Metro Parks - Central Ohio Park System

Movie Night! Top Gun: Maverick
2023-09-09 19:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | Blendon Woods, 4265 E Dublin Granville Road, Columbus, 43081, United States
Bring a chair and join us for a movie night at your favorite Metro Parks! All events are free and start at dusk.

Pawpaw Hike
2023-09-09 13:00 - 15:00 | Highbanks, 9466 Columbus Pike (US Rt 23 N), Lewis Center, OH, 43035, United States
Learn about Ohio’s State Native Fruit as we search the woods for pawpaws. on a 2-mile hike. Trail is crushed gravel and includes hills. Due to the terrain and legth of hike, age 10+ suggested.
Meeting Location Oak Coves: The Oak Coves picnic area is your first LEFT after entering the park. Once you turn left into the Oak Coves picnic area, we will be in the THIRD parking lot. This parking lot has a bathroom AND playground. Meet the naturalist in front of the bulletin board. If the parking lot is full, the Oak Coves picnic area has 4 other parking lots within 5-8 minutes walking time of the meeting location.

Five on the Farm: Metro Parks 75 Year Challenge
2023-09-09 11:00 - 15:00, 2023-09-08 11:00 - 15:00 | Slate Run Living Historical Farm, 1375 OH-674, Canal Winchester, OH, 43110, United States
Ongoing between 11am- 3pm
Metro Parks 75 Year Challenge
All ages
Bring a picnic to eat at Slate Run Park, then come to the farmhouse for an opportunity to complete at least 4 more activities for the Metro Parks 75 Year Challenge.

Winnowing Rock Hike
2023-09-09 10:00 - 13:00 | Clear Creek, 185 Clear Creek Road, Lancaster, OH, 43130, United States
Learn about the history of Clear Creek on a 5-mile backcountry hike to Winnowing Rock. Terrain at Clear Creek is steep and uneven. Be prepared for elevation gain and a steady up-hill climb. Wear sturdy hiking shoes and bring water. Meet at the Park Office: 185 Clear Creek Road, Lancaster.

Try It! Archery
2023-09-08 16:00 - 17:30 | Scioto Grove, 5172 Jackson Pike, Grove City, OH, 43123, United States
Enjoy free and fun archery at the range! All equipment and instruction provided. Open to ages 8+. Meet at the archery range at Scioto Grove Metro Park.

Yoga in the Park
2023-09-07 18:30 - 19:30 | Blendon Woods, 4265 E Dublin Granville Road, Columbus, 43081, United States
Join us for 45 mins of relaxing outdoor yoga. All levels of experience welcome! Bring a yoga mat, a towel and a block if you have one. Meet by the Ranger Station. Will meet in the Nature Center if weather is rainy.

5-Mile Hike on the Greenway
2023-09-02 09:00 - 11:00 | Three Creeks, 3860 Bixby Road, Groveport, OH, 43125, United States
Join us for a 5-mile hike along the Alum Creek Greenway Trail (meets at Heron Pond). We won’t stop too often but will enjoy being outdoors and sharing good company. Please wear comfortable shoes and bring water. Meets at the Heron Pond bulletin board, 3400 Williams Rd, Columbus

Full Moon Hike
2023-08-30 20:00 - 22:00 | Battelle Darby Creek, 1775 Darby Creek Drive, Galloway, OH, 43119, United States
Take a brisk 4-mile hike through forests and fields. Meet us at the Ranger Station, 1775 Darby Creek Drive.

Olentangy Scenic River 50th Anniversary Celebration
2023-08-30 17:30 - 20:30 | Highbanks, 9466 Columbus Pike (US Rt 23 N), Lewis Center, OH, 43035, United States
Celebrate the Olentangy River’s 50th Anniversary of Scenic designation with Ohio Division of Natural Areas & Preserves and various community partners. Learn about the unique attributes of the river and the importance of the surrounding landscape for preserving water quality. Community partners include Scenic Rivers and Preserves, OSU, Ohio Division of Forestry, Delaware Preservations Parks, Friends of the Lower Olentangy (FLOW), and Highbanks Metro Park. Fun activities for the whole family! Participants are welcome to go into the river and explore. Don’t miss seeing the fish of the Olentangy through an electroshocking demonstration (all fish are unharmed and released at the end of the program).
Meeting location notes: Highbanks Metro Park. Meet in the Big Meadows Picnic Area area in the back of the park. After you enter the park, take the main road down the hill. At the bottom of the hill, a sign will be on the right side saying “”Big Meadows picnic area””. After the sign, take the ROAD on the LEFT. Park in the first lot on the left. Meet near the restrooms/bulletin board/playground area. “

Winnowing Rock Hike
2023-08-30 10:00 - 13:00 | Clear Creek, 185 Clear Creek Road, Lancaster, OH, 43130, United States
Learn about the history of Clear Creek on a 4-mile backcountry hike to Winnowing Rock. Terrain at Clear Creek is steep and uneven. Be prepared for elevation gain and a steady up-hill climb. Wear sturdy hiking shoes and bring water. Meet at the Park Office: 185 Clear Creek Road, Lancaster.

Try it! Kayaking and SUP
2023-08-29 10:00 - 15:00 | Quarry Trails, 2600 Dublin Road, Columbus, OH, 43228, United States
Come out and try standup paddle boarding and kayaking for free at Quarry Trails Metro Park. First come first served. All equipment provided. SUPs and Solo sit-in kayaks ages 10+ only. Tandems open for all ages. Solo sit-kayaks have a 275Ibs limit.
Quarry Trails Metro Park has several park entrances-
* The closest parking lot to the paddling launch area is off of Trabue Road. The address is 2319 Quarry Trails Dr, Columbus, OH. This is a newly opened entrance. Please follow signage and be on the lookout for construction traffic.

Introductory Tai Chi
2023-08-28 14:00 - 15:00 | Inniswood Metro Gardens, 940 S. Hempstead Rd., Westerville, OH, 43081, United States
Join instructor Midge Krause for an introductory tai chi class.

Music in the Gardens: High Street Stompers
2023-08-27 17:00 - 19:00 | Inniswood Metro Gardens, 940 S. Hempstead Rd., Westerville, OH, 43081, United States
Join this Dixieland band for a fun, foot stomping concert. Seating is limited. Feel free to bring a blanket or chair.

Family Tram Rides
2023-08-27 15:00 - 17:00, 2023-08-20 15:00 - 17:00 | Blendon Woods, 4265 E Dublin Granville Road, Columbus, 43081, United States
Hop on board the Metro Parks Tram for an informative ride around the park. Tram Stop is at the Nature Center. Ride lasts about 30 mins. No food or pets, please.

Adults: Fantastic Fern Off-Trail Hike
2023-08-27 13:30 - 15:30 | Highbanks, 9466 Columbus Pike (US Rt 23 N), Lewis Center, OH, 43035, United States
Join a naturalist for an off-trail ravine exploration focusing on ferns and their unique habits and habitats. This hike will involve traversing slippery rocks, climbing over logs, walking rustic footpaths through the woods, and walking in the ravine stream. Please wear close-toed footwear that is able to get wet and long pants for walking through vegetation. Hike will be approximately 2 miles.
Meet in Oak Coves Picnic Area next to Restrooms.

Poison & Venom Hike
2023-08-26 14:00 - 15:00 | Blendon Woods, 4265 E Dublin Granville Road, Columbus, 43081, United States
Learn how to identify the toxic plants and animals you can find on a 1-mile hike.

Canning, Pickling, and Preserving
2023-08-26 13:00 - 15:00 | Slate Run Living Historical Farm, 1375 OH-674, Canal Winchester, OH, 43110, United States
Ongoing between 1-3pm
All ages
The farm ladies will demonstrate how to preserve the garden produce using traditional 19th-century methods.

WAG! Fest (now Bark Bash in 2024)
2023-08-26 10:00 - 16:00 | Prairie Oaks, 3225 Plain City-Georgesville Road, West Jefferson, OH, 43162, United States
Join us for the largest single day dog event in the nation! Bring your pooch for a day of shopping, swimming and exploring.

Canoe the Lake
2023-08-26 03:00 - 06:00, 2023-08-20 14:00 - 17:00 | Sharon Woods, 6911 Cleveland Ave., Columbus, OH, 43081, United States
Stop by and take a canoe out for a ride on the lake. Canoes and life jackets provided. We have size infant through adult life jackets, so feel free to bring the whole family!
Please check in at the tent when you arrive to put your name on the list. Boats will be filled on an ongoing basis based on the order of your arrival. Please note that there may be a wait before we can get you in a canoe, but we will do our best to accommodate everyone within the timeframe of the program.
Program is rain or shine. In the event of thunderstorms, the program will shut down for 30 min from the occurrence of thunder and/or lightning.

Night Hike
2023-08-25 21:00 - 22:00 | Battelle Darby Creek, 1775 Darby Creek Drive, Galloway, OH, 43119, United States
Let’s take a 2-mile interpretive hike through the forests and prairies under the starlight. Meet at the Indian Ridge Picnic Area Bulletin Board.

Movie Night! Happy Gilmore
2023-08-25 19:00 - 20:30 | Blacklick Woods Golf Course, 7309 E Livingston Ave, Reynoldsburg, OH, 43068, United States

For Kids: Friday Night Fishing
2023-08-25 18:30 - 20:30 | Sharon Woods, 6911 Cleveland Ave., Columbus, OH, 43081, United States
Drop a line in Schrock Lake and see if you can catch a big one. Bring your own pole or borrow one of ours. Ages 3-16.

Guided Hike: Identifying Mushrooms
2023-08-24 09:00 - 10:00 | Glacier Ridge, 9801 Hyland Croy, Plain City, OH, 43064, United States
Join the naturalist for a guided hike identifying mushrooms! Meet at the flagpole, located by the shelter house and restrooms.

Bats
2023-08-23 21:00 - 22:00 | Battelle Darby Creek, 1775 Darby Creek Drive, Galloway, OH, 43119, United States
It’s bats! This is us putting up the bat signal to come learn about our park’s bats on this 1-mile hike. Meet at the Indian Ridge Bulletin Board.

Pokémon Adventure
2023-08-22 15:00 - 17:00 | Blacklick Woods, 6975 East Livingston Ave, Reynoldsburg, OH, 43068, United States
Did you know that many Pokémon are based on real animals? Take a half-mile hike to learn about some of the fun critters that inspired Pokémon.

Art in the Park
2023-08-21 16:00 - 17:00 | Homestead, 4675 Cosgray Road, Hilliard, OH, 43026, United States
Join the naturalist for an intro art lesson! All materials will be provided.

Fairy & Troll House Building
2023-08-20 14:00 - 15:00 | Blendon Woods, 4265 E Dublin Granville Road, Columbus, 43081, United States
Explore the forest and build homes for fairies and trolls! Meet at the Natural Play Area at Cherry Ridge.
