It’s back for 2023! Experience the magic at the Fairy Trail – a lovely, family-friendly outdoor experience in Central Ohio.
If you’re looking for a beautiful hidden gem in Central Ohio, then look no further than the Fairy Trail at Infirmary Mound Park in Licking County. This park in Licking County (about 30 minutes to the east of downtown Columbus) promises to delight visitors of all ages! This is a great opportunity for a pleasant, socially distanced outing in the beautiful outdoors. If you’re like us, then we promise that this outdoor jaunt at Infirmary Mound Park will invite a little magic into your day!
Infirmary Mound Park
We stumbled upon Infirmary Mound Park while taking a joyride after work. Although we’d passed the sign prompting drivers to turn left off of Main Street, numerous times over the years, we never took the time to explore. What a mistake! This 316-acre park has beautiful trails (accessible to both humans and horses), a fishing lake, ample parking, a gorgeous dog park, and numerous well-kept park shelters.
It is worth the effort to get to this rural park that is managed by the Licking Park District located at 4351 Lancaster Road in Granville, Ohio.
Infirmary Mound Park Trail Map: Getting to the Fairy Trail
The map below shows the location of the Infirmary Mound Park Fairy Trail which lies along the Wildflower Trail on the park’s north end. There are a few different ways that you can access the trail: 1) park by Shelter 5 and hike back to the trail, or 2) park by Shelter 6 and walk around Mirror lake to the trail. Both routes are described below.
Below are a few fun fairy tales and pixie stories to get you in the spirit. These are affiliate links, so we will earn a commission on any purchases.
How to Access the Licking Park District Fairy Trail via the Shelter 5 Parking Area
The Fairy Trail is located along the Wildflower Trail in the park. You can access it from a couple of different parking lots, but will have to walk around a portion of the park’s Mirror Lake to access this portion of trail. After entering the park, you will make the second right-hand turn and then shortly after, the first left to park near Shelter 5. Signs to the trailhead mark the way.
From there, you will walk a short portion of the white trail (from post 1 to post 6), and cut over to post 7 which took us to the turn off for the Wildflower Trail (at post 8 in the map above). Getting to this point took us through a little grass and through a mostly shaded unpaved trail with a shallow incline (not super rigorous, but you’ll feel that it’s slightly uphill).
Note: Facilities are available by the Shelter Parking area.
How to Access the Granville Fairy Trail via the Shelter 6 Parking Area (and Mirror Lake)
Parking by Shelter 6 may be the better option, but you will likely also experience the most traffic in this parking area. When you enter the park via the main entrance, you will pass the first parking area on the left, and follow the road back and to the left until you see Mirror Lake. There are several parking spaces here, but depending on the day that you go, you might experience a high volume of cars.
From here, the easiest way to access the Fairy Trail is via a portion of the orange trail (from post 12 to post 13). This is a short scenic trek that will take you by a small marsh area and where you will likely catch a glimpse of an Oriole or bull frog. Signs point the way to the Fairy Trail.
Note: Facilities are available by the Shelter Parking area.
What You Will Experience Along the Fairy Trail
The Fairy Trail itself is a mostly flat, unpaved (dirt) walk through a gorgeous plush forest. Hikers are greeted by this beautiful fairy story by Phoebe Wahl, as they enter the trail. They are then directed to walk counter-clockwise around this loop trail. There are dozens of tiny fairy dwellings that line the trail. You’ll see a fairy campground, post office, library, school, castle, recycling center and even a troll home!
Perhaps the relative miniature size and detail contained in these pieces of art are what I loved the most. This unique experience gets people to enjoy time outdoors, and welcomes a little magic into their life.
This is an easy hike, enhanced by getting to see kids squealing with delight as they spot each fairy dwelling. It takes approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour to experience the entire route when exploring at a leisurely pace (and taking the occasional photo). On the back end of the trail, there are tiny (kid-sized) picnic tables where kids have space to write a letter to the pixies. Paper and coloring supplies are available (along with an ample supply of hand-sanitizer).
Photos of the Fairy Trail
If you visited in the past, you will see some of your favorite pixie homes. There are also a number of new ones, so it’s completely worth planning a return visit! This year, you’ll want to look both down and up as there are a number of fairy homes that appear higher in the trees as well.
Here are some of the favorites from our Fairy Trail treks over the years.
Concluding Remarks
Please note that the Fairy Trail at Infirmary Mound Park is a seasonal excursion. According to the Licking Park District, the fairies are here until September!
In the meantime, if you’re interested in exploring other Central Ohio Parks, check out some of our other Central Ohio park reviews for ideas! Happy exploring!
