Metro Parks - Central Ohio Park System

Adults Only Tram Ride
2024-08-16 18:00 - 18:30 (America/New_York)
Enjoy a narrated tour of Blendon Woods in the open-air tram.

Nature Kids: Going on a Bug Hunt
2024-08-16 14:00 - 15:00 | Blacklick Woods, 6975 East Livingston Ave, Reynoldsburg, OH, 43068, United States
Take a 1-mile hike through a prairie and catch insects to learn what adaptations they have

Preschool: Monarchs
2024-08-16 11:00 - 12:00, 2024-08-16 09:30 - 10:30 | Battelle Darby Creek, 1775 Darby Creek Drive, Galloway, OH, 43119, United States
Learn about Monarch butterflies through story, activities, and craft. Ages 3-5.

Sunset SUP and S’mores
2024-08-15 19:00 - 20:00 | Prairie Oaks, 3225 Plain City-Georgesville Road, West Jefferson, OH, 43162, United States
Come out and enjoy the sunset on a Stand Up Paddle Board and enjoy a little sweet treat! SUPs are for ages 10+, both inflatable and hard paddle bards will be available to use, first come first served!
Free instruction, equipment, and life jackets provided
Meet at Lake 1 at Darby Bend Lakes (Prairie Oaks Metro Park)
2755 Amity Rd, Hilliard, OH 43026

For Adults: Tree ID Hike
2024-08-15 09:30 - 11:00 | Highbanks, 9466 Columbus Pike (US Rt 23 N), Lewis Center, OH, 43035, United States
Join a naturalist on a 1 mile hike through our Oak Coves area to discover Ohio’s many common trees, and tips and tricks to identify them. Trail will be mostly paved with short stretches of crushed limestone and small hills. Meet in the first shelter in Oak Coves.
Meeting Location Oak Coves 1st parking lot: 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 first parking lot. Follow the orange program signs. 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.

Pokémon Go Hike
2024-08-14 18:00 - 19:30 | Three Creeks, 3860 Bixby Road, Groveport, OH, 43125, United States
Enjoy hiking around with Metro Parks staff and looking for Pokémon during our Pokémon Go Hike at Three Creeks Metro Park! We recommend you download the app prior to the program. Meet at Turtle Pond. Note: use the Main Entrance at 3860 Bixby Road, Groveport.

Preschoolers: Monarch Mania
2024-08-14 13:00 - 14:00, 2024-08-14 10:00 - 11:00 | Blacklick Woods, 6975 East Livingston Ave, Reynoldsburg, OH, 43068, United States
Learn about monarch butterflies and their incredible journey through a story, activity and craft.

Preschoolers: Going Buggy
2024-08-14 10:00 - 11:00 | Three Creeks, 3860 Bixby Road, Groveport, OH, 43125, United States
Catch and learn about insects, spiders and other tiny creatures. Meets at Three Creeks Confluence Area, 3860 Bixby Rd, Groveport

Try It! Kayaking and SUP
2024-08-13 16:00 - 18:00 | Prairie Oaks, 3225 Plain City-Georgesville Road, West Jefferson, OH, 43162, United States
Come out and try standup paddle boarding and kayaking for free at Prairie Oaks Metro Park, Darby Bend Lakes. SUPs and Solo sit-in kayaks ages 10+ only. Tandems open for all ages. Solo sit-kayaks have a 275Ibs limit. Meet at Lake 1 at Darby Bend Lakes, 2755 Amity Rd, Hilliard OH.
First come/first serve. Equipment and instruction are provided.

Junior Naturalist: Outdoor Survival
2024-08-13 14:30 - 15:30 | Battelle Darby Creek, 1775 Darby Creek Drive, Galloway, OH, 43119, United States
Learn how to read a map, use a compass, and help find a lost visitor in the park with a park ranger. Meet at the Ranger Station, 1775 Darby Creek Dr.

Creeking Adventure
2024-08-13 10:00 - 11:00 | Sharon Woods, 6911 Cleveland Ave., Columbus, OH, 43081, United States
Prepare to get wet and muddy as we make a “splash” in Spring Creek before school starts. Trail to creek is not suitable for strollers.

Try it! Archery
2024-08-12 17:00 - 18:00 | Scioto Grove, 5172 Jackson Pike, Grove City, OH, 43123, United States
Come try your hand at this free archery program! Come out anytime between the times listed. All equipment provided. Ages 8+.

Prairie Hike
2024-08-11 14:00 - 15:00 | Rocky Fork, 7180 East Walnut St., Westerville, OH, 43081, United States
Take hike along a natural surface trail to look for prairie plants and wildlife.

Kids: Off-trail Ravine Hike
2024-08-11 13:00 - 15:00 | Highbanks, 9466 Columbus Pike (US Rt 23 N), Lewis Center, OH, 43035, United States
Get wet on this rugged adventure hiking in the ravine. Climb over logs, navigate between rocks and enjoy the scenery. Water depth will vary from inches to several feet depending on recent rains. Rocks will be slippery so water shoes with a tread is encouraged. Old tennis shoes work great. Crocs may not have enough traction on slippery rocks. Hike will be approx 3 miles round trip, with approx 2-miles of the hike in the water and 1 mile on crushed limestone trail. Expect to be outdoors approx 2 hours. Bring water bottles and a change of clothes. towel for the after the program. Clothes and towels can stay in the car. Kids are welcome to bring buckets to look for water animals, be aware most of the hike we will be moving. Families may turn around and walk back on their own if the hike gets too strenuous. It’s adventure time!
Meeting location notes:Highbanks Metro Park-Big Meadows Picnic Area. This meeting location is located near the back of the park 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.

Summer Sunday Splash
2024-08-11 13:00 - 15:00 | Battelle Darby Creek, 1775 Darby Creek Drive, Galloway, OH, 43119, United States
Stop by anytime between 1-3pm for some drop-by creeking. Join the Naturalists as we search for crawdads, fish, and aquatic bugs. Closed-toed shoes recommended. Creeking supplies provided. Follow signs from Ranger Station.

Try it! Climbing
2024-08-11 10:00 - 12:00 | Scioto Audubon, 400 West Whittier St., Columbus, OH, 43215, United States
Come out and climb at this free program! Meet at the Scioto Audubon Metro Park Climbing wall. All equipment provided. Tennis shoes with good tread recommended.

Wildflower Walk
2024-08-11 10:00 - 11:00 | Quarry Trails, 2600 Dublin Road, Columbus, OH, 43228, United States
Meet at the Kingfisher Shelter (use address 2319 Quarry Trails Drive Columbus OH 43228). Come on a 1 mile hike to look for wildflowers.

Creeking for Crayfish @ 100 Acre Wood
2024-08-11 10:00 - 11:00 | 100 Acre Wood, 5280 Cambria Way, Westerville, Ohio, 43081
Hike through the stream to look for crayfish. Steep hike down to the stream.

Evening Hike
2024-08-10 19:30 - 21:00 | Three Creeks, 3860 Bixby Road, Groveport, OH, 43125, United States
We’ll go on a 2-mile hike, enjoying the woods and hopefully observing bats or other creatures as the sun sets. Meets at Three Creeks Confluence Area bulletin board, 3860 Bixby Rd, Groveport

Dog Hike
2024-08-10 19:00 - 20:00 | Highbanks, 9466 Columbus Pike (US Rt 23 N), Lewis Center, OH, 43035, United States
Bring your dog for a 1.5 mile hike. Please bring your own drinking water for your dog. Leashes must be shorter than 6 feet. Near the end of the hike, we will stop for the optional cool down in the Olentangy River.
Meeting location notes:Highbanks Metro Park-Big Meadows Picnic Area. This meeting location is located near the back of the park 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.

For Adults: Book in the Nook
2024-08-10 18:00 - 19:00 | Battelle Darby Creek, 1775 Darby Creek Drive, Galloway, OH, 43119, United States
Take an hour out of your busy day & relax out in nature with a good book in our hammock nook! Bring yourself, a good book, your bookish friends, & a hammock if you have one. Limited supply of hammocks available to borrow.

For Adults: Slime Mold Hike
2024-08-10 15:00 - 16:00 | Blacklick Woods, 6975 East Livingston Ave, Reynoldsburg, OH, 43068, United States
Learn about slime molds and their role in the forest on this 1.25-mile hike.

Animal Olympics
2024-08-10 14:00 - 17:00
Run, jump and howl as you “Go for the Gold” in a series of activities. Try to jump as high as a squirrel or hold your breath as long as a beaver.

Butterfly Hike
2024-08-10 14:00 - 15:00 | Blendon Woods, 4265 E Dublin Granville Road, Columbus, 43081, United States
Look for butterflies, caterpillars and eggs in the field, then check out the butterflies in the tent.

Family Tram Rides
2024-08-10 11:00 - 11:30, 2024-08-10 10:00 - 22:30 | Blendon Woods, 4265 E Dublin Granville Road, Columbus, 43081, United States

Night Hike
2024-08-09 21:00 - 22:00 | Battelle Darby Creek, 1775 Darby Creek Drive, Galloway, OH, 43119, United States
Light up the night on this 0.8 mile as we use some UV lights and search out nocturnal insects. Meet at the Ranger Station, 1775 Darby Creek Dr.

Bat hike
2024-08-09 20:00 - 21:00 | Blendon Woods, 4265 E Dublin Granville Road, Columbus, 43081, United States
Learn about bats and take a short hike to look for some
