The Blacklick Woods Metro Park added a new feature in 2024 that has offered families a fun activity in a somewhat unexpected style: a canopy walk. The Blacklick Woods Metro Park in Reynoldsburg, Ohio, is part of the Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks system. It was actually the first Metro Park in the system, opening in 1948. The goal of the Metro Park system is to encourage people to experience nature--and this canopy walk at Blacklick Woods brings an engaging perspective to a regular walk in the park!

 What is the Blacklick Woods Canopy Walk?

This boardwalk-style walkway at Blacklick Woods Metro Park rises 40 feet into the air, taking visitors on a short, eighth of a mile walk through the treetop canopy that includes maples, oaks, hickories and beech trees. The boardwalk allows for a great view of the forest--and offers opportunities for wildlife viewing.  

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What Should You Know About the Blacklick Woods Canopy Walk?

Plan about an Hour for the Canopy Walk--and Additional Time to Explore the Park and Nature Center.  We have visited the canopy walk a few times and we have always overheard little ones asking, "what's next?" While the canopy walk is engaging and unique, you won't likely spend an afternoon on the canopy boardwalk. But--this park is one of our favorites. The Nature Center offers large viewing windows where you can birdwatch and maybe catch glimpses of a raccoon, or a hawk, or even a white squirrel .

When should you visit? The Blacklick Woods Canopy Walk is open every day, from 9am to 7pm during the months April to September, and 9am to 5pm from October through March. The walk is closed until noon on the second Tuesday of every month for maintenance and cleaning.

Where do you Park?  The canopy walk is located near the park's nature center at the very back of the park. The canopy walk is next to a large paved parking area, with ADA accessible parking and accessible sidewalks to the canopy walk.

Restrooms?  There are no restrooms within the canopy walk itself--but, there are park restrooms nearby between the canopy walk and the trail that leads to the nature center.

Dining in the Area.  The park offers several picnic shelters and green spaces are perfect for packing a picnic and eating onsite. If you do opt to eat nearby, Reynoldsburg has many local restaurants to choose from. Vick's Pizza is popular and family-friendly--as are any of the many Nepali restaurants in the area. I love Jayaho or Durbar. There is also a great taco spot, Taqueria El Fogoncito, just down the street from the park.

Other Activities in the Area. Since the Canopy Walk will not likely fill the afternoon--you may need to find additional activities to round out your day trip. Blacklick Woods Metro Park has several trails to explore, the 54-acre Walter A. Tucker nature preserve, playgrounds for the kids, and an interesting Nature Center. If you head toward the front of the park, you'll also find Ashton Pond--a great spot to catch turtles sunning themselves. If you want to explore beyond the park, Otherworld is a fun spot for families or you can venture out to a neighborhood park, Pine Quarry Park, that offers trails and is one of the more "scenic" surprises in the city.

Things to Remember when you Visit About the Blacklick Woods Canopy Walk:

Stay on the Trails. Since some of the park's trails are located within a nature preserve, avoid hiking off the marked trails.

Dogs are NOT Allowed on some of the trails.  The Blacklick Creek Greenway Trail is pet friendly, but other trails within the park are part of the nature preserve and do not allow pets.

What did we think of the Blacklick Woods Canopy Walk?

The canopy walk is easy to get to and offers a short walk to scenic views. The play spaces are fun for the kids and the elevator makes the canopy walk wheelchair accessible as well. It is a nice place to sit and bird watch or to watch the kids play and explore. It's definitely worth the trip if you are in the area--just expect to add other activities along with it to fill your day.
 

Details about the Site Featured Here:

Address:

6975 East Livingston Ave., Reynoldsburg OH

Website

Note:

We have hiked several miles of the trails available in this park for the 2025 52 Hike Challenge! 

You can learn more about the challenge and sign up to participate in the challenge yourself!  

The Highlands Nature Sanctuary is the largest and oldest nature preserve in the Arc of Appalachia preserve system. This 3,000-acre nature preserve, located in southern Ohio, is home to over 16 miles of hiking trails, including the Barrett's Rim Trailhead. We recently hiked the two trails at the Barret's Rim Trailhead: The Barrett's Rim Trail and the Roundtop Trail and hope to return to visit some of the other trails and preserves in the area later this year. 

The Arc of Appalachia is a non-profit organization that owns and manages the Highlands Nature Sanctuary and several other nature preserves with trails in southern Ohio. They offer a variety of programs and activities, including guided hikes, educational workshops, and overnight retreats. The Highlands Nature Sanctuary includes several trails and sites, and we were able to visit these two during our afternoon day trip.

 The Barrett's Rim Trail

The Barrett's Rim Trail is a 2.5-mile loop that offers incredible views of the Rocky Fork Gorge. The trail is listed as a "moderate" hike, but the trail is mostly level and is clearly marked. The trail follows the Rocky Fork Creek and edges up against a very impressive, vertical rock wall.

 The rock cliffs are massive and gorgeous as you make your way along the trail. 

 

It was quite easy to be amazed by nature on this hike!

 

 

 

Tips for Hiking the Barrett's Rim Trailhead in the Highlands Nature

Plan a couple of hours.  We hiked both trails at this trailhead and stopped for pictures and little breaks and spent a little over two hours.

When should you visit?  The sanctuary does not winterize the parking areas--and the trails can become quite slippery in the winter months, so the sanctuary and the Forest Museum operates from mid-March through mid-November. We visited in the summer and the heat made the climb to the top of the Roundtop Trail ridge a little tough, so keep that in mind as you plan your trip.

Where do you Park?  The parking area for the trail head is a small gravel space, with a handful of parking spaces, positioned between the two trails.  The trailhead was not busy when we arrived, but the parking lot had filled up by the time we left.

Restrooms?  There are no restrooms or even a portable potty at the site.  The Forest Museum is a short drive away and has a restroom. The trailhead is close enough to Bainbridge or the Paint Creek Lake State Park that a public restroom is easy enough to locate--but, plan ahead and hit the restrooms before the hike and probably after the hike too!

Dining in the Area.  While we didn't visit any restaurants during this visit, The Paxton Restaurant, is one that we have visited in the past in nearby Bainbridge. We have also ventured a little further away into Hillsboro or Chillicothe when in the area as well. Both of those cities have various chain spots and local restaurants.

Other Activities in the Area.  The Barrett's Rim Trailhead is just one stop of many within the Arc of Appalachia's Highlands Nature Sanctuary. You will also find Paint Creek State Park and Rocky Fork Lake State Park within easy drives for more outdoor activities.

Things to Remember when you Visit The Barrett's Rim Trailhead:

Stay on the Trails. Since these trails are located within a nature preserve, hiking off the marked trails is prohibited.

Dogs are NOT Allowed on These Two Trails.  There are pet friendly trails in the Highlands Nature Sanctuary--the Ridgeview Farm and Crow Point Trails--but, the trails off the Barrett's Rim Trailhead are not dog-friendly.

What did we think of the trails at the Barrett's Rim Trailhead in the Highlands Nature Sanctuary?

I actually grew up near the area and, as a child, I had been to the old 7-Caves tourist site before it was closed and became part of the nature sanctuary--but, I had never seen these cliffs and rock formations and was surprised that I had never hiked the areas before. If you have been to the Hocking Hills region of Ohio, or Blackhand Gorge, this sanctuary area will remind you a bit of that.  It was a nice day trip--but, I would have liked to have had more time to visit the other trails and areas of the sanctuary. This is a spot where you could spend the weekend (or a few days) and will want to allow time for the other nature trails and the two state parks. 

We would definitely recommend it--especially for geology and wildflower lovers. 
 

Details about the Site Featured Here:

The Barrett Rim Trailhead is near the Forest Museum Visitor Center.

Directions: Follow Cave Road south until you pass Browning Road on the right. Turn into the very next parking lot on the right. It is a gravel parking lot with a wooden fence at its entrance.

Get the Hiking Guide and Map for the Highlands Nature Sanctuary.

Note:

This hike was part of our 52 Hike Challenge in 2024!  You can learn more about the challenge and sign up to participate in the challenge yourself!  

We love finding small restaurants favored by locals and visitors when we venture out for a day or weekend trip. After years in the Columbus, Ohio, area, we have had a few chances to seek out food on the Ohio State Campus. Adriatico's on campus is one of our daughter's favorite lunch spots and we had the opportunity to fit in a visit over Labor Day weekend! What did we think of Adriatico's in Columbus, Ohio?

Adriatico's Fits Well into its College Campus Space

Adriatico's is a small spot on a busy campus street. Parking is a little hard to come by unless you venture into one of the nearby parking garages. It is a quick walk from the nearby garages and straightforward to find from GPS by the address.  

We were hitting the restaurant around 2 in the afternoon on a weekday, so we were pretty late for lunch and still early for dinner. There were a handful of diners--many likely parents visiting students since it was a holiday Monday. The servers were pretty laid-back. We had to ask for water refills a couple of times--but service was friendly and generally helpful as we pondered the menu. 

Drinks & Appetizers

Adriatico's has 18 beers on tap and various red and white wine options. We skipped the alcohol and opted for water at this visit--but, the option is there and most tables around us had a few tall beers with their meals.

Knowing that the pizza takes a while to prepare, we ordered the Fried Pickles. Next time we  need to try the Buckeye Bites. They are little Buckeye shaped pretzel bites that looked pretty tasty as they passed our table for others. The Fried Pickles held us over nicely until the pizza arrived!  

The Pizza

We opted for the Inflation Fighter pizza with thick crust. I am generally not a fan of crust, so thick crust is generally not my choice at most places. I gave a groan when my daughter chose the thickest crust on the menu--but, quickly found myself devouring every bit of the crust without hesitation. The pizzas take a bit to prepare. Each pizza is made upon order and and takes 25 to 30 minutes or so. The vegetables were very fresh--and the cheese was perfect. These were some seriously loaded slices, so we had a to-go box with half a pizza and no room for dessert! 

If you Visit Adriatico's OSU