First time Metro Parks visitor?
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Whatever you enjoy doing outdoors, Columbus & Franklin County Metro Parks has a great place to begin your adventure. Find adventurous things to do, new activities to try and places to explore every day of the year! For seven decades, your Metro Parks have been a treasured natural resource for generations of central Ohioans of all ages and abilities.

Metro Parks are free and belong to everyone… so get out, get active and have some fun.

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Discover & Experience Nature

The mission of Metro Parks is to conserve open space, while providing place and opportunities that encourage people to discover and experience nature. Your 20 Metro Parks cover more than 28,500 acres of land and water and are home to more than 2,400 plant and animal species.

Every year more than 12 million people visit a Metro Park to escape into a world teeming with wildlife and rich in recreational and educational opportunities. The tremendous growth and enduring popularity of Metro Parks is due to the strong support of the community – as voters, as volunteers and as visitors.

Leave No Trace in your Metro Parks

MACY TALLARICO Outdoor Adventure Programmer Our beautiful Metro Parks are home to gorgeous land, picturesque scenes, and many different species of wildlife. While we all love to enjoy our Metro …Read More

Wetland Winter Wonderland

LOGAN DUNN Assistant Resource Manager If you’ve ever walked around a wetland during the winter, you might have discovered the wonders of an ice-covered pool, and tried to imagine what …Read More

Behind the Parks: Meet Katie at Scioto Audubon

Katie Lofton Maintenance Technician, Scioto Audubon Metro Park Hometown and background I was born in Millersport, a small village about 40 minutes’ drive east of Columbus. It’s situated on the …Read More

Total Eclipse of the Parks: What to know about the 2024 Solar Eclipse

LIZ CHRISTIAN Marketing and Social Media Specialist Have you heard? There’s a total solar eclipse happening this year on Monday, April 8. What better way to spend a Monday than …Read More

Lodges & Shelters

Find the perfect place for events of all sizes

Information on Lodges & Shelters

Get Outside, It’s Your Nature!

MAPS & DIRECTIONS