This is a very nice new park in the Fairfield County Park District. It is still undergoing some…read moredevelopment, but there are two trails available for use right now. The 1.5 mile Hickory Trail, which is the west loop with a trailhead right off the parking lot you can see from the road, is the pet friendly trail. It takes you through woods, up and down gentle hilly areas, near a stream and a meadow, and I imagine it will have some great wildflowers during the spring. The 1 mile Oak Trail is the east loop, with a trailhead available not far from the front parking lot. The two trails have a connector trail so you can also do both. We did most of the Hickory Trail and then connected over to the Oak Trail to go by the Nature Center to see if there was any signage up about when it would be open (not yet - it says to follow the website or facebook page), and then there is a gravel trail that takes you back up to the front parking lot if you choose to go that route, or you can take the Oak Trail back up to the trailhead near there instead. Signage indicates that the main feature of the park is intended to be the nature center, which is not yet open to the public. Though renovations are complete, exhibits are still being developed. It's a very nice building from the 1930s that has some neat architectural features. It has a beautiful location at the edge of the woods and next to a pond. There were some very cute sunflower-style bee homes set up on one side of the building too. It looks like there will be a second large parking lot available near the nature center, as it has been nicely paved, though the lines are not in yet. We look forward to checking out the nature center once it opens!

It's a nice park - Lots of different things to do. There is an inclined hike to a lookout or you…read morecould walk around the pond in the grounds that are flatter. Probably 6 to 10 tennis courts, along with spots to fish, andin and a nice playground

Beautiful Park. The kids enjoyed the playground which was very clean. And, there is a great walk…read morethat takes you to a stunning overlook of the city.

This small preserve is near me. Lovely trails, several water crossings, lots of up and down. Many…read morelocals come here and often dogs are off-leash. Small picnic area near the parking area

A pretty short, but beautiful hike just outside of Granville. With all the offshoots you will be…read moreabout 4.5-5 miles or so. Great hike for kids!

For a local park this has it all. The ridge/summit trail is very reminiscent of a hocking hills…read moretrail. There's lots of small parking areas where you can have a quick picnic. There's a relatively new looking kids space. A fountain pond and small natural pond for fishing (and feeding ducks) Tennis Courts, baseball field as well. Overall a great park to stroll around and just enjoy life in.

YE Gurl Says: Franklin Park Lit Up My Night (Literally)…read more Date: September 6, 2025 Place: Franklin Park - Water Lantern Festival (Yelp Contest Winner!) I've been to Franklin Park before for the African Festival, but little did I know there was a gorgeous man-made lake and walking area tucked behind the amphitheatre. Honestly, Columbus needs more events out here--imagine summer concerts lakeside. Come on, Cbus, don't sleep on this! Thanks to a Yelp contest win, I got two tickets to the Water Lantern Festival and was excited to experience it for the first time. I brought the beau, packed a sweater (because yes, sweater-and-jacket weather arrived), and we found a spot to settle in. The experience started with decorating our lanterns--super thoughtful packages that came with a deck of cards and conversation prompts to keep the evening flowing. The event itself was well organized: shuttles helped us avoid the parking madness, there were plenty of food trucks (though I ate beforehand), and the staff kept things moving. The only hiccup was the AV system--it was a little hard to hear, and the lantern launch was delayed due to the chill. But when those lanterns finally floated onto the water, the view was worth it. Beautiful, reflective, and something I can now check off my list as an artistic and soulful evening. YE Gurl checked the box and lit the night!

We love Franklin Park and love doing our family walk time with our doggie Ellie. Absolutely would…read morerecommend taking a stroll on a pretty day, or you could even have a picnic. It's a huge park with an amphitheater, cascade waterfalls, a community garden, an Asian-inspired garden, a playground, a picnic shelter, and ponds stocked for fishing. The park is also the home of the annual Columbus Asian Festival, the Franklin Park Adventure Center, and the amazing Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens.

This is a lovely and peaceful park accessible via either the nearby neighborhood, which connects by…read morea short trail, or via the Alum Creek Greenway Trail, where it's located between Strawberry Farms Park and Parkridge Park. This is a wild space with no real amenities outside of the greenway trail. It has a beautiful wooded area and some meadow space. It is a nice and relaxing place to walk or bike through. The bridge on the side that connects to Parkridge Park is a very neat looking one that offers a good view of the creek. It's excellent as part of the trail connection.

Such a beautiful place. Highly recommend starting your visit the the driving tour. It will give you…read morethe lay of the land and allow you to stop in different areas. We loved the Japanese garden and also love that everything is pet friendly.

I was able to visit Dawe's Arboretum for the first time, and for Arbor Day! It also happened to be…read moreProm night - so there were many teens taking photos in their fancy outfits. There are both walking and driving paths at Dawe's - I felt like I could get lost here, but in a good way. I learned a lot about the different trees here and am filled with awe as I leave. I hope to return soon!

This was such a clean and nice park. I met up some friends and we parked at the first parking on…read morethe left. There was a clean bathroom facility that we used before our hike. The short hike through the woods took us to the canopy that reminded me of an old wooden rollercoaster. We followed the trail to the Nature Preserve Center. It was small but very clean and also had a nice bathroom and water fountain inside. They also had frogs, snakes, fishes and turtles in little cages and a little play area inside and outside for small kids. We walked under the whimsical string lights to the canopy and climbed the steps up. The view was stunning! We were very high up. The top had a rope bridge that was a bit scary because I am afraid of heights and there was also a fireman's pole you can slide down just one floor. It was so nice up there! I just wished we had sunshine. We walked the longer trail back to our cars. It was paved and clean. There were a few other hikers, runners and bikers but it was pretty quiet. I absolutely enjoyed this park. I had over 11,000 steps when I got back to my car. It went by so quick I didn't even feel tired. I can't wait to take my family there.

I have been wanting to check out the canopy walk at Blacklick for a while now - maybe a couple…read moreyears?! Well, yesterday - a girlfriend, my daughter, and I finally went and had a good time! We enjoyed a hike on the paved trail - I'm not sure how many trails there are or how many are paved, but this was a four-mile trail. It was a nice and smooth trail! If you're looking for calm/quiet hike - this may not be the metro park for you. You hear a lot of noise - cars rushing by, we heard a guy on a PA system not too far away, etc. Also, it could be because of where we parked, but I didn't see many signs for different paths/trails like at other metro parks. We went with the paved one since it was the closest to where we parked, but that's about it. We didn't see any signs for other paths/trails throughout the four-mile hike either. The canopy walk was fun! It was my favorite park of our hike! However, be prepared for lots of steps to get up to the canopies! While I consider myself fairly in shape, I was out of breath by the time I got to the top. For those of you worried about the steps, there is an elevator to get to the canopies as well! We had some cute photos opps and enjoyed our time in the "newer" area. There's a tiny kids area up there too! The only "concern" we had while up there was a tall tree that was swaying. The concern was more for the hikers below - not for those up at the canopies. Overall, we had a fun experience! I would definitely recommend Blacklick Woods Metro Park for a nice change of scenery and for the canopy walk!