe, American bittern, herons and osprey.
As well as birding, visitors can enjoy fishing, boating, hiking and jogging. The park is developing other recreational resources, and has one of the largest outdoor climbing walls in the United States available for experienced climbers to enjoy. The three towers and two arches of the main climbing wall reach a height of 35 feet, and extend over 6,100 square feet. Climbers must bring their own gear and equipment, including ropes, and must sign a liability waiver before using the wall for the first time. A shade structure with seating is available nearby the climbing wall, as well as sand volleyball courts and Neos, an interative electronic game.
Audubon Ohio operates a downtown nature center inside the park, the Grange Insurance Audubon Center at 505 W. Whittier Street.
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Fishing
Hiking/biking trail
Climbing wall
Sand volleyball
Neos - interactive electronic game
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SCIOTO AUDUBON
395 W. Whittier Street
Columbus, OH 43215
(Franklin County)
From I-71, take the Greenlawn Avenue exit east one-third of a mile and turn left on South Front Street. Go a quarter of a mile and turn left on West Whittier Street. Entrance is one-third of a mile on left.
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