As a continuation of my post on Metro Parks a few weeks (found here), today I want to feature Battelle Darby Creek and Highbanks Meto Parks.
We are fortunate here in central Ohio to have a great Metro Parks system that is strongly supported by the community. The Metro Parks system was originally established in 1945, and today is made up of 16 parks with more than 175 miles of trails, 26,000 acres of land and water in 7 central Ohio counties. Each year more than 6 million people visit the parks to escape the hustle and bustle of their everyday lives to discover and experience nature.
Big Barby Creek – Click image to enlarge
The image above is a view of Big Darby Creek, a state and national scenic river from which the park gets its name. Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park is the largest Metro Park in the system with a little over 7,000 acres of prairies, fields, and forests and 18 miles of trails. Big and Little Darby Creeks are noted nationally for their tremendous diversity and abundance of both aquatic and terrestrial plants and animals. The creeks are home to about 100 species of fish, and 44 species of freshwater mussels. To find out more about Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park, visit their website here.
Lone maple leaf – Click image to enlarge
Fall has arrived in central Ohio and the image of a lone leaf floating in a small creek along the Dripping Rock Trail in Highbanks Metro Park seemed appropriate. Even though we’re only 5 days into the fall season, the trees are already starting to show some color. The blue sky 75 degree days and cool crisp nights are a welcome relief from the hot, humid 90+ degree days we had this past summer. Highbanks is named for its 100-foot high shale bluffs that tower over the Olentangy State Scenic River. The park has 11 miles of trails that take hikers through oak-hickory, and beech-maple flood plain hardwood forests. Highbanks is also rich in Native American history. The park contains 2 Adena Indian burial mounds and a prehistoric earthwork. To find out more about Highbanks Metro Park, visit their website here.
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