Hidden In The Woods Of This Charming Ohio Park Is A Beautiful Boardwalk And Canopy In The Trees

With their straight-out-of-a-Nat-Geo-magazine landscapes and otherworldly geological features, America's long list of national parks often hog the spotlight from the many metropolitan green spaces that dot urban areas across the country. But metro parks offer up their own unique blend of natural awe that's much the same. Just picture this: You're 40 feet above the ground, traipsing along a beautiful wooden boardwalk through a jungly canopy of trees like the ever-intrepid Tarzan as you become closely acquainted with the sky. Sounds pretty cool, right? Well, believe it or not, you can experience this magical treetop excursion right in the heart of central Ohio without ever setting foot in any of the state's eight national parks. It's like a Disney movie scene come to life.

Called the Canopy Walk, the planked walkway is just one of the many highlights of Blacklick Woods Metro Park, which lies hidden among the woods of Reynoldsburg, a city just outside of Columbus. The park was established way back in 1948, making it the very first offering in the Columbus and Franklin County Metro Park system — a collection of more than a dozen parks spanning almost 30,000 acres, 652 of which make up Blacklick Woods. 

"There are some nice trails that lead through some very interesting areas," a park visitor posted on Tripadvisor. "But, for me, the real attraction is the diversity of the old-growth forest, the swamp forest, that the park preserves." Showcasing a diverse range of terrains, from grassy fields and swampy ponds to the aforementioned woodlands, it's no surprise the park was named a National Natural Landmark in the 1970s. Pining for adventure yet?

Fittingly dubbed the "gateway to the sky," the Canopy Walk is a relatively new addition to Blacklick Woods Metro Park, having celebrated its one-year anniversary on May 17, 2025. The wooden boardwalk stretches for more than 600 feet, taking you through beech, maple, elm, red oak, swamp white oak, and shagbark hickory, among other types of trees. Teeter across one of the Canopy Walk's three rope bridges, or see the view from the observation platform. Youngsters will especially enjoy the treehouse, sliding down the fireman's pole, or rolling around the giant cargo net hammock, able to hold up to five people at a time. 

Scout out wildlife along the way. According to eBird, nearly 200 bird species have been spotted on the Canopy Walk and the rest of the park, placing it among the best bird watching destinations in the U.S. If you're not a fan of heights, you can tackle one of the park's six trails. The longest one, the paved Blacklick Creek Greenway, runs for 16 miles down to Three Creeks Metro Park in Groveport. For a shorter jaunt through the woods, the Beech, Buttonbush, and Maple gravel trails are all relatively easy, spanning under a mile.

Enjoy a packed lunch or barbecue on the grills at the Ash Grove and Meadows Picnic Areas. There are also larger picnic shelters, like the Beech-Maple Lodge, which can be reserved online. Make time to tour the exhibits at the nature center and see the swampy, 54-acre Walter A Tucker Nature Preserve. Get a workout in at either of the two fitness stations, located on opposite ends of the park. There's even a golf course if you want to hit the links.

Before you run to get a bird's-eye view of this wooded nook of Ohio, let's cover a few basics. First up: the hours. Blacklick Woods Metro Park is open April 1 to September 30 from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., closing two hours early the rest of the year. Various attraction hours may vary, such as the Canopy Walk, which is closed until noon on the second Tuesday of each month for routine maintenance. The nature center can be toured from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. from April to September and from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. from October to March. And you'll have to take a gander at Blacklick Woods Golf Course's website for available tee times. 

If you want to bring your furry, four-legged companion, dogs are only allowed on the Blacklick Creek Greenway trail and must be kept on a leash. All of the trails are ADA accessible, and the Canopy Walk is also reachable via an elevator, allowing the boardwalk to be accessed by wheelchair users or those who are unable to scale the 72-step staircase. Ahead of your trip to Blacklick Woods, which is only about a 20-minute drive from the John Glenn Columbus International Airport, check out the online map of the park so you can get a better idea of its layout ahead of time.

Want to experience more of the area's natural beauty? The Columbus Park of Roses, one of America's largest public rose gardens, is only about 20 miles away. So, be sure to stop and have a smell.