Pickerington Ponds Metro Park

I visited this park immediately after Blacklick woods since they are in the same area. They were about a 15 minute drive apart.

The park has several areas that are just for viewing different wildlife and birds. There were provided telescopes but my phone camera can’t zoom in enough to get a good picture. The telescopes are great for watching the birds through.

This is a picture of a mural made by some elementary kids for the park near one of the wild life viewing areas.

My best attempt at getting a picture of some birds through the telescope.

Osprey viewing area.

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Blacklick Woods Metro Park

I visited this park on my own and was happy to find it is probably my second favorite metro park now. The trail I walked on was gravel and some dirt and super shady the whole time. The trail it’s self was comparable to high banks without the hills. I did a small 2-3 mile loop but the rest of the park trails are mostly paved multipurpose paths. There was plenty of area for picnicking as well.

Walk to the nature center

Beginning of the wetlands nature preserve

Boardwalk in the nature preserve

Ashton pond, had some large goldfish in it that someone was feeding when I walked in

Boardwalk in the nature preserve again.

Walnut Woods Metro Park 7/23/18

This morning I picked up Diana at 8:30 and we drove about 30 minutes to walnut woods metro park despite my many wrong turns. We parked at the buckeye area and started our day on the buckeye trail. Diana has never hiked before but she walks really far all the time so I was excited to take her to this park. 90% of the trail at this park was paved so it’s not what I was hoping for but it was still nice to spend time out in nature. We walked the perimeter of the park and 90% of all the trails.

View of Walnut Creek from the buckeye trail.

Bridge on the monarch trail over “Big Run”

“Big Run”… not very big

The tall pines area along the sweet gum trail was what I was looking forward to the most about this park. All of the trees are planted in a line and it looks like something from a fairy trail.

Some interesting and pretty trees leaning to make an arch.

These might be sweet gum trees?

We finished the day on the kestrel trail

A small pond along the kestrel trail.

Dawes Arboretum 7/4/18

Jeff and I stopped and spent about two hours here on the way to Columbus, it was way bigger than I was expecting. We did the auto tour and stopped and all the points of interest and walked around.

This garden can be viewed from the nature center

Japanese Garden

Jeff on Holly Hill

Dawes Memorial

Observation tower, the hedges spell out ” Dawes Arboretum” unfortunately drones are not allowed here.

Hedge lettering

Dawes Lake

Last but not least, a butterfly we saw at the Japanese gardens.

Prairie Oaks Metro Park 6/20

Visited this metro park for an afternoon hike with Ashley. The lakes were really pretty, wish we had a kayak or paddle board to enjoy them more. The water levels in Big Darby creek were high but it looks like a nice river to kayak down as well.

Big Darby Creek

Bridge over the creek

Cone Flower Trail

Where Darby bend lake flows into Big Darby Creek

Homestead and Heritage Trail Metro Park 6/19

Visited these two parks alone today for some quiet reading time in my hammock. Homestead is a quiet and small little park, it would be really nice to have a wedding or special event at. The field of wild flowers and my secluded hammock spot was my favorite part. I just drove through the heritage trail park because it is a dog park with a trail head parking lot for bicycles but nothing else is there. I can’t wait to get my bike I can fit in my car to take to the parks.

Wildflower field

Clear Creek Metro Park 5/1/18

Today Jeff and I visited Clear Creek Metro Park which is the farthest one from Columbus. It is an hour drive and it’s almost right next to hocking hills. We hiked from one end of the park to the other and walked back on the main road next to the creek for a total of about ten miles. True to its namesake, the creek really is clear.

“Writing rock” along the side of the road. We both agreed that the road next to the creek was more scenic than the trails in the woods.

My favorite wildflowers that we saw

Scioto Grove Metro Park

Today Jeff and I went to Scioto Grove Metro Park and hiked about 5 miles around the perimeter of the park. The REI river trail is really pretty and we want to come back and camp one day to test out our backpacking gear even though it’s a really small park! REI made the river trail for people who are getting into the sport of backpacking (if it’s considered a sport idk). We also want to go back and play on the golf disc course. We didn’t have much time because it’s the start of finals week but we went to get some ice cream at Freeze Style rolled ice cream afterwards.

Strawberry short cake and Smore’s flavored ice cream. We keep getting cool discounts so we go back!