Trail Review: Antrim Park
A walk near water can be just what the doctor ordered on a hot summer day—and, fortunately for me, the area around my home in Central Ohio offers plenty of options, from rivers to reservoirs to lakes. And today we’re taking a stroll around a popular Columbus-area lake at Antrim Park.
When you first pull into the winding driveway at Antrim Park, it looks like just a nice place to play basketball or have a picnic or let the kids play on the playground. But if you continue past the fields to the far parking lot, you’ll get a glimpse of the park’s main attraction: Antrim Lake. Once a quarry, Antrim Lake is now a sparkling lake, complete with plenty of park benches and a deck for fishing. There’s also a 1.2-mile gravel trail that circles the lake, running alongside the Olentangy Trail.
Admittedly, the gravel path can be muddy after a rain or extremely dusty if the weather has been dry—so you might not want to wear your best shoes. And the facilities are somewhat lacking (there’s just one solitary porta potty in the parking lot). But the trail is scenic and wooded and peaceful—even on busy days. In fact, you might even forget that it you had to walk under a major highway to get to the trail from the parking lot. Though it isn’t a long circle, it’s longer than the average neighborhood park trail—so you won’t have to loop around a dozen times to get a couple of miles in. And, since it runs adjacent to the Olentangy Trail, you can also wander down the trail for a while if you want a change of scenery.
From the budding trees of spring to the wildlife and family setting of summer to the changing colors of fall, Antrim Park promises scenic walks year-round. It’s a fun place to meet a friend for a walk—and then you can cool down on a bench overlooking the lake when you’re done.
Pros:
– Lake makes for a scenic walk
– 1.2-mile loop is good for a short walk or a few loops
– Deck is a good place to enjoy a drink after your walk
– Connects to Olentangy Trail for miles and miles of longer walks
Cons:
– Gravel trail can get dusty or muddy, depending on weather conditions
– No permanent bathroom facilities
Quick Take:
Makes your daily walk feel like a lake vacation.
