Bundle up and head out to your favorite Metro Park for some winter fun! When those flakes gather on the ground and drift through the air, there’s no finer place to be than at one of your 19 Metro Parks.
Try ice skating in the crisp outdoors on our skating ponds at Battelle Darby Creek and Blendon Woods Metro parks. Fun comes with the freeze. The ponds are shallow and big enough for everyone to enjoy a pirouette or a hockey game.
If you prefer cross-country skiing, Metro Parks has you covered. Bring your skis to any of the parks to indulge your winter hobby on our trails. Four parks have dedicated cross-country ski trails that are open when the snow beckons you to ski. Try any or all of them at Battelle Darby Creek, Blendon Woods, Highbanks or Prairie Oaks.
Sledding is one of the most popular winter activities in Metro Parks. When the snow arrives, hundreds of sledders take to the hills. Children will love the kiddie slopes at Highbanks, Sharon Woods and Walnut Woods. All ages can ride down the sledding hills at Battelle Darby Creek, Scioto Audubon and Scioto Grove as well as the adult hills at Highbanks and Sharon Woods.
The Winter Hikes are brilliant for all, snow or no snow. The 47th Winter Hikes series begins at Blacklick Woods on January 4th and ends February 22nd at Battelle Darby Creek, 13 hikes in all. See the full schedule of hikes here.
Take a break from the winter wonderland outside and head indoors at one of our nature centers. Check out intriguing displays of natural history and windows on wildlife. There are nature centers at Battelle Darby Creek, Blacklick Woods, Blendon Woods and Highbanks, where you can both chill out and warm up at the same time.