Date: 07/28/2019 – Distance: 3 mi – Elapsed Time: 2 hr – Ascent: 112 ft – Descent: 157 ft – Difficulty: Easy
Today I decided to check out the 99 acre Gahanna Woods Park, which also houses a 66 acre State Nature Preserve today. From Hamilton Rd take Havens Corners Road east to Taylor Station Road. Turn south and just past the water tower on the right is the entrance to the park. Parking is on the left after entering the park. This isn’t a huge park, but the scenery is beautiful.
There is a pond at the parking lot with benches around it for observing nature. The pond is surrounded by wildflower prairie.
There are many trails, but two main loops. One to the south which is considered the State Nature Preserve. As with all State Nature Preserves in Ohio, dogs are not allowed period. This is for the protection of the delicate environment and the animals within. The north loop is not actually part of the Nature Preserve and dogs are allowed on a leash. Please adhere to the rules and always pick up after your pet.
I began by entering this south loop on the southeast corner of the parking lot. This trail is called the Beechwood Trail. It’s about a mile in length but can be shortened by following the Woodlands Pond Trail sign. To do this enter the trail at the trailhead south of the pond. At the first intersection, only a few hundred feet, take a left staying on the Beechwood Trail. The straight option follows the Woodlands Pond trail counterclockwise. At the second intersection take a left as indicated by the sign to stay on the Beechwood Trail or take a right/straight to follow the Woodlands Pond Trail clockwise. These trails meet up again later.
Both trails head into the wetland area of the preserve. It was dry today, but I can imagine it can get muddy after a hard rain. There are several boardwalks which traverse the more marshy areas of these trails. Be careful, as I can imagine they can be slippery if they are wet. Both trails end up looping around back to the same trailhead you started from.
Once back at the parking lot/pond area, head west to the opposite end of the parking lot to catch the trailhead for the second loop. This section is actually not part of the State Nature Preserve and is a completely different environment. I headed counterclockwise around this loop. You have to follow the road a bit before the trail heads into the woods to the left. Before that there, is a shoot off to the right which goes up toward the water tower. It’s mowed through a prairie field. It eventually connects back to the main trail, however I did not choose to take that fork.
There is an access trail you come to which appears wide enough to allow trucks or large mowers to gain access to areas of the park. I continued on the main trail straight past this intersection. The trail gets narrow at times and is a little overgrown today, but is still passable. I was glad to have my trekking pole so I could push aside a few briars hanging about knee level. Eventually the trail widens back up and becomes easier to trek through. It crosses a few creeks and enters a few areas where there are pine groves.
Eventually the trail ends back at the parking lot. Total for both trails is about 2.3 miles.
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