Trail Review: Inniswood Metro Gardens, Westerville, Ohio
During our summer trail adventures, many of our visits take us to great places to explore while power-walking through the trails. But if you’re not feeling like a fast-paced walk and prefer to amble along the trails while taking in the scenery, Inniswood Metro Gardens is the place to go.
This 123-acre park is a part of the Columbus Metro Parks system—but it’s best known for its gorgeous gardens, containing more than 2,000 species of plants. It’s a fabulously scenic park, filled with stunning flower beds and garden areas that are perfect for photo ops. In fact, every time we visit, we see families and wedding parties and teenagers strolling the grounds with a photographer tagging along behind.
But there’s more to the park than just the flowers. There are trails surrounding the flower beds—a mix of paved, boardwalk, and gravel—winding through wetlands and forested areas and past the frog pond (a family favorite spot). While exploring these trails, we’ve seen everything from owls to hummingbirds. There’s also a story trail, a treehouse for kids, and a bunch of other areas that are fun, family-friendly spots. It’s a place that my daughter has enjoyed visiting for years—because there’s so much here to do and see.
For these reasons, though, Inniswood isn’t really a place where you go on a long, brisk walk. The trails are quite short, and the grounds are often busy and filled with families. So while it’s a beautiful place to explore, it’s more of a place to stroll. You’ll still be able to get plenty of steps as you wind around the trails and through the gardens—but you probably won’t be able to do it at a faster pace.
Pros:
– Scenic trails (lots of plants and flowers)
– Kid-friendly, with a story trail, playhouse, and more
– Lots of wildlife
– Multiple bathroom facilities
– Mix of paved, boardwalk, and gravel paths
Cons:
– Often busy
– Shorter trails
– More for strolling than long, brisk walks
You can learn more about Inniswood Metro Gardens at Inniswood.org or on the Columbus Metro Parks website.
