Choose your language:
  • #facebook
  • #twitter
  • #instagram
  • #youtube
  • #blog
  •  
  • Parks & Trails
        • Metro Park Map Locations
        • MAPS & DIRECTIONS

          • Parks Overviews & Directions
          • Individual Park Maps
          • View Mobile Parks App
          • ADA Accessible Trails
        • 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 Living Historical Farm
          • Three Creeks
          • Walnut Woods
  • About Us
        • Metro Parks Get Outside it's Your Nature Maps and Directions
        • General Information

          • Board Meetings
          • Careers
          • Contract Bidding
          • Finance
          • Resource Management
          • Park Projects
          • The Plan
          • Rules & Regulations
          • Surplus Equipment
          • Wander & Wonder: Photo Gallery
          • Policy Page
        • Get Involved

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

          • The Metro Parks Blog
          • Newsletter Signup
          • FAQs
          • Contact Us
  • Reservations
        • Make a Metro Parks Reservation
        • Reservations

          • Make a Reservation
          • Reservation Info
        • Programs

          • Program Search
          • Special Events
          • Summer Camps
          • Farm School Tours
          • Outdoor Adventure
          • Scout Programs
          • Hikes
          • Homeschoolers
          • Preschool
          • Seniors
  • Plan Your Visit
        • Columbus Metro Park Activities
        • Interests & Activities

          • All Activities
          • All Events
          • Biking
          • Educators
          • Family & Kids
          • Fishing
          • Fitness & Recreation
          • Geocaching at Metro Parks
          • Nature
          • New Visitors
          • Outdoor Adventure
          • Pets
          • Play Areas
          • Seniors
          • Wildlife
          • Winter Hikes
        • Programs

          • Program Search
          • Farm School Tours
          • Field Trips
          • Homeschoolers
          • Scioto Fest 2025
          • Summer Camps
          • Tram 2025
          • FAQs

Nature

Photo: Stefan Bruch

Who cooks for you?

Posted on November 28, 2018April 29, 2019 |
  • Nature
  • The Metro Parks Blog

CRAIG BIEGLER, Battelle Darby Creek Naturalist On November 11, over 100 people went on a hike at Battelle Darby Creek with the hope of having an owl experience. During the …Read More

Tim Talks: Connect with nature and each other

Posted on November 13, 2018April 29, 2019 |
  • Nature
  • The Metro Parks Blog

Quincy said it best – you truly get to connect with one another in nature. So hit the trails at your favorite Metro Park and spend a morning walking, talking …Read More

Spectacular fall colors blanket Metro Parks

Posted on October 17, 2018December 4, 2018 |
  • Nature
  • The Metro Parks Blog

With colder weather comes changing landscapes and spectacular fall color. Head out to your favorite Metro Park and marvel at the vibrant reds, warming yellows and fiery oranges that blanket …Read More

Behold the flowers of fall

Posted on September 12, 2018December 4, 2018 |
  • Nature
  • The Metro Parks Blog

Autumn takes your breath away with its fabulous canvas of changing colors, but it also takes the blooms away. Those wonderful flowers that delight the eye throughout summer fade away …Read More

Feathered friends flock through the parks

Posted on September 7, 2018December 4, 2018 |
  • Nature
  • The Metro Parks Blog

KATIE BENNETT, Clear Creek Naturalist Fall in Ohio welcomes cooler temperatures, a painted landscape and significant activity among our avian friends. The changing weather, a safe place to rest and …Read More

Tim Talks: Abounding wildlife at your Metro Parks

Posted on September 6, 2018December 4, 2018 |
  • Nature
  • The Metro Parks Blog

From bald eagles to salamanders to foxes, you’ll find abounding wildlife at your Metro Parks. SEE MORE TIM TALKS VIDEOS Tell us your story

Birds of a feather flock together at Metro Parks

Posted on August 6, 2018December 4, 2018 |
  • Nature
  • The Metro Parks Blog

CARRIE MORROW, Assistant Resource Manager Central Ohio birders know that Metro Parks are fantastic for birding adventures. Visitors may be looking to add to their life list or just love …Read More

Flap your wings at these butterfly and insect havens

Posted on July 18, 2018December 4, 2018 |
  • Nature
  • The Metro Parks Blog

Butterfly Garden at Scioto Audubon Metro Park Quarter-acre butterfly garden off Maier Place Swallowtails, monarchs, skippers, cabbage whites, bumble bees and honeybees Garden and adjacent prairie filled with milkweed, butterfly …Read More

A Multitude of Magnificent Mimics

Posted on June 13, 2018December 4, 2018 |
  • Nature
  • The Metro Parks Blog

Annette Boose, Otterbein University and Andrew Boose, Metro Parks Aquatic Ecologist Over millions of years animals have evolved to blend into their surroundings. This is called camouflage and it helps …Read More

Winging their way to a forest near you…

Posted on May 9, 2018December 4, 2018 |
  • Nature
  • The Metro Parks Blog

BRUCE SIMPSON, Blendon Woods Naturalist Spring is my favorite time for bird watching. As the lakes and river thaw, many waterfowl fly north and some of the seed-eating birds migrate …Read More

April showers bring May flowers…

Posted on April 17, 2018December 4, 2018 |
  • Nature
  • The Metro Parks Blog

Scott Felker, Three Creeks Naturalist After what seems like the winter that lasted for forever, spring is finally here and so are the wildflowers. That means it’s time to search …Read More

Baby animals are busting out in Metro Parks

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

BRANDON NOVOTNY, Park Ranger Prairie Oaks Spring brings a deluge of baby animals to our Metro Parks, as birds and wildlife nest and raise their offspring. Coming upon any animal …Read More

Turkeys at Blendon Woods now common, but it wasn’t always this way

Posted on March 27, 2018December 4, 2018 |
  • Nature
  • The Metro Parks Blog

BRUCE SIMPSON, Blendon Woods Naturalist Turkeys are now common at Blendon Woods, but it wasn’t always that way. One morning around 15 years ago, as I walked along the Brookside …Read More

Insects employ clever ways of coping with winter cold

Posted on March 6, 2018December 4, 2018 |
  • Nature
  • The Metro Parks Blog

CAMERON SVOBODA, Naturalist Blacklick Woods Insects may be small, but they make up the majority of animal life. Whether or not we like them, we need them. Insects pollinate a …Read More

Harbingers of spring

Posted on February 5, 2018December 4, 2018 |
  • Nature
  • The Metro Parks Blog

CODY BERKEBILE, Blacklick Woods Naturalist Harbingers of spring can be slow in coming for most of us. Toward the end of a cold and snowy winter, many of us are …Read More

Migrating birds turn frozen parks into a winter oasis

Posted on January 23, 2018January 25, 2019 |
  • Nature
  • The Metro Parks Blog

DUSTIN DAVIS, Greenways Ranger While the recent frigid weather has probably kept most of us indoors, waterfowl travel from afar to reach Ohio. Every winter, our waterways become an oasis …Read More

Eagles make their homes in Metro Parks

Posted on January 18, 2018December 4, 2018 |
  • Nature
  • The Metro Parks Blog

HIGHBANKS METRO PARK (Naturalist Craig Biegler) A pair of eagles started nesting along the Olentangy River at Highbanks in 2010. Since then, they have raised about 15 eaglets. It takes four …Read More

Beaver tales

Posted on December 28, 2017December 4, 2018 |
  • Nature
  • The Metro Parks Blog

JILL SNYDER, Highbanks Naturalist Most of us are familiar with cartoon images of a beaver building a dam. Beavers are often portrayed with big buckteeth, cutting down trees, piling up …Read More

Posts navigation

← Older posts
Newer posts →

Categories

  • The Metro Parks Blog
  • Park Histories
  • Behind the Parks
  • Resource Management

Archived Posts

Instagram

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
  • Accessibility Policy
  • Rules & Regulations
  • Policy Page

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

Questions? Contact us at info@metroparks.net

  • #facebook
  • #twitter
  • #instagram
  • #youtube
  • #blog
© Copyright 2025 Columbus Metro Parks Site Crafted by Robintek: Columbus Website Design