Hiking with Doc

20220129 – Three Creeks Metro Park

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Date: 01/29/2022 – Distance: 7.0 mi – Elapsed Time: 3.0 hr – Ascent: 203 ft – Descent: 128 ft – Difficulty: Medium

This is my eleventh 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.

Three Creeks Metro Park is in Groveport, Ohio. The park is fairly large and stretches along Alum Creek on the north to just south of the confluence with Blacklick Creek and Big Walnut Creek. There are many paved greenway trails and a few nature trails on the south end. There are also several picnic areas throughout and some sports fields on the north end.

Entrance to the Confluence Trails Area on the south end.
Plenty of parking here.
And some playground equipment.
Get your hiking challenge stamp here.
They have a fire and sausage biscuits over at the picnic shelter.
Map of the park.
I headed across the Greenway Trail to the Bluebell Trail.
You can see the three creeks merging here.
Lots of snow today.
The fence protects this large Cottonwood tree from beavers.
Blacklick Creek.
Big Walnut Creek merging with Blacklick Creek.
A little about the confluence.
That is Alum Creek coming in.
This is what the beavers do.
The three creeks merge to form a larger Big Walnut Creek.
Back on the Greenway Trail and crossing over the Big Walnut Creek.
The river is a little frozen today.
Not too thick.
History of the area.
The Confluence Trail leads to the opposite side of the confluence from the Bluebell Trail.
There is a White Pine grove here.
Here you can see all three creeks merging.
More beaver damage.
Getting back to the Greenway Trail again.
That is Interstate 270.
Madison Mills Area.
Signage for the Greenway Trail.
A map of the major Greenway Trails throughout Columbus.
Williams Road.
Crossing over Alum Creek.
Another big bridge.
Animals can easliy cross on the ice. See the tracks?
Coming up on the Heron Pond Area.
Heron Pond is frozen and snow covered.
I kept following the Greenway Trail straight and returned here and took the trail to the right later around Heron Pond.
Some big prairies on the north end.
To the left is the Sycamore Fields Area. I turned around here.
Back at Heron Pond.
Small windmill.
A little about beavers.
Another pine grove along the Greenway Trail.
It’s a peaceful area.
Back at the Confluence Area, I took one last trail. This is the Evergreen Trail.
The area is a Natural Play Area.
Woodpecker grabbing a bite.
Cardinal.
Tufted Titmouse.

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