Table of Contents
From quick and easy nature walks around town to drives that take you to wonderful waterways and wooded areas, our region has so many options to hit the trail. So lace up your boots, because we’ve compiled a hiking and nature walk guide for the Columbus area with 24 routes and trails to help you plan your next adventure and experience our great outdoors.
Note: While parks and trails may be listed as open, we recommend checking park websites before visiting for further information, current trail conditions, and the safest practices for the area.
North Columbus
- Alum Creek Trail, 3615 S. Old State Rd., Westerville
- Difficulty: Easy
- Length: 15-miles, point-to-point
- Pet-friendly: Yes, leash required
- Wheelchair-accessible: Portions
- Antrim Lake, 5800 Olentangy River Rd., Worthington
- Difficulty: Easy
- Length: 1.3-mile loop
- Pet-friendly: Yes, leash required
- Wheelchair-accessible: Yes
- Highbanks Metro Park Overlook, 9466 Columbus Pike, Lewis Center
- Difficulty: Easy
- Length: 2.2-mile loop
- Pet-friendly: No
- Wheelchair-accessible: Portions
- Inniswood Metro Gardens, 940 S. Hempstead Rd., Westerville
- Difficulty: Easy
- Length: 1.3-mile loop
- Pet-friendly: No
- Wheelchair-accessible: Yes
- Sharon Woods Multipurpose Trail, 6911 Cleveland Ave., Westerville
- Difficulty: Easy
- Length: 3.9-mile loop
- Pet-friendly: No
- Wheelchair-accessible: Yes
- Quarry Trails Metro Park, 2600 Dublin Rd., Dublin
- Difficulty: Easy
- Length: 2.6 miles, point-to-point
- Pet-friendly: Yes, leash required
- Wheelchair-accessible: Portions
- Whetstone Park of Roses, 3901 N. High St., Clintonville
- Difficulty: Easy
- Length: 1.8-mile loop
- Pet-friendly: Yes, leash required
- Wheelchair-accessible: Yes
Quarry Trails is one of the newest metro parks in Columbus. | Photo by Kobe Collins/@cbusmetroparks
South Columbus
- Dodge Park Loop, 667 Sullivant Ave., Downtown
- Difficulty: Easy
- Length: 1.5-mile loop
- Pet-friendly: Yes, leash required
- Wheelchair-accessible: Portions
- Goodale Park, 120 W. Goodale St., Short North
- Difficulty: Easy
- Length: 2.3-mile loop
- Pet-friendly: Yes, leash required
- Wheelchair-accessible: Yes
- Olentangy Trail, Multiple entries from downtown to Worthington
- Difficulty: Easy
- Length: 13.1 miles, point-to-point
- Pet-friendly: Yes, leash required
- Wheelchair-accessible: Portions
- Schiller Park Trails, 1069 Jaeger St., German Village
- Difficulty: Easy
- Length: 1.9-mile loop
- Pet-friendly: Yes, leash required
- Wheelchair-accessible: Yes
- Scioto Mile Trail Loop, 233 S. Civic Center Dr., Downtown
- Difficulty: Easy
- Length: 6.4-mile loop
- Pet-friendly: Yes, leash required
- Wheelchair-accessible: Yes
- Scioto Audubon Trail, 400 W. Whittier St., Downtown
- Difficulty: Easy
- Length: 12.6 miles, point-to-point
- Pet-friendly: Yes, leash required
- Wheelchair-accessible: Yes
Explore like a kid at Blendon Woods. | Photo by Haylley Turner/@cbusmetroparks
East Columbus
- Blendon Woods Loop, 4265 E. Dublin-Granville Rd., Columbus
- Difficulty: Easy
- Length: 2-mile loop
- Pet-friendly: No
- Wheelchair-accessible: Portions
- Franklin Park, 1775 E. Broad St., Downtown
- Difficulty: Easy
- Length: 1.1-mile loop
- Pet-friendly: Yes
- Wheelchair-accessible: Yes
- Franklin Park Conservatory Walking Tour, 1777 E. Broad St., Downtown
- Difficulty: Easy
- Length: 2.2-mile loop
- Pet-friendly: Yes, leash required
- Wheelchair-accessible: Yes
- Jeffrey Park Loop, 165 N. Parkview Ave., Bexley
- Difficulty: Easy
- Length: 2.1-mile loop
- Pet-friendly: No
- Wheelchair-accessible: Yes
- Krumm Park Loop, 854 Alton Ave., Bexley
- Difficulty: Easy
- Length: 1.5-mile loop
- Pet-friendly: Yes, leash required
- Wheelchair-accessible: Yes
If you’re lucky, you may spot a bison at Battelle Darby Creek. | Photo via @cbusmetroparks
West Columbus
- Battelle Darby Creek, 1775 Darby Creek Rd., Galloway
- Difficulty: Easy
- Length: 9-mile out-and-back
- Pet-friendly: Yes, leash required
- Wheelchair-accessible: Portions
- Big Run Park, 4205 Chime Rd., Columbus
- Difficulty: Easy
- Length: 2.7-mile loop
- Pet-friendly: Yes, leash required
- Wheelchair-accessible: Portions
- Camp Chase Trail, starts on Wilson Road, Galloway
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Length: 17.4 miles, point-to-point
- Pet-friendly: Yes, leash required
- Wheelchair-accessible: Portions
- Mudstock Trail, 6000 Roberts Rd., Hilliard
- Difficulty: Easy
- Length: 3.5-miles
- Pet-friendly: Yes, leash required
- Wheelchair-accessible: Portions
- Prairie Oaks Biridle Trail, 3225 NE. Plain City-Georgesville Rd., West Jefferson
- Difficulty: Easy
- Length: 5.9-mile loop
- Pet-friendly: Yes, leash required
- Wheelchair-accessible: Portions
- Thompson Park Loop, 4250 Woodbridge Rd., Upper Arlington
- Difficulty: Easy
- Length: 1.5-mile loop
- Pet-friendly: Yes, leash required
- Wheelchair-accessible: Yes
