Cabin fever? Here are the best places for winter hiking in Columbus

Bailey Gallion, Columbus Dispatch
Updated ·5 min read

If you finally watched everything on Netflix or Amazon Prime, or you're simply tired of staring out the window and seeing the gloomy winter world pass you buy, it might be time to take a walk. The good news is there is no shortage of trails in-and-around Columbus.

Whether you're looking for a casual walk through nature, or something a little more challenging, The Dispatch has compiled a list of what we think are some of the best hiking options throughout the region.

The Metro Parks Winter Hike Series

And if you need more motivation, Metro Parks has got you covered. Ten stops remain on the 2023-2024 Metro Parks Winter Hike Series, which visits parks across the Central Ohio park system.

Participants who secure at least seven stamps will earn a Metro Parks Winter Hike patch at a celebration on Feb. 25 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Blacklick Woods Golf Course.

All hikes in the series take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and refreshments will be available during those times. You can obviously hike the trails at any time, and if a park employee isn't present to stamp your card, Metro Parks will accept a date written in the stamp's place.

Saturday, Jan. 13: Sharon Woods in Westerville

Sharon Woods is a 761-acre park with a mix of forests and fields with an 11-acre lake. Edward Thomas Nature Preserve is inside the park. The preserve is named after an Ohio naturalist who is one of the founding board members of the Metro Parks.

Sunday, Jan. 14: Slate Run in Canal Winchester

Oct 3, 2023; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Dave Trotter, a Historical Farmer, readies the carriages to be used for pumpkin farming at Slate Run Living Historical Farm. The Park features a variety of activities in the month of October including a lesson on the uses of apples, an evening on the farm and teachings on victorian curiosities.
Oct 3, 2023; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Dave Trotter, a Historical Farmer, readies the carriages to be used for pumpkin farming at Slate Run Living Historical Farm. The Park features a variety of activities in the month of October including a lesson on the uses of apples, an evening on the farm and teachings on victorian curiosities.

Slate Run Metro Park contains grasslands, wetlands, meadows and forests with beech, oak, hickory and sugar maple. The 1,05-acre park has been home to sandhill crane nests, and bobwhite quail were recently reintroduced to the park.

Saturday, Jan. 20: Scioto Audubon in Columbus

A groundskeeper mows a grassy area near the site for the new Scioto Audubon Dog Park in Columbus on Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021. The dog park will move closer to the park office on the south side of the park to make room for ODOT to use the land of the current dog park for the I-70 project.
A groundskeeper mows a grassy area near the site for the new Scioto Audubon Dog Park in Columbus on Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021. The dog park will move closer to the park office on the south side of the park to make room for ODOT to use the land of the current dog park for the I-70 project.

Scioto Audobon is a relatively small park located on the banks of the Scioto River. The 119-acre park was transformed from an industrial brownfield in the early 2000s and is known for attracting birdwatchers.

Sunday, Jan. 21: Rocky Fork in Westerville

An image of Rocky Fork Metro Park in Westerville
An image of Rocky Fork Metro Park in Westerville

The 1,096-acre Rocky Fork Metro Park contains over three miles of walking trails. The woods and fields of the park contain a bridle trail for horseback riding, an off-leash dog trail, a play area for kids, and a large shelter for picnics and other events.

Saturday, Jan. 27: Clear Creek in Rockbridge

Members of the Friends of the Metro Parks explore the remains of the Benua House, a 4700-square-foot structure on previously private land, during a tour at Clear Creek Metro Park in Rockbridge, Ohio, on Sunday, June 6, 2021.
Members of the Friends of the Metro Parks explore the remains of the Benua House, a 4700-square-foot structure on previously private land, during a tour at Clear Creek Metro Park in Rockbridge, Ohio, on Sunday, June 6, 2021.

The sprawling Clear Creek Metro Park is home to the largest nature preserve in Ohio, Allen F Beck State Nature Preserve. Clear Creek Metro Park measures 5,300 acres, and the woodland park’s sights include Black Hand Sandstone cliffs, ravines and creeks and more than 2,200 species of plants and animals.

Sunday, Jan. 28: Scioto Grove in Grove City

The 620-acre Scioto Grove Metro Park is located on a bend of the Scioto River and contains seven miles of trails. The park is a destination for canoeists, kayakers, anglers and wildlife observers. The park also features 3D archery courses and a kid’s sledding hill.

Sunday, Feb. 4: Pickerington Ponds in Canal Winchester

A Mute Swan flies over the Blue Wing Pond at Pickerington Ponds Metro Park on Monday, March 1, 2021. Mute Swans are identified by the bright orange bill and distinctive knob on the forehead. They are often mistaken for Trumpeter Swans which have solid black bills.
A Mute Swan flies over the Blue Wing Pond at Pickerington Ponds Metro Park on Monday, March 1, 2021. Mute Swans are identified by the bright orange bill and distinctive knob on the forehead. They are often mistaken for Trumpeter Swans which have solid black bills.

Birdwatchers have seen 260 species of birds along with deer, foxes and other wildlife near the ponds of the 1,608-acre Pickerington Ponds Metro Park. The park is a combination of seasonal ponds and wetlands.

Saturday Feb. 10: Glacier Ridge in Plain City

The Red Oak Trail at Glacier Ridge Metro Park in Plain City, Ohio is an easy 0.9 mile kid-friendly hike one-way trail that passes through an old forest, a butterfly field and back through a forest. The Glacier Ridge Disc Golf Course plays through the trail and the Marsh Hawk Trail is close by. Once you finish the trail there is kids playground and an inclosed dog park near by. No Pets or Bicycles allowed on the trail.

Once 1,032 acres of mostly farmland, Glacier Ridge Metro Park is named for the ridge of glacial debris or “terminal moraine” left behind when glaciers retreated from the land 12,000 to 17,000 years ago. Visitors can enjoy a boardwalk that overlooks the park’s wetland area or climb a 25-foot observation tower.

Sunday, Feb. 11: Quarry Trails in Columbus

Climbers use cables and metal rungs to traverse the via ferrata rock wall at Quarry Trails Metro Park in Columbus on May 11. The 1,040-foot guided climb, believed to be the first urban via ferrata in the country, reaches heights of over 100 feet.
Climbers use cables and metal rungs to traverse the via ferrata rock wall at Quarry Trails Metro Park in Columbus on May 11. The 1,040-foot guided climb, believed to be the first urban via ferrata in the country, reaches heights of over 100 feet.

Quarry Trails Metro Park is located on the site of Marble Cliff Quarry, which provided the limestone used to build the Ohio Statehouse along with other roads and buildings in Central Ohio. The park opened in 2021 and now contains trails, observation areas, a single-track mountain bike trails and a 25-foot waterfall.

Saturday, Feb. 17: Three Creeks in Groveport

The 1,100-acre Three Creeks Metro Parks is named for the joining of Alum, Big Walnut and Blacklick creeks within the park. It’s home to beaver, mink, coyote, and deer and is in partnership with the City of Columbus Recreation and Parks Department.

Other great hiking trails around Columbus

Blendon Woods Metro Park

Eliza Branson, 2, of the New Albany area, looks at some of the wild turkeys at Blendon Woods Metro Park through the bird-watching window at the park's nature center.
Eliza Branson, 2, of the New Albany area, looks at some of the wild turkeys at Blendon Woods Metro Park through the bird-watching window at the park's nature center.

Blendon Woods Loop at Blendon Woods Metro Park is the highest-rated trail in Columbus, according to Alltrails.com. The popular running, walking and hiking trail is two miles long and takes about 45 minutes to finish.

The park features a waterfowl refuge with an 11-acre lake that serves as a sanctuary for hundreds of birds and other wildlife. Two observation shelters are outfitted with spotting scopes for waterfowl.

Hayden Run Falls

Water falls from a 35-foot waterfall as snow falls for the first time in 2022 at Hayden Falls Park in Columbus on January 6, 2022. Hayden Falls Park located within Griggs Nature Preserve, is on the West side of the Scioto River, just along Hayden Run Road, West of Griggs Reservoir bridge.
Water falls from a 35-foot waterfall as snow falls for the first time in 2022 at Hayden Falls Park in Columbus on January 6, 2022. Hayden Falls Park located within Griggs Nature Preserve, is on the West side of the Scioto River, just along Hayden Run Road, West of Griggs Reservoir bridge.

Hayden Falls Park is a small 3.47-acre nature preserve that’s part of the Columbus Recreation and Parks Department. The 0.3-mile trail is a boardwalk leading to a scenic gorge.

Climbing the cliff faces is not allowed to protect endangered plant species that grow on the outcroppings, according to the city website.

Olentangy Trail

A jogger runs along the Olentangy Trail through Northmoor Park as it exits onto the Olentangy Boulevard in Clintonville.
A jogger runs along the Olentangy Trail through Northmoor Park as it exits onto the Olentangy Boulevard in Clintonville.

The Olentangy Trail runs from Worthington to downtown Columbus through several city parks and the heart of the Ohio State University campus. This 14-mile trail will be outfitted with safety enhancements to protect hikers crossing streets in 2024.

The trail is the busiest in Central Ohio, seeing 1,000 bicycle and pedestrian trips a day, according to the city website.

Gahanna Woods Loop

A boardwalk in Gahana Woods State Nature Preserve.
A boardwalk in Gahana Woods State Nature Preserve.

This 2.3-mile loop trail in Gahanna Woods State Nature Preserve features wooded swamplands and wildflowers in the spring. It’s home to some of the best-remaining shrub swamps and vernal pools (seasonal wetlands) in Central Ohio, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, which maintains the nature preserve.

Scioto Trail

Ohio's Scioto Greenway Trail: The trail hugs the banks of the Scioto River for its entire length. Smith
Ohio's Scioto Greenway Trail: The trail hugs the banks of the Scioto River for its entire length. Smith

Last but certainly not least, the Scioto Trail runs along the downtown Scioto riverfront in Columbus. The path winds through the city’s “Scioto Mile,” a string of parks and landmarks along the river. The 17-mile trail passes through Scioto Audubon Park, connects to the Olentangy Trail and ends at West 55th Avenue.

bagallion@dispatch.com

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: The best trails for winter hiking around Columbus