About

The Jist

Columbus Metro Parks, in the central Ohio region, are comprised of over 27,000 acres spread across 19 parks in seven counties. Hundreds of miles of trails wind through land that, prior to 1945, was mostly farm country far removed from the state capital.

Three new parks have opened since I moved to Columbus in 2001, so not all of them have undisturbed history just off trail. However, more than a few contain vestiges of farm life that are easily missed when the underbrush is full or the snow is deep.

If you're the kind of park goer that sticks to the improved trails, you may never come across these piles of debris from generations past. If briars and barbed wire aren't a bother, there's a whole new park experience waiting for you. You are updated on your tetanus shot, right?

The garbage in Alum Creek at Three Creeks Metro Park

Not all of the junk that resides in our parks is a semi-permanent fixture. Three Creeks, for example, has quite an extensive collection of plastics that have arrived at the confluence both from the long journey upstream, and from Rt 270, which runs through the park. It's as impressive as it is gross.

But Wait!

To be clear, I absolutely love the Metro Park system; I've been to every one. Clear Creek is my favorite. While not without its own occasional splash of human residue, I find it to be the cleanest and most enjoyable park on the list.