Choose your language:
  • #facebook
  • #twitter
  • #instagram
  • #youtube
  • #blog
  •  
  • Parks & Trails
        • Maps & Directions

          • Parks Overviews
          • Directions
          • Park Locations Map
        • Greenway Trails

          • Overview & Maps
        • Northwest

          • Glacier Ridge
          • Heritage Trail
          • Highbanks
          • Homestead
        • Northeast

          • Blendon Woods
          • Inniswood
          • Rocky Fork
          • Sharon Woods
        • Central

          • Quarry Trails
          • Scioto Audubon
        • Southwest

          • Battelle Darby Creek
          • Prairie Oaks
          • Scioto Grove
        • Southeast

          • Blacklick Woods
          • Blacklick Woods Golf Course
          • Chestnut Ridge
          • Clear Creek
          • Pickerington Ponds
          • Slate Run Park
          • Slate Run Farm
          • Three Creeks
          • Walnut Woods
  • About
        • Tree-lined lake
        • General Information

          • The Plan
          • Resource Management
          • Board Meetings
          • Contract Bidding
          • Finance
          • Job Opportunities
          • Surplus Equipment
          • Special Event Permit Application
          • Winter ParkScope (PDF)
        • Get Involved

          • Friends of Metro Parks
          • Volunteer
          • Guide to Giving
        • Stay Informed

          • Park Projects
          • The Metro Parks Blog
          • Newsletter Signup
          • What’s Happening in the Parks
          • FAQs
          • Contact Us
  • Reservations
        • Man cycling on path under large hanging rock
        • Reservations

          • Make a Reservation
          • Reservation Info
  • Plan Your Visit
        • Man fishing at public park
        • Activities

          • All Activities
          • Biking
          • Fishing
          • Geocaching
          • Metro Parks Passport Program
          • Nature Print Contest
          • Pets
          • Play Areas
          • Tram Schedule
        • Interest

          • Educators
          • Family & Kids
          • Fitness & Recreation
          • Nature
          • New Visitors
          • Pets
          • Seniors
        • Programs

          • Program Search
          • Special Events
          • Summer Camps
          • Farm Tours
          • Outdoor Skills
          • Scouts
          • Hikes
          • Homeschool
          • Preschool
          • Seniors
          • Winter Programs (PDF)
          • Winter Parkscope (PDF)

Blog


Winter Fun with Kids at Five Metro Parks

Posted on January 9, 2018December 4, 2018 |
  • Educators
  • Family and Kids
  • The Metro Parks Blog

JULIE MILLER, Guest Blogger With kids, I often think of summer as the time for hiking and exploring parks. When winter comes, I am inclined to hibernate instead. However, that …Read More

Happy birthday, Henry David Thoreau

Posted on July 19, 2017December 4, 2018 |
  • Educators
  • The Metro Parks Blog

Two hundred years ago, on July 12, 1817, Henry David Thoreau was born in Concord, Massachusetts. This famous American author, transcendentalist, naturalist, political dissident and human rights advocate inspired the …Read More

World Snake Day: Celebrating Memaw and snakes around the globe

Posted on July 12, 2017December 4, 2018 |
  • Educators
  • Nature
  • The Metro Parks Blog

July 16 marks World Snake Day, a time to celebrate snakes and the vital roles they play in the ecosystem. The Metro Parks have several different snakes, including Memaw, a …Read More

The parks remove huge spreads of callery pear and other biological pollutants

Posted on June 6, 2017December 4, 2018 |
  • Educators
  • The Metro Parks Blog

If you hike the Mingo Trail at Scioto Grove Metro Park you will notice that many trees are being cut in the area. Visitors seem a little startled when they …Read More

Ancient earthwork found at Blacklick Woods

Posted on May 31, 2017December 4, 2018 |
  • Educators
  • The Metro Parks Blog

UPDATE, SEPT 22, 2017 On Sunday Sept 24, 2017, archaeologist Jared Burks will conduct a magnetic survey of the recently discovered earthwork at Blacklick Woods, using ground penetrating radar equipment …Read More

Friends of Metro Parks award “Tad Jeffrey Memorial Grants” to six parks

Posted on April 21, 2017December 4, 2018 |
  • Educators
  • The Metro Parks Blog

Friends of Metro Parks will again award grants to parks from the Tad Jeffrey Memorial Grants Fund. Last year, five were awarded inaugural Tad Jeffrey Memorial Grants to complete unique …Read More

HOUSES FOR FAIRIES, ELVES AND BUGS

Posted on April 10, 2017December 4, 2018 |
  • Educators
  • The Metro Parks Blog

Metro Parks educators are always trying to find new ways to engage our park visitors to utilize nature. Several years ago, a few naturalists read an article in the National …Read More

Augmented reality at the Winter Hikes

Posted on February 8, 2017December 4, 2018 |
  • Educators
  • The Metro Parks Blog

At the Highbanks Winter Hike (Sat February 11, 10am) and the Glacier Ridge Winter Hike (Sun February 12, 2pm), you can use a fantastic app to enhance your winter hike …Read More

Volunteers recognized for their invaluable contributions to Metro Parks

Posted on January 11, 2017December 4, 2018 |
  • Educators
  • The Metro Parks Blog

Metro Parks visitors take delight in many things they can see in the parks, whether that be a beautiful sunset or sunrise, a chance sighting of a deer or a …Read More

Wild animals need our care and attention on the roads

Posted on January 10, 2017December 4, 2018 |
  • Educators
  • The Metro Parks Blog

Earlier this week a couple of Franklin County Sheriff’s deputies alerted staff at Scioto Grove Metro Park about an injured barred owl along the roadway at Jackson Pike. Park staff …Read More

What’s in a name?

Posted on November 29, 2016December 4, 2018 |
  • Educators
  • The Metro Parks Blog

“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” In this famous line from Romeo and Juliet (II, ii, 1-2), William …Read More

Unbe-leaf-able Science

Posted on November 8, 2016December 4, 2018 |
  • Educators
  • The Metro Parks Blog

Fall is here and the leaves are changing colors right before our eyes. In just a few more weeks, the leaves will have fallen from the trees and winter will …Read More

The Haunted Forest Effect

Posted on October 31, 2016December 4, 2018 |
  • Educators
  • The Metro Parks Blog

The work of busy beech blight aphids While hiking along the many trails of our Metro Parks a mysterious substance can be discovered this time of year. As this mysterious …Read More

You Can Eat That: Black Walnut

Posted on October 26, 2016December 4, 2018 |
  • Educators
  • The Metro Parks Blog

Launching into wild edible plants may seem complicated, but with a little knowledge and an adventurous mindset, you could be foraging for your own food in no time. Before you get …Read More

BIG RED (part II) — It’s all in the genes

Posted on October 12, 2016December 4, 2018 |
  • Educators
  • The Metro Parks Blog

As reported in part one of our two-part blog post on Big Red, regular park visitor at Blacklick Woods, Karl Hassel, became obsessed with capturing photos of the legendary beast. …Read More

Myth busting the hickory tussock moth caterpillar

Posted on October 6, 2016December 4, 2018 |
  • Educators
  • The Metro Parks Blog

You may have seen this post somewhere on social media: “POISONOUS CATERPILLAR FOUND IN OHIO— It may look like a woolly worm..but it’s not. This is a venomous caterpillar from …Read More

BIG RED (part I) – The Search for a Legend

Posted on October 5, 2016December 4, 2018 |
  • Educators
  • The Metro Parks Blog

There are some large bucks to be seen at Blacklick Woods, and maybe some of them are related to an impressive beast that once roamed the fields at this, the …Read More

The hummingbird’s tongue and other wonders

Posted on August 17, 2016December 4, 2018 |
  • Educators
  • The Metro Parks Blog

My barely-a-toddler granddaughter is fascinated by everything. To her, dirt has wonderful textures and indeed may be edible. Touching soft leaves or prickly conifer needles brings a smile to her …Read More

You Can Eat That: Wild Ginger

Posted on July 27, 2016December 4, 2018 |
  • Educators
  • The Metro Parks Blog

Launching into wild edible plants may seem complicated, but with a little knowledge and an adventurous mindset, you could be foraging for your own food in no time. Before you get …Read More

Categories

  • The Metro Parks Blog
  • Ranger Blog

Archived blog posts

LET'S KEEP IN TOUCH.

Sign up for our Newsletter

Park Info

  • Park Overviews
  • Directions
  • Reservations
  • FAQs

About

  • Friends of Metro Parks
  • Guide to Giving
  • Newsletter Signup
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Rules & Regulations

Plan Your Visit

  • Park Activities
  • Program Search
  • Family & Kids
  • Fitness & Recreation
  • Pets
  • Seniors
  • Educators
Metro Parks

Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks

1069 West Main Street

Westerville, OH 43081

Information 614.891.0700

Reservations 614.508.8111

InfoLine 614.508.8000

  • #facebook
  • #twitter
  • #instagram
  • #youtube
  • #blog
© Copyright 2019 Columbus Metro Parks Site Crafted by Robintek: Columbus Website Design