Three Creeks Metropark

As good as it gets. Really.
I came in at the Heron Pond entrance to ride my bike, and was overwhelmed. A great path, well-​paved, through interesting scenery. Nice big pond, curves and slight hills, trees that will look amazing in a week or so. Plenty of benches, picnic tables, etc., along the way. Plus playgrounds and other things– it’s a multipurpose park. Everything well-​kept. Plenty of access points for car parking, and to the trail. There were people there on a weekday afternoon, but it didn’t feel crowded. I’d come back more often if it were anywhere near me. I may have to find excuses to get down this way…

Fantastic multi-​purpose trail. I would say the best in central Ohio. Paved and great for road bikers. It’s huge and is connected via Greenway. Best to go on a weekday b/​c there’s less people.

I was here for a Cross Country meet. The park is HUGE. Plenty of parking. The major flatland area was a swamp, as it had rained for a few days prior to the race. There is a nice road that leads around inside the park. Nice facilities!

This is a hard review because it’s a gorgeous park with plenty of room to park, trails to explore, shady nooks to escape from summer heat etc. It kind of reminds me of Miami Whitewater for you Cincinnatians. But I came here for the Columbus half-​marathon, 10k, 5k event and that’s what I REALLY want to review.
I wish for this particular event that they would have started the way they indicated they were going to (half-​marathoners start, 5k’s follow) versus last-​minute switching it up.
I also wish there had been more port-​a-​pottys. (People were late for start times because of the lack of places to use the restroom)
And lastly, I wish that there had been better directions given re: the starting location.
If I had to review JUST the park, i’d give it five stars. If I had to review JUST the event, i’d give it 1 (maybe 2 on a generous day) star. So right now i’m sticking with three stars.

Hmm, so this is an interesting park. I came here after walking at Walnut Woods earlier in the day. I was following my GPS, but was super confused as I was driving past AEP training centers and other giant industrial parks to find the entrance — the Confluence Trail entrance is right by a very large industrial building. There is a playground, nice restroom facilities, and a big picnic area near the parking lot.
I just took a short hike on the Bluebell trail, which is a one mile dirt path that loops to and from the Alum Creek Trail. The path leads down along the creek and has a nice view of the titular three creeks area. It was pretty muddy and in a few areas some careful navigation was required over running water/​mud puddles.
I’ll definitely need to come back and check out the park in the spring, since previous reviewers seem to indicate that’s the time to be here.

My «long» running route takes me right through this park from the Alum Creek Trail. It’s beautiful and quite extensive, with plenty of running trails. There’s a lot of changes in the scenery — it’s not just one endless grassland. Ponds, creeks, grassland, trees… what more could you ask for?

This is a terrific park! There is a little bit of everything here: lots of wildlife, plants (especially Bluebells), the three creeks mentioned in the name, fishing ponds, trails, shelters, nice playgrounds (both traditional and a natural one), shelters, and picnic tables. The greenway trail goes through here, and functions as a multiuse paved trail for walkers, joggers, cyclists, and skaters. Pets are welcome on most of the trails. It is very scenic with all the different ecosystems — wetlands, forests, fields, etc. Very fun!

This is one of those places that is much better in the springtime than in the winter! I’ve always loved this park. I have gotten lost here. I have spent hours running the trail. I’ve even gone swimming in one of the little ponds that’s now hidden behind overgrown trees. I’ve almost gotten my finger bitten off by a snapping turtle… Ooops.
So what I’ve learned about this place is:
1 — No one goes here. The boy and I walked 6 miles on Saturday here. We passed 3 other people.
2 — Its clean. We found a little bit of litter, but not as much as I see at other parks in the Columbus system. Its nice to take a walk under the trees and not worry about trash.
3 — There’s a bit of everything. Creeks (obviously), grass, wetlands, fields, trees
4 — Lots of wildlife. Because there are so few people here, you will almost always find some wildlife here and there. I saw a fox here a few weeks ago, and this time a box turtle and the aforementioned snapping turtle. Just don’t try to pick them up =)

Hence the name, Three Creeks merges Alum Creek, Blacklick Creek and Big Walnut Creek. It is a fairly large park at 1,050 acres. Within the park there is much wildlife that can be spotted, including many fish, mink and as they claim 100 species of birds. When I started my hike I came across a woodpecker that looked like it was Woodie’s brother. There are some trails that are paved, but others are natural and vary in degree from easy to moderate. Activities at Three Creeks include hiking, biking, canoeing, cross country skiing, fishing, inline skating and jogging. Pets are allowed on the paved trails. A natural play area can be found in the Confluence and Evergreen Trail area. Picnic areas are available. You can also take a tram that will tour the trails and teach about the park. Programs include crafts, educational sessions and hikes.

I recently visited this park in search of some winter waterfowl at the ponds near the parking lot at the Rixby Road entrance. When it was apparent that my search was becoming unsuccessful I thought back to my first visit to the park in early spring of this year, which is hands down the best time to visit due to the sheer magnificence of the blue bell trail.
The trail is located just off the bike bath to the right of the pond area, almost behind the bathrooms as you head towards the bike path. As you start the trail you immediately leave the lawn habitat left over from this piece of the parks farm days and enter the bottomland forest. Due to the flooding that occurs from the three creeks (black walnut, alum, and blacklick) this forest has very little shruby understory so the blue bells thrive and decorate the forest floor in early spring.
Call the Metro Parks mainline before you go to check for trail closures which can occur during flood events and bring your camera!

Three Creeks is a great little park, recently went biking with a friend here and found the all purpose trail to be one of the longer ones in Columbus good for riding. The all purpose trail will take you all the way up Alum Creek to the 70/​livingston interchange.
Inside the park itself there is opportunity for all sorts of natural expeditions. Wetlands observation, cranes and herons. Nature walks with a large variety of trees, floral and fauna. Fishing. And apparently, Marines introduction (for some reason they were in the park).
If you’re in to techie things like me, the AEP test center is next door, with a liquid nitrogen cooled superconductor, small wind generator, and two whopper tesla coils. I know that seems more interesting than the park itself, and well, it probably is…