Why Central Ohio's Park System Keeps Getting Better

Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks now span 21 parks, more than 230 miles of trails, and over 28,700 acres across seven Central Ohio counties, with a brand-new park opening this year and another on the way.

I get asked fairly often what actually makes Central Ohio livable beyond the job market and the housing prices, and my honest answer is almost always the parks. It's easy to overlook because it doesn't show up in a listing's headline number, but the sheer scale and quality of green space here shapes daily life more than people realize until they've lived somewhere without it.

Here's what's actually going on with the park system right now, and why it's worth factoring into a decision about where to live, not just as a nice-to-have but as something that genuinely varies block by block across the metro.

How Big Is Central Ohio's Metro Parks System, Actually?

Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks now operates 21 parks, more than 230 miles of trails, and over 28,700 acres of land spread across seven Central Ohio counties. More than 8 million visits happen annually, and over 180,000 people participate in the system's free nature education programs each year. It's funded primarily through a 10-year, 0.95-mill levy that Franklin County voters approved in 2018, which covers operations, improvements, and land acquisition.

The system dates back to 1945, when a study first proposed a metropolitan park district built around the region's rivers and streams, drawing direct inspiration from the Cleveland Metroparks system. Blacklick Woods, the first park, was dedicated in 1948 and became the model for everything that followed. Nearly eighty years later, the network has grown into one of the more comprehensive regional park systems in the Midwest, run by an independent political subdivision of the state rather than folded into city or county government.

What's New in the Park System This Year?

Great Southern Metro Park opened April 1, 2026, becoming the system's 21st park. The 70-acre park sits along the Scioto River on the city's south side, with prairies, an overlook mound, a swing bench, paved and natural trails, fitness stations, an obstacle course, a playground, and a recreation field, a genuinely full-featured addition rather than a token green space.

Bank Run Metro Park is next in the pipeline, tucked between Lockbourne and Obetz on the southeast edge of the metro. Its event center and a paved 5K loop are already open, while the natural side of the park, woods, fields, water access, is still under construction, with the system expecting that portion to open later in 2026. Meanwhile, Blacklick Woods Metro Park in Reynoldsburg is adding a new treetop canopy walk and observation tower, currently under construction, giving one of the system's original 1948 parks a genuinely modern new attraction nearly eighty years after it opened.

Has the Park System Actually Won Recognition for This Work?

Yes. Quarry Trails Metro Park received the Ohio Parks and Recreation Association's Award of Excellence for Capital Improvements over $2.5 million in 2023, and was named Project of the Year by the Building Columbus Awards in 2024. It's a genuinely distinctive park too, built on a former limestone quarry site with a Via Ferrata cabled climbing route, one of the more unusual additions to any Metro Park in the system, alongside a 25-foot waterfall and a zipline that opened as part of its initial phase in 2021.

Beyond the flagship projects, the system consistently gets credit for the sheer breadth of experiences packed into a single regional network: flat, easy trails for families at parks like Blendon Woods, more rugged terrain with real elevation change at Chestnut Ridge near Carroll, and urban options like Scioto Audubon Metro Park within the city itself, home to one of the largest outdoor climbing walls in the country and a nine-obstacle strenuous challenge course. That range is part of what sets Central Ohio apart from metro areas where parkland tends to mean one uniform type of experience repeated across every location.

What Does This Actually Mean for Someone Choosing Where to Live?

It means green space access genuinely varies by which part of the metro you're in, and it's worth checking proximity to a Metro Park the same way you'd check school district boundaries. Newer parks like Great Southern and Bank Run are reshaping what's available on the south side specifically, while long-established parks like Blacklick Woods and Battelle Darby Creek continue to anchor the east and west sides respectively. Battelle Darby Creek alone protects more than 8,000 acres along the Big and Little Darby Creek watershed, including 13 miles of frontage on Big Darby Creek, a state and national scenic river.

For buyers who prioritize an active, outdoor lifestyle, hiking, trail running, kayaking, or just regular access to genuinely large, well-maintained green space, proximity to a Metro Park is worth weighing alongside the more obvious factors like commute and schools. It's also worth noting that the Columbus Recreation and Parks Department runs a separate, complementary system of more than 400 city parks and 230 miles of its own trails, so between the two systems, most Central Ohio neighborhoods end up within a short drive, if not a walk, of some kind of meaningful green space.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many parks are in the Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks system? The system currently operates 21 parks, more than 230 miles of trails, and over 28,700 acres of land across seven Central Ohio counties, following the opening of Great Southern Metro Park in April 2026.

What is the newest Metro Park in Central Ohio? Great Southern Metro Park opened April 1, 2026, becoming the system's 21st park. It's a 70-acre park along the Scioto River with prairies, trails, fitness stations, an obstacle course, and a playground.

Is Bank Run Metro Park open yet? Partially. The event center and a paved 5K loop at Bank Run Metro Park are already open, while the natural trail areas are still under construction, with a later 2026 opening expected for that portion.

How is the Metro Parks system funded? Primarily through a 10-year, 0.95-mill levy approved by Franklin County voters in 2018, which supports operations, improvements, and land acquisition across the system.

Has any Central Ohio Metro Park won awards? Yes. Quarry Trails Metro Park received the Ohio Parks and Recreation Association's Award of Excellence in 2023 and was named Project of the Year by the Building Columbus Awards in 2024.

If green space and trail access are on your list of priorities for a move, I'd love to help you think through which part of Central Ohio actually delivers on that alongside everything else you're looking for.

This content is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or financial advice. All real estate services are provided in compliance with Fair Housing laws, RESPA, TCPA, the REALTOR® Code of Ethics, and Ohio Real Estate Commission advertising regulations. Equal Housing Opportunity. Chrisi Hagan, Collins Lassiter Group, Red 1 Realty.