Tag: Columbus metro parks

Pickerington Ponds & Walnut Woods

On By JC ThrashIn Bikes & Hikes, Columbus, OH, Dog Companion

Pickerington Ponds

After two days of hunkering down from the hurricane (who knew those could be such a big threat in landlocked Ohio!), the dog and I were going stir-crazy. The winds had died down but the rain continued steadily; despite the weather, I hit the road and headed to Pickerington Ponds metro park. 

My dog, who usually has no problem with rain or being wet, kept giving me this look as if to say, “really? a two-mile hike in this?”

I started on the Blacklick Trail – the 20-mile paved bike path – to reach the trailhead of the Burning Lake loop, the only dog-friendly hike at Pickerington Ponds. Similar to other dog-friendly paths at the Columbus metro parks, it’s a big loop through grassy meadows, with a very small woodsy stretch at the southern part of the loop.

On the way back, I noticed a trail connector to the Arrowhead Trail, a slightly shorter walk back to the parking lot and way to bypass the paved portion of the bike path. Ignoring the “no pets” sign (honestly, it was pouring, and I was the only one desperate enough to be walking in those conditions!). We enjoyed the Arrowhead much more; a wide path through the woods, it shielded us from the worst of the rainfall and had a much more quiet, peaceful vibe (and better sniffs for the dog).

Overall, not a great option for dog-parents, what with only one trail to use (assuming you want to follow the rules, don’t take my example). Additionally, as it was pouring, I did not take any pictures!

Okay, so… I also confess to breaking the rules at Three Creeks Metro Park. Our favorite spot for biking, we’ve also brought the dog for a walk along the paved trail. I was surprised to see that, even after the hurricane, the pond is still dried up from our summer (and now autumn) drought.

When I reached the Confluence Trail, a narrow path through the woods and along the creek, marked clearly with a “no pets” sign, I decided to give it a whirl. We had never explored this path as we always have either our bikes or the dog. I was hesitant to break the rules, but I didn’t pass a single person for the mile hike, and really enjoyed being in the woods. Note: this area was heavily infested with ticks.

Walnut Woods

Now to one of my favorites: Walnut Woods Metro Park. Every single trail is dog-friendly, and most trails are paved, as well, for those preferring a more accessible stroll. The best is the “Tall Pines” area of the park – specifically, the Sweetgum Trail. It’s a 2.6mi figure-8 loop trail, with an additional unpaved cut-through to one of the largest trees I’ve ever seen in Ohio. This half-mile option is lovely: typically quieter and less trafficked, you certainly feel more in the woods. And the smell of that pine? It makes me think of the smell of home every time.

We love the Sweetgum Trail so much, we haven’t even explored some of the other trails at the park, but we’ll report back once we have Tonks’ stamp of approval.

Columbus Metro Parks & Dog-Friendly Hikes

On By JC ThrashIn Bikes & Hikes, Dog Companion

One of my favorite parts about Columbus is the number, and quality, of their metro parks. It’s so easy to escape the city vibes and fall into nature. Many of these parks have miles of paved bike paths, which is also a huge plus.

The downside is the lack of dog-friendliness. Look, I get that a lot of dog owners are assholes and don’t leash their dogs or pick up their poop, but the good dog-parents suffer the consequences. If a metro park has a dog-friendly trail, it’s typically a grassy path through a meadow, which, hello tick-city. My dog is protected, but do I want to bring a bunch of those blood-thirsty bastards into my car and home by way of them getting lost in her massive pile of floof? Hellll no.

Despite my love for Columbus, I recognize it’s not the best place for woodsy or lakeside adventures, let alone the chance to get your heartrate up on a mountain hill. Well, we can’t just drive to Tennessee and West Virginia every weekend, so we have to make do with what we’ve got. There are hikes out there. And we’re going to find them.

So, it’s time to address which parks have decent sniffari opportunities for the fur-kids we love. Also to be discussed: how far into suburbia do these lesbians dare travel.

I’ll start with our go-to: Scioto Grove Metro Park. On the southside (thus, close to us) it offers more dog-friendly trails than any of the other metro parks we’ve been to yet. We also see park rangers while we’re there, indicating the park is well taken care of (and it does seem to be). Our most common trail is the Overlook Trail; this makes the trail sound a bit more exciting than it is, but there are wooden deck overlooks into the woods and over the river. Most are shaded, and some have tables to sit and enjoy the nature. The Overlook Trail is gravel, and though I wouldn’t say it’s crowded, there are also a good number of humans and their dogs enjoying the trail. The Overlook trail connects with the Arrowhead Trail, which loops back around to the large picnic area and playground. From there, we head back up the overlook trail to our car.

For a longer hike, you can continue on the Overlook Trail past the Lodge, which offers a nice wooded section of the trail, complete with a rope bridge that our dog is very frightened of (warning: it does get slipper when wet). Past the rope bridge is a very long loop trail (Mingo Trail) through meadows and woods, which we particularly enjoy after a good snowfall.

Lastly, the REI River Trail: a delightful trail through the woods, along the river and around the pond. It’s wooded and shady, but can get very muggy and buggy. I would not recommend this route on a humid day, but when the air is dryer, it’s really lovely.