Take a Hike! Enjoy the Outdoors at These Top Columbus Hiking Destinations
Columbus is the largest city in Ohio, but you don't have to go far outside of it to find yourself surrounded by trees, fields and streams
The Columbus area offers numerous hiking trails that are ripe for exploration when you want to get out and enjoy the great outdoors. From a short afternoon stroll to a challenging backpacking trip, hiking in Columbus is a welcome respite from city life.
Highbanks Metro Park
The Metro Parks system spans more than a dozen parks throughout the area, including this 1,200-acre gem located 20 minutes north of downtown. You can choose among eight hiking trails in Highbanks Metro Park, including several that you can combine for a longer hike. The 2.3-mile Overlook Trail offers the best view and an observation deck 100 feet above the Olentangy River. It connects to the 2.5-mile Dripping Rock Trail, which passes an ancient Native American burial mound.
Hocking Hills State Park
Few Columbus hiking destinations are better than Hocking Hills State Park, where more than 17 miles of trails explore lush forests, shady hollows, rugged gorges and tumbling waterfalls. The easy 0.25-mile Ash Cave Gorge Trail is a standout in the park, leading to one of the most stunning recess caves in the state. The seldom-used >Cantwell Cliffs Trail traverses a mile of strenuous terrain beside a rocky cliff face and offers a greater challenge.
The Buckeye Trail
The Buckeye Trail is Ohio's premier long-distance footpath, forming a complete 1,444-mile loop throughout the entire state. Sections of the trail also offer excellent day hikes, and you can find easy access to the trail at several points within an hour of Columbus. Pick up the trail along the lakeshore in Lake Logan State Park, or explore the unique plant communities that the trail traverses in Hocking State Forest.
Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park
Another of Columbus' outstanding metro parks, Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park, is just 25 minutes from downtown, but it feels worlds away. This wild, scenic park includes more than 30 miles of trails meandering through forests, meadows and wetlands. Surrounded by tall grass meadows and secluded woodlands, the Dyer Mill Trail is a real standout that includes some challenging terrain as it dips down to the banks of Little Dyer Creek on its 3.2-mile course.
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