There are so many beautiful Central Ohio parks!  As residents of Central Ohio, we are so fortunate to have a number of gorgeous State Parks, Regional / Metro Parks and Local Parks right in our back yard!  Living in Central Ohio has its perks (“park perks”… I like it ;-))!

That being said, this is an attempt to introduce some of the parks near us that are well worth a visit.  Putting this information together is a fun challenge.  Even though I’ve lived in Columbus or one of its many suburbs for most of my life, there are quite a few parks that I haven’t visited before.

Join us in exploring the parks and places near you as well!  Adventure awaits, and is probably closer to home than you may realize.

Our Central Ohio Parks Challenge – 100 Parks to Explore

Below is a list of 100 parks that we will visit in our challenge.  While not a comprehensive list of parks in the area, it will give us a lot of places to explore.

How We Count a Visit

In order to count as a visit, we each of the parks that we visit, we will do something meaningful.  For us, this typically means biking, hiking, fishing, picnicking or animal-watching.  If you join us, whatever is meaningful to you can count as a visit.

There are many different types of parks and experiences that you can have.  This list is just a guide to challenge you to find and explore a few!

Our Parks Challenge List

We created the following list which is composed primarily of parks around Central Ohio.  All of the places on the list are within a ~60 minute drive of the city.  There was no real science involved in creating the list.  We primarily assembled parks that piqued our interest.

This list includes the following:

  • All of the Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks (not including golf courses or trails)
  • Ohio State Parks that are up to about an hour drive from Central Ohio (not an exact cut off, but you get the jist :-))
  • A selection of local parks of interest (This is where the “not a real science” came into play – we just explored several parks pages to find what we thought we might like to check out.  We were intentional about getting a geographic mix though.)
  • A selection of Ohio Historical Connection Sites (Natural places, mounds and nature preserves are the main items that we included)
  • National Park Sites near Central Ohio

Feel free to filter and play around with this list.  It includes a total of 100 parks that are a part of our Central Ohio Parks Challenge.  For the sake of our challenge, we are only counting parks that Jason and I have visited together!

Also, there is no time frame for completing the challenge.  The point is to make purposeful visits to places to explore around the areas where we live!  Happy Exploring!

ParkCategoryLocationOfficial WebsiteVisited
A.W. MarionState ParkCirclevilleOhio State Parks
Academy ParkLocal ParkGahannaGahanna Parks
Adena Mansion and GardensOhio Historical ConnectionChillicotheOhio History ConnectionOhio History Connection
Alum CreekState ParkDelawareOhio State ParksYes
AmberleighLocal ParkDublinDublin Parks
Antrim ParkLocal ParkColumbusColumbus ParksYes
Battelle Darby CreekMetro ParkGallowayColumbus Metro ParksYes
Battelle Riverfront ParkLocal ParkColumbusColumbus Parks
Bellantrae ParkLocal ParkDublinDublin Parks
Bevelhymer ParkLocal ParkNew AlbanyNew Albany Parks
Bicentennial ParkLocal ParkColumbusColumbus Parks
Blacklick WoodsMetro ParkReynoldsburgColumbus Metro ParksYes
Blendon WoodsMetro ParkWestervilleColumbus Metro ParksYes
Bridge ParkLocal ParkDublinDublin Parks
Bryn MawrLocal ParkGahannaGahanna Parks
Buck CreekState ParkSpringfieldOhio State Parks
Buckeye LakeState ParkMillersportOhio State ParksYes
Cedar Bog Nature PreserveOhio Historical ConnectionUrbanaOhio History ConnectionOhio History Connection
Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National MonumentNational Park UnitXeniaNPS SiteYes
Chestnut RidgeMetro ParkCarrollColumbus Metro Parks
Civic ParkLocal ParkReynoldsburgReynoldsburg Parks Yes
Clear CreekMetro ParkRockbridgeColumbus Metro ParksYes
Clinton-Como ParkLocal ParkColumbusColumbus Parks
Coffman ParkLocal ParkDublinDublin Parks
Colony ParkLocal ParkPickeringtonPickerington Parks and Recreation
Columbus CommonsLocal ParkColumbusColumbus Parks
Creekside ParkLocal ParkGahannaGahanna Parks
Deer CreekState ParkMt. SterlingOhio State ParksYes
DelawareState ParkDelawareOhio State ParksYes
Earlington ParkLocal ParkDublinDublin Parks
Fanchion Lewis ParkLocal ParkGranvilleGranville Parks
Field of CornLocal ParkDublinDublin Parks
Flint Ridge Ancient Quarries and Nature PreserveOhio Historical ConnectionGlenfordOhio History ConnectionOhio History Connection
Franklin ParkLocal ParkColumbusColumbus Parks
Fred Beekman ParkOtherColumbusOhio State University Parks
Gahanna WoodsLocal ParkGahannaGahanna ParksYes
Genoa ParkLocal ParkColumbusColumbus Parks
Glacier RidgeMetro ParkPlain CityColumbus Metro Parks
Glen EchoLocal ParkColumbusColumbus Parks
Goodale ParkLocal ParkColumbusColumbus Parks
Grandview Heights Memorial ParkLocal ParkGrandviewGrandview Parks
Great SealState ParkChillicotheOhio State Parks
Hannah ParkLocal ParkGahannaGahanna Parks
Hayden Falls ParkLocal ParkColumbusColumbus Parks
Heritage ParkLocal ParkWestervilleWesterville Parks
HighbanksMetro ParkLewis CenterColumbus Metro Parks
Highlands ParkLocal ParkWestervilleWesterville Parks
Hilliard's Station ParkLocal ParkHilliardHilliard Parks
Hocking HillsState ParkLoganOhio State ParksYes
Hoff Woods ParkLocal ParkWestervilleWesterville Parks
HomesteadMetro ParkHilliardColumbus Metro Parks
Hoover Reservoir ParkLocal ParkWestervilleColumbus Parks
Hopewell Culture National Historic SiteNational Park UnitChillicotheNPS SiteNPS SiteYes
Huber ParkLocal ParkReynoldsburgReynoldsburg Parks Yes
Inniswood Metro GardensMetro ParkWestervilleColumbus Metro Parks
Jeffrey ParkLocal ParkBexleyBexley Parks
John BryanState ParkYellow SpringsOhio State Parks
John F Kennedy ParkLocal ParkReynoldsburgReynoldsburg Parks
Kiser LakeState ParkSt. ParisOhio State Parks
Lake LoganState ParkLoganOhio State Parks
Livingston House ParkLocal ParkReynoldsburgReynoldsburg Parks
Madison LakeState ParkLondonOhio State Parks
McCord ParkLocal ParkWorthingtonWorthington Parks
Mt. GileadState ParkMt. GileadOhio State Parks
Newark EarthworksOhio Historical ConnectionHebronOhio History ConnectionOhio History ConnectionYes
Northam ParkLocal ParkUpper ArlingtonUpper Arlington Parks
Olentangy River ParklandsLocal ParkWorthingtonWorthington Parks
Opera House ParkLocal ParkGranvilleGranville Parks
Park Boulevard ParkLocal ParkWorthingtonWorthington Parks
Park of RosesLocal ParkColumbusColumbus ParksYes
Pickerington PondsMetro ParkCanal WinchesterColumbus Metro ParksYes
Pine Quarry ParkLocal ParkReynoldsburgReynoldsburg Parks
Prairie OaksMetro ParkWest JeffersonColumbus Metro Parks
Rocky ForkMetro ParkWestervilleColumbus Metro Parks
Schiller ParkLocal ParkColumbusColumbus Parks
Scioto AudobonMetro ParkColumbusColumbus Metro Parks
Scioto GroveMetro ParkGrove CityColumbus Metro Parks
Scioto ParkLocal ParkDublinDublin Parks
Scioto TrailState ParkChillicotheOhio State Parks
Sharon WoodsMetro ParkWestervilleColumbus Metro ParksYes
Shrum MoundOhio Historical ConnectionColumbusOhio History ConnectionOhio History Connection
Slate RunMetro ParkCanal WinchesterColumbus Metro ParksYes
Smith Nature ParkLocal ParkUpper ArlingtonUpper Arlington Parks
Spring Valley ParkLocal ParkGranvilleGranville Parks
Story MoundOhio Historical ConnectionChillicotheOhio History ConnectionOhio History Connection
Sugarloaf ParkLocal ParkGranvilleGranville Parks
Sycamore Creek ParkLocal ParkPickeringtonPickerington Parks and Recreation
Tar HollowState ParkLaurelvilleOhio State Parks
The Promenade (Scioto Mile)Local ParkColumbusColumbus Parks
Three CreeksMetro ParkGroveportColumbus Metro ParksYes
Topiary ParkLocal ParkColumbusColumbus Parks
Towers ParkLocal ParkWestervilleWesterville Parks
Tremont Fountain ParkLocal ParkUpper ArlingtonUpper Arlington Parks
Victory ParkLocal ParkPickeringtonPickerington Parks and Recreation
Wahkeena Nature PreserveOhio Historical ConnectionSugar GroveOhio History ConnectionOhio History ConnectionYes
Walnut WoodsMetro ParkGroveportColumbus Metro ParksYes
Whetstone ParkLocal ParkColumbusColumbus ParksYes
Wildwood ParkLocal ParkGranvilleGranville Parks
Willow Pond ParkLocal ParkPickeringtonPickerington Parks and Recreation
Worthington Hills ParkLocal ParkWorthingtonColumbus Parks
Author

Britney is a world citizen, park enthusiast and lover of personal development. She shares tips and experiences that she and her husband, Jason, have had as they visit the 400+ U.S. National Park Units.

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