This is a fun little neighborhood park that is hidden back behind several houses. There is street…read moreparking and then you walk through two old pillars and head down a trail into the woods. There are two short trails that wind around, making it a fun place for smaller kids to explore. Though there are houses that edge along one side and a railroad track on the back end, the woods themselves feel peaceful. There is even a small meadow area and some areas where water forms when it rains, adding some extra things to check out. There are benches and foot bridges positioned in strategic locations. It's a great little pocket of nature preserved in the Marblecliff/Grandview area!

From the Marble Cliff web site...Dogs are not permitted in the parks…read more Paul J. Falco Park on Fernwood Avenue and Tarpy Woods at the south end of Cambridge Blvd. are owned and maintained by the Village for the enjoyment of all. The parks are open to guests from 6 A.M. to 10 P.M. year-round. Dogs are not permitted in the parks.

Great 1.5 mile hiking trail. Very well kept! Bathrooms are superior!! Interact with wildlife in…read morethis densely wooded area. Absolutely love it

The Glacier Ridge trail is a 1.5 mile loop and has lots of big tree shade to escape from the summer…read moreheat. The path takes you past a natural play area, across a wooden foot bridge and right past an elevated wildlife viewing area. A perfect place to get some quiet and enjoy nature. This park has plenty of parking, clean restrooms and a few picnic tables.

So many beautiful parks to discover, so little time!!! This hidden gem I "discovered" on a…read morebeautiful fall afternoon while attempting to be more social (and less of a hermit!!) in the Columbus area. It's almost a SIN to be indoors this time of the year, so as soon as the indoor stuff was over, I googled nearby parks and decided to check out Duranceaux. Small(ish), clean, quiet, scenic, right on the river, with just a few people walking their dogs, playing on the playground, and flying kites, what more could you ask for?? There is a nice looking educational facility available for groups on one end of the park and what appears to be an OSU boathouse on the other end. If you're from this area, maybe you're already away of this great, tucked away, "secret" spot, but I got the feeling even a few locals might not know it's there. Worth checking out... ENJOY!!

A long skinny park along the river, as is common in this area. We entered from the north, but if…read moreyou're going to the playground (as we were) or the shelters, nature center, etc., I suggest entering off Dublin Rd. The long drive down has plenty of picnic tables, etc., but not many spots to park. The playground is small, but nice. Right near a shelter, with a lot nearby. Shade and benches handy for the grownups. There's a big building that looks like a lodge house, where a wedding was going on. Signs say there is an "education center"- may just be a nature trail? It's south of the playground somewhere. A great resource for the community, and worth a return for more than just the playground.

Great park with a paved path for walkers, runners, and bikers. You can go north or south; I prefer…read moresouth because it's along the river and I've seen deer, rabbits and chipmunks. There are two parking lots, a skate park, playgrounds, a tennis court and pickle ball court. It's a 5 minute drive for me and my new favorite destination for my morning walk.

I frequent this park when staying nearby for work reasons. I enjoy the amenities it offers year…read moreround, including some bathrooms, drinking fountains, and benches. I run, and the trails in Olentangy Park are quite nice. There are paved trails, and some off the path trails for running and walking. The trails themselves follow a river, with a interstate on the other side. However the tree canopy and abundant foliage help give it a more secluded feel. There are soccer fields, tennis courts, playgrounds, and a skate park tucked back a little further from the entrance I use. I see other runners, walkers, bikers whenever I'm there for a run. The entrance to the park that I go to is a good half mile or more from where I usually stay, but it's always worth the effort.

A beautiful 75 acre meadow…read more This place is breathtaking! I waked all the trails and recorded 2.5 miles. The front entrance to this place is not very inviting but don't be fooled. Once you walk past the first set of trees it opens up to a beautiful meadow filled with lots of wildflowers, trees, and wildlife. It was very peaceful and quite back in the meadow. I enjoyed listening to the sounds of the trees and the birds calling. It was nice to get away from the sights and sounds of the city and enjoy nature. My main reason for coming here today was to look for birds, and I found 22 different species. I enjoyed walking around this park and had lots of fun exploring all of the paths. I loved every minute of it and would definitely do it again.

I love Glacier Ridge it's such a beautiful gem of a park with so many different sections and things…read moreto do. I mostly come to Glacier Ridge for the dog park. My dog loves running off leash and they have a few pieces of agility equipment to play with as well. Unfortunately this park is just a solid mud pit almost year round. There is some grass and it's trying but I don't think the drainage system is effective at all. The grass that is planted isn't a durable grass, and I would take my dog here so much more often if I didn't have to plan on giving her a bath afterwards. If you come to the park for the hiking trails or for the playgrounds or nature conservation then this is definitely a 5-Star park for you!! But if you have a dog and you're coming for the dog park, I'd suggest the Bark Park in Marysville or the Heritage Trail Dog Park in Hilliard instead!

When you go to Glacier Ridge, make sure you take a non-highway route to get the fun feeling or…read moreleaving urban and entering the country. The section of Glacier Ridge that I visited (the entrance across the street from Glacier Ridge Elementary) is where the disc golf, playground, wind & solar learning center, covered picnic areas, a bathroom, a water fountain, and a tire pump are located. There are also 3 trails in this part of the park: horses only, multi-use, and a short walking trail. The last one was my favorite because even though it was the shortest, it was unpaved and went through a forested area. The other trails were paved, flat, and you are totally exposed-something I don't care for on a hot summer's day. I'd like to come back and check out the 4th trail and the Honda Wetland Center.

This nature preserve has a nice location adjacent to both Big Bear Farms Park and Adventure Park,…read moreand is located behind Scioto Ridge Elementary School. It also connects to a paved greenway trail. Because of this location, there are multiple entrances into this beautiful woods - there are several behind the school, and several that meet up with the greenway trails. The trail itself is nicely mulched, which helped decrease the amount of mud, although there were some muddy spots so keep that in mind for footwear selections. There are several nice basic bridges that get you across a stream and near vernal pools and a small wetland. It's very pretty and relaxing, and your visit to the area can easily be extended by continuing your walk on the greenway trails. Very nice area!

I found yet another good park in Columbus called Northmoor Park. It's easily overshadowed by the…read moregreat Whetstone Park so it's not well known except by those who live around it. There are several smaller parks like it around. It sits near the Olentangy River. The park is not easy to find but it's accessible by the bike trail. It may not be that much to see, but it's more laid back and if you want a quiet time. It has a small parking lot so you may have to park on the street if it's crowded, but usually it's not that much people there. The residents in the homes around it are usually good about keeping the park clean. It's not a big park so there isn't much to do here. There are a few tables you can eat a lunch at. It has a good amount of deer around so there's lots of picture opportunities. The Olentangy Trail is by the park so that's where it seems most of the visitors come from on their way to Whetstone Park. I think Northmoor Park is somewhere that needs appreciated more. It may not have the prestige of its neighboring parks but it still is great to spend time at. The area around it is nice and there is beautiful scenery to see there.

This salient of green juts in behind beautiful houses in the back streets of Clintonville. It is a…read moreneighborhood park and fishing spot with old, healthy trees and a scenic ( or what passes for scenic on the Olentangy) view of the river as it comes along a bend just North of N. Broadway. It also has a canoe launch and access to the bike trail which runs through it. The entrance is hidden and seems like a darken drive, but it is there on Olentangy Street. It is a nice place to began a ride, but the parking is few; about nine spaces are available to park on well maintained gravel. Small, the park also has picnic tables. There is much wildlife here. Just north of the park on the trail just before the grass preserve of Whetstone, is a curvature where dear often frolic. These deer are use to people and you can get nice close up pics, or commune with them from as near as 7-feet. There are tall trees here. They are at least 250- year old, and have looked over the Olengangy before Columbus was founded, before Ohio was a state, before the USA was even born. Native American looked at these trees. They are old. It is a combo shot of a pleasure park and rustic naturalness. Though it is small it is shaded and cool in the summer; a place I stop on my rides, runs, and walks to rest. It is also a serene place to read, chill, and take pics.