Hours and Info

April 1-September 30: 6:30am-10pm
October 1-March 31: 6:30am-8pm

Phone: 614-208-4247
Nature Center: 614-861-8759
April-September: 9am-8pm
October-March: 9am-6pm
Reservations: reservations@metroparks.net

Programs at Blacklick Woods

About

Blacklick Woods features 652 acres of woods, fields, seasonal swamp ponds, a small prairie and a golf course. It has one of the best remaining beech-maple forests in central Ohio along with a buttonbush swamp. The forest areas are laced with trails that wind through a swamp forest with oak and white ash along with red maple, elm, shagbark, bitternut hickory and dogwood.

Photo: Arthur Garin O’Leary

Photo: Mike Horn

Park Map

Click the map below for a zoomed/enlarged version

BLK-parkmap-w Canopy Walk-400px

Trails

Beech

0.7 miles
Easy – Hike – Gravel – ADA
Passes through a beech-maple forest with beautiful displays of spring wildflowers, and continues past a swamp forest area.
Interactive Map: Beech

Blacklick Creek Greenway

16 miles
Easy – Hike – Bike – Pets – Paved – ADA
Connects three Metro Parks and several small parks from Reynoldsburg to Groveport.

Maple

0.9 miles
Easy – Hike – Gravel – ADA
Good for birding, traversing hardwood forest and passing a small wetland.
Interactive Map: Maple Loop

Buttonbush

0.5 miles
Easy – Hike – Gravel – ADA
Runs through a hardwood swamp forest.
Interactive Map: Buttonbush

Multipurpose

2.6 miles
Easy – Hike – Bike – Gravel – ADA
Passes through a forest and a meadow.
Interactive Map: Multipurpose

Walter A. Tucker

0.1 miles
Easy – Hike – Gravel – Boardwalk – ADA
Links the Buttonbush and Maple trails.
Interactive Maps: Walter A. Tucker

Two women walk toward the Beech Trail from Ash Grove parking lot at Blacklick Woods Metro Park.
Photo: Tina Fronk

Shelters

Reservable Shelters

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Butternut

Shelter holds 100 people, has a kitchen with serving counter, sink, electricity, charcoal grills. Also a play area, horseshoe pit and ADA accessible restrooms. Available All Day only.

Click Here For More Information, Photos, or to Reserve

Blacklick Woods Buttonbush Shelter

Buttonbush

Shelter holds 100 people, has a kitchen with serving counter, sink, electricity, charcoal grills. Also a play area, horseshoe pit and ADA accessible restrooms. Available All Day only. Rates for Franklin County Residents and non-Residents.

Click Here For More Information, Photos, or to Reserve

Blacklick Woods Sassafras Shelter

Sassafras

Shelter holds 64 people (24 under cover), has grills, electricity, water fountain, horseshoe pit and playfield, restrooms. Shelter is not ADA accessible. Available All Day or Half Day.

Click Here For More Information, Photos, or to Reserve

Blacklick Woods Walnut Shelter

Walnut

Shelter holds 80 people, has grills, electricity, nearby water fountain, large playfield and restrooms. Available All Day or Half Day.

Click Here For More Information, Photos, or to Reserve

Beech Maple Lodge at Blacklick Woods.

Beech-Maple Lodge

Lodge holds 72 people, has heating and air conditioning, a full kitchen with sink, refrigerator, microwave and electric range, plus a serving window. Also has a gas fireplace, large meeting room with pull down screen, WiFi and restrooms. Outside patio with picnic tables and grills. Parking for 61 cars with 2 handicap spots. Available All Day only.

Click Here For More Information, Photos, or to Reserve

Non-Reservable Shelters

Ash Grove Picnic Area

Area has grills, picnic tables, playground, playfield, restrooms, ½ basketball court.
1 Shelter: Enclosed on three sides, Seating approximately 16
1 Shelter: Enclosed on three sides, Seating approximately 32, Grills
1 Open Shelter: Seating approximately 64

Meadows Picnic Area

Area has grills, picnic tables, playground equipment, playfield and restrooms.
6 Shelters: Enclosed on three sides, Seating approximately 16 each, Grills
2 Open Shelters: Seating approximately 64 each, 4 grills

Photo: Virginia Gordon

Activities

Girl at Blacklick Woods Creek Celebration tries to throw a cushion through the laughing frog's mouth.
Photo: Fred Miller

Photographer with long lens at Blacklick Woods Metro Park.
Photo: Frank Kozarich

Three young tricyclists with adult supervision on the Multi-use Trail at Blacklick Woods.
Photo: Frank Kozarich
Blacklick Creek Greenway
16 miles – Easy
Hike/Bike – Paved – ADA
Connects three Metro Parks and several small parks from Reynoldsburg to GroveportMultipurpose
4.1 – Easy
Hike/Bike – Gravel – ADA
Passes through a forest and meadow.

Photo Virginia Gordon

Rising 40 feet into the air at Blacklick Woods, this wide boardwalk loops for an eighth-of-a-mile through the canopy of trees, including maples, beech, shagbark hickory and various oaks. The walk affords fabulous views of the surrounding beech-maple forest and parkland, and is great for birdwatching. An elevator provides easy access to the Canopy Walk, making it ADA accessible for wheelchair users. The boardwalk is also accessible via steps. There is an even higher viewing platform, above the elevator tower, standing 55 feet above the forest floor. Access to the viewing platform is by further steps. There are a total of 99 steps from the forest floor to the top-most viewing platform. The Canopy Walk also includes features for adventure or relaxation. Navigate the three rope bridges, relax in the hammock-style cargo net, or seek shade or play in the large treehouse, which includes climbing apparatus and a fireman’s pole. The Canopy Walk is completely free to use and is open every day, from 9am to 7pm during the months April to September, and 9am to 5pm from October through March, except for necessary maintenance and cleaning (see below).

The Canopy Walk will be closed until 12 pm on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of every month for necessary maintenance and cleaning.

Blacklick Woods visitors at the exercise equipment.

Photo: Diana Morse

Blacklick Woods has many miles of trails for walking, hiking and running. The Multipurpose Trail includes two exercise stations which provide cross-training opportunities to expand any fitness routine.

A golfer putting on the 6th green at Blacklick Woods Golf Course

Photo: Virginia Gordon

Blacklick Woods features two challenging courses and is rated one of the top ten most difficult public golf courses in Greater Columbus by Business First magazine. The Championship Course, designed by Jack Kidwell, received a CBUS Top Pick from the Columbus Dispatch for Public Golf Courses in 2016, 2017, and 2018. The golf course offers a traditional layout with tree-lined fairways and consistent, quality putting surfaces.The Learning Course is a perfect place for beginners, families, and anyone wanting to improve their iron play. It offers 4 sets of tees and consists of two par 4s and seven par 3s. Our facility also includes a state-of-the-art practice area to improve your game. We have a full-service driving range, a 30,000 square foot practice green with three bunkers, and a 3-hole practice course.

Learn More

Great views of birds and other wildlife present themselves through the nature center windows at Blacklick Woods. Photo by Bill McCracken.
Photo: Bill McCracken

Features exhibits of local and natural history, with observation windows to view wildlife.
NATURE CENTER HOURS
April to September: 9am to 8pm
October to March: 9am to 6pm

Barred owl swoops to surface of Ashton Pond while fishing at Blacklick Woods.
Photo: Karl Hassell

This 54-acre swamp preserve honors Walter A Tucker, one of the founding directors of Metro Parks. The northern portion is a maturing beech forest with some sugar maple. The wetter southern area features white and pin oak, white ash with specimens of red maple, red elm, shagbark and bitternut hickory, hophornbeam, American hornbeam and dogwood. Shrubs include spicebush and buttonbush.

Visitor walks two dogs on the Blacklick Creek Greenway Trail
Photo: Don Danielson

PET TRAILS

Blacklick Creek Greenway
16 miles – Easy
Hike/Bike/Pets – Paved – ADA
Connects three Metro Parks and several small parks from Reynoldsburg to Groveport.

Domesticated dogs and cats are also permitted in picnic areas, parking lots and on roadways. Pets shall be on a leash no longer than 6 feet.

Picnic at Blacklick Woods

Two large picnic areas are available on a first-come, first–served basis. They feature tables, grills and playfields.

Visitor on the sledding hill at Blacklick Woods Golf Courses.
Photo: Frank Kozarich

Located at the golf course.

Get Outside, It’s Your Nature!