Tom and I continue to explore the area around us.  We headed to Blendon Woods Metro Park for a beautiful, sunny day in early January.

Blendon Woods Metro Park is located just off US 161 on the east side of Columbus.  New developments surround the park, so it is a good thing it was set aside as a green space.  The park itself has 650 acres.  It is adjacent to the 118 acre Walden Waterfowl Refuge which surrounds Thoreau lake.  The park has 4.5 miles of trails that wind through the diverse and interesting landscape.  Ponds, creeks, ravines, meadows, and hardwood forests.

Tom seemed determined to hike every mile of trail in Blendon Woods.  It was a pretty day, but my arthritis does better if I limit my hikes to three miles.  Although we did most of the trails, we also took a couple of shortcuts.  We started with the Brookside Trail, did the Sugarbush Trail, headed to Thoreau Pond, completed the double loop of the Goldenrod Trail, and then finished with the Overlook Trail.

The prettiest part of the park is Thoreau Pond.  It would be a great place for watching waterfowl in the warmer months.  There were a few ducks and the ubiquitous Canadian geese, but most of the birds had headed south.

There are lots of interesting things to see in Blendon Woods.  We saw a small collection of “historical daffodils” and stopped by the Visitors Center which was closed due to Covid-19.  There was a small sign next to some ripple rock, which showed waves from an ocean floor millions of years ago.  Even though we went on a weekday, there were lots of people out enjoying the mild weather and sunshine.

Blendon Woods has a natural play area and a couple of traditional playgrounds.  There is also an 18 hole disc golf course in one corner of the park.  There are several reservable picnic shelters.

Tom and I enjoyed our afternoon tromping around Blendon Woods and discovering another beautiful park in Columbus.  We are so blessed to be surrounded by this free outdoor space.