Date: 01/09/2022 – Distance: 4.7 mi – Elapsed Time: 2.25 hr – Ascent: 417 ft – Descent: 427 ft – Difficulty: Medium
This is my ninth hike of the Columbus and Franklin Park Metro Parks Winter Hike Challenge. I have to do 6 assigned parks each month for 3 months, and a total of 18 to complete the challenge. I’m halfway to the medallion.
Sharon Woods Metro Park is a 761 acre park in Westerville, Ohio on the northwest corner of Cleveland Ave and Schrock Road. It is also bordered by I71 on the west side, I270 on the southwest side, and Main St on the north. It features picnic areas, lots of trails, a 11 acre lake, and even the Edward S. Thomas State Nature Preserve within its boundaries.
Map of the park.
I parked at the Maple Grove Area. The Friends of the Metro Parks were here taking new memberships(I’m already a member) and stamping cards and handing out patches(I already got mine the day before) for those who have done 7 of the 18 required trails.
Coyotes are fascinating animals and shouldn’t be feared, but respected.
There is a playground here in the Maple Grove Area.
Hitting the trails.
It’s sad to see Ash Tree groves like this destroyed by the Emerald Ash Borer.
Pets are allowed here, except in the Nature Preserve which is on the west side of the park. Please obey the signs.
Some winter color.
There is a small pond/wetland on the east side along the Spring Run Trail.
It is a small dammed pond.
That is a glacial erratic. A non-native stone carried here by glaciers from Canada.
Spring Run.
It’s been raining.
There are some impressive ravines here.
Climbing a hill out of the ravine.
A nice Maple Tree grove. The fallen trees are mostly Ash.
Spring Run from an overlook.
There is a little waterfall.
There is a small prairie down in the Spring Run ravine.
Crossing Spring Run again.
Cool twist on this vine.
Moss and Lichen.
You don’t see a lot of these.
Here’s the Hackberry Tree bark.
There are some big trees here, we’ll see some bigger ones in the Nature Preserve.
How the glaciers created valleys.
This describers how some oaks seem to stand out as very big in the forest.
Like this one.
More winter color.
Chickadee on a bird feeder.
I’m always amazed by the size of this prairie.
Hard to read, but it talks about the prairie habitat.
I turned right here, into the prairie.
Deer.
More about deer.
Red Fox.
A view of the same prairie from the other end.
I think these are old Puffball fungus.
Turkey Tail fungus.
This may be a Chicken of the Woods fungus.
I’m in the Nature Preserve now, and this is a fallen giant.
The Oak Trees here are amazing.
Very big.
There is a pine plantation here to on the southwest corner.
I believe White Pine, and some Poison Ivy.
Someone lost a kite.
Cool series on the development of this park.
Ever wonder how the animals survive the winters?
Schrock Lake.
All about Woodpeckers.
And a little about prairies.
This is just a small one.
That is a Bat house.
It’s a Christmas tree with trash ornaments found on the trails.
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