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Slightly Secret Columbus Parks

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Started 2 years ago by jodyNcolumbus
Latest reply from alexs

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byJody
Rural NW Columbus
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Discovered some "secret" parks yesterday through the Dublin Riverboxes project.

I was stunned by the scenery at Donegal Cliffs Park. (although I never actually found the Riverbox). They said Dublin was named by one of the surveyors who said it reminded him of his birthplace in Ireland. When I saw these cliffs, I see why he thought that.

To see the cliffs, take the paved path found at the south end of the park and it goes down to the Scioto riverfront. (There is a cool stone sitting area, which had remains of a campfire although that may not be sanctioned.) Keep walking on the path until it ends in a circular turn around and you will see beautiful cliff formations. (River on your right, Cliffs on your left) I climbed up the cliffs and big hill to get back up to the parking lot, but I am sure I was in an out of bounds area and had to climb over the fence to get back into the park. (oops).

Riverboxes Series II launched

Amberleigh Park
8100 Carrigan Ridge Court
Dublin, Ohio
(limited parking)

Donegal Cliffs Park
4460 Donegal Cliffs Drive
Dublin, Ohio
(plenty of parking)

Hint: Stop in the Dublin Convention & Visitors Bureau for a brochure with a great map of the parks which have Riverboxes. Or click here

Enjoy!

Posted 2 years ago #
Twixlen
Westgate, Columbus
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This isn't a park so much as a trail. I've biked it (paved) and walked it a few times, and rarely encounter another person. It's a weird piece of trail - it must have been built as part of the 670 connector, and none of it's connections to the main Olentangy/Scioto Greenway were ever completed.

Heading north on 33/Dublin Rd out of downtown, past Grandview Ave, there is a sprawling commercial complex after the light for the east only entrance/exit of 670 on the left side. The building is surrounded by parking, but on the far eastern side, toward the 670 ramps, is a parking lot that wedges into the earthen dike at the back of the building - the trail is on the top of that dike.

The trail itself runs from that building, all along the river and the 670 ramps, crossing under 670, wrapping around to the 670W exit ramp to Grandview Ave (just to the right of the exit - you can see the end of the trail from that ramp).

It's very woodsy, with nice water views and usually some sort of wildlife encounter. At times it can be VERY buggy, because of the still water all around the trail. I've found the trail to be in excellent shape, and it's particularly lovely in the autumn, though if you take your wirehaired dog, be warned that he will get his face completely packed with nettles and you'll spend the next hour on your tailgate, carefully saving him from himself.

EDIT - Google maps shows the trail with the name "Lower Scioto Greenway".

Posted 2 years ago #
cc

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Yes, that is a fairly deserted path. They will be connecting it with the path along 33 to downtown within the next 3 years.

Posted 2 years ago #
Twixlen
Westgate, Columbus
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cc wrote >>
Yes, that is a fairly deserted path. They will be connecting it with the path along 33 to downtown within the next 3 years.

That would be excellent - all of those paths along the river there, thru to Confluence, are so nice.

Posted 2 years ago #
GW_Justice
Grandview Hts.
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Yes, the Lower Scioto Greenway is a very odd path, difficult to figure out where you are on the path because you are surrounded by bodies of water on both sides at different points. I usually park at the Watermark end and cross Grandview Ave to start it.

When you reach the end, you can walk or bike down the slope into the back parking lot of an office building. Unfortunately, that puts you on 33, which is crappy for biking and walking. The best way to do this path is to just turn around and backtrack the whole thing.

Posted 2 years ago #
alexs
Limestone bluffs of the Scioto
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I'm lining up volunteer service events and it looks like we might cut honeysuckle on the section of bike path between Miranova (or Scioto Mile) and the Audubon park.

Posted 2 years ago #
BCNation
Franklin Park
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Astronaut Grove is a secret little pocket park on Main St. & Alum Creek (in Westerville), across the street from Alum Creek Park. I don't know if that qualifies as a park, but I've passed by it a gazillion times in the last five years, so I know it's there.

Posted 2 years ago #
alexs
Limestone bluffs of the Scioto
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Go to O'Shaughnessy Dam, next to the Bogey Inn, and park by the gate across the road. Walk down to the switchback and then step off the right side of the road to go south along the tops of the bluffs overlooking the river. It looks like Glen Helen or the Clifton Gorge. The city parkland runs south for a few hundred yards, you can go until you see houses.

http://sciotoriverfriends.org/gallery/Bluffs_of_Shawnee_Hills

There is Columbus parkland all around that reservoir, far into Delaware County. There are areas with letter designations from A to T, see if you can find them all.

Posted 2 years ago #
lazyfish

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the wildflowers in bill moose ravine look great right now, actual standards of trillium in town, other interesting natives in bloom.

Posted 2 years ago #
ssnyder5
Clintonville
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I went geocaching in Tuttle Park. At the north end of the park, there is a wooded area on the east side of the bike path. Back in the trees, hidden from the bike path someone has created a series of dirt bike paths with ramps and hills.

Unfortunately, alot of trash has been left in the area as well. I think I'm going to make a return trip at some point with a trash bag on hand.

Posted 2 years ago #
surber17

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Walker wrote >>
I always liked Frank Fetch Park in GV. Very small, but so well maintained. Like a little bonsai tree compared to Schiller.

a big +1 to this. I use to live in one of the houses that backed up to it. I think I stopped over at least once a day.

Posted 2 years ago #
patient_zero
Falafel District
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lazyfish wrote >>
the wildflowers in bill moose ravine look great right now, actual standards of trillium in town, other interesting natives in bloom.

I noticed all the patches of trillium, as well as bloodroot, horsetail, and mayapple while I was hugging Bill Moose Ravine during the Earth Day cleanup last week. I pulled out and cut down a decent amount of honeysuckle while I was there, also. It's a nice area that could use a little more tlc with invasive species.

horsetail "wild asparagus"

Posted 2 years ago #
lazyfish

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patient_zero wrote >>

lazyfish wrote >>
the wildflowers in bill moose ravine look great right now, actual standards of trillium in town, other interesting natives in bloom.

I noticed all the patches of trillium, as well as bloodroot, horsetail, and mayapple while I was hugging Bill Moose Ravine during the Earth Day cleanup last week. I pulled out and cut down a decent amount of honeysuckle while I was there, also. It's a nice area that could use a little more tlc with invasive species.

horsetail "wild asparagus"

excellent, glad the ravine is getting some love. I have been taking my prunning saw on walks in the woods of late and cutting the grape vines. Bill Moose is loaded with them and they are a real threat to the big trees, which the latest rounds of wind storms have devastated. I also noticed a large clump of native lilies in the ravine and there are several clumps of native euonymus americana (hearts a bursting) which is a great plant and not as fearsome as the invasive euonymus.

I wish someone would start tackling the invasive vines in the whetstone ravine, it is a horrible mess.

Posted 2 years ago #
pbarney
New Albany
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I know it's old, but I have to say that this is the most awesome thread I've seen in a while.

Posted 3 months ago #
-Nick-

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Not sure if it's the most relevant, but the tiny Harrison Park in Harrison West is tucked right by the Olentangy River/3rd Ave bridge.

The first time I was looking for Whetstone Park/Park of Roses, I thought it was secretive because I couldn't find it anywhere. After poking around for a bit, I took the long drive back and stumbled upon it. ha

Posted 3 months ago #
alexs
Limestone bluffs of the Scioto
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-Nick- said:
Not sure if it's the most relevant, but the tiny Harrison Park in Harrison West is tucked right by the Olentangy River/3rd Ave bridge.

The first time I was looking for Whetstone Park/Park of Roses, I thought it was secretive because I couldn't find it anywhere. After poking around for a bit, I took the long drive back and stumbled upon it. ha

In years past you could drive through the park of roses from the neighborhood along the river, to High St., but it was used too much as a shortcut so they blocked it off.

Posted 3 months ago #