About Me

My photo
Columbus, Ohio, United States
A project manager by day, but an outdoor enthusiast 24/7. Desired profession....KAYAKER! My boats include a red 14' Wilderness Systems Capehorn, an orange 11.5' Dagger Blackwater, and a lime green Dagger Approach 9'. One more boat and I think I qualify as a livery. My other toys include a Specialized Allez Sport road bike and a Jeep Wrangler to hold 'em all!

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Hiking Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park - August 2010


Battelle Darby Creek is one of my favorite places to paddle, but the Metro Park which allows the Big Darby to flow through it is also a great place to enjoy on foot...or leash...or bike...or skis.  I've hiked, biked, and walked my dogs on every trail of Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park with the exception of the Dyer Mill/Ski Trail.  That's over 16 miles of trails!  My most recent hike at Battelle Darby included the Terrace Trail (2 miles) and Ancient Trail (1.9 miles) one hot and humid afternoon.  With a good portion of these two trails under the canopy of the forest, the heat was not so bad for August.

Besides the Wagtail trail that my JRTs love, I'm partial to the Ancient Trail at this park as the prairie grasses are just beautiful.  This area was restored with native prairie grasses as were parts of Prairie Oaks Metro Park which I also love to hike.  I was just a little tyke enjoying my own backyard grasslands in northern Ohio when the central Ohio Metro Parks began the restoration project in 1976.  They started it from a few seeds and small plot of land.  You could too in your own backyard!   I have the perfect spot in my yard if only the terriers would leave it alone. 


I need to visit the Ancient Trail again in the spring so I can see the bluebirds hanging out around the blue bird boxes they have strategically posted in the prairie grasses.  I did see many American Goldfinches but they were so quick I couldn't get a good picture of them.  Next time!

Now that my friend pointed out the ski trail the other day, I hope to experience cross country skiing this winter too!


Enjoy more pictures!!!!!!!!!!!






Posted by at

1 comment:

  1. WendySeptember 9, 2010 at 10:53 PM

    I don't normally identify wildflowers but after checking the internet I think the flower picture (without the bee) is the Great Lobelia and the one with the bee is the Northern Blazing Star. I need to get the National Audubon Society Field Guide to Wildflowers. Yeah...kind of nerdy I know. I blame it on my parents who allowed me to grow up surrounded by wildflowers and acres of woods. I have the Field Guide to Birds (of course!) and am borrowing Mom's Tree field guide. Field Guide to Mushrooms would be good to have too as I love taking photos of them!

    ReplyDelete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)