Spring hiking in Columbus just hits different.
The trees start budding. The wildflowers wake up. The air smells like fresh starts and maybe a little bit of mud. And suddenly, we all remember that Ohio is actually… awesome again??
If you’re looking for the best spring hiking spots in Columbus and Central Ohio, these are the trails that absolutely come alive this time of year. Some are dramatic. Some are peaceful. Some make you question why you ever need go to the gym when this exists.
Let’s get into it.
Spring Hiking Spots in Columbus and Central Ohio
Conkles Hollow State Nature Preserve
📍 24858 Big Pine Rd, Rockbridge, OH 43149
If you’ve never been to Conkles Hollow in the spring, I don’t know what to tell you other than… go.
Whether you take the Rim Trail or the Gorge Trail, both are wildly different experiences and both are guaranteed to dazzle when everything starts turning green again.
The Gorge Trail is relatively easy and takes you between towering Black Hand sandstone cliffs that feel straight up prehistoric. It’s cool, shaded, and almost otherworldly.
The Rim Trail? That’s where you earn it. A little more elevation. A few moments where your legs remind you they exist. But the views are ridiculous, especially as the forest canopy starts to fill in.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again… this might be the most beautiful place in Ohio.
If you want the full breakdown, you can check out our full Conkles Hollow guide here:
Inniswood Metro Gardens
📍 940 Hempstead Rd, Westerville, OH 43081
When you think spring and you don’t think flowers blossoming and trees budding… I’m concerned.
There is really no better place in Central Ohio to see spring do its thing than Inniswood Metro Gardens.
What makes this spot elite is that it blends wooded hiking trails with meticulously curated gardens. So you can get your steps in and feel like you accidentally wandered into a painting.
The boardwalks, the streams, the themed gardens… it’s all blooming, buzzing, and borderline unfair to the other parks.
If you’re looking for a peaceful spring walk in Columbus that still feels like a proper hike, this is your spot.
Highbanks Metro Park
📍 9466 Columbus Pike, Lewis Center, OH 43035
What could possibly be more beautiful than hiking among blooming trees in the spring?
How about hiking among blooming trees with the Olentangy River roaring just feet away from you?
Highbanks is one of the best hiking trails in Columbus, especially in spring. The elevation changes keep things interesting, the overlook views are legit, and the combination of river, forest, and wildlife makes it feel way more remote than it actually is.
Also yes… you will burn calories. Those hills are not joking around.
Quarry Trails Metro Park
📍 2600 Dublin Rd, Columbus, OH 43228
April showers bring May flowers.
They also bring one of the most underrated waterfalls in Central Ohio.
After a heavy rainfall, Millikin Falls at Quarry Trails Metro Park is just Mother Nature flexing. The water crashes down the rock face like it has something to prove.
Beyond the waterfall, Quarry Trails gives you former quarry ledges, wide open views, and some simple but scenic hiking trails that connect it all together.
If you haven’t explored this newer Columbus Metro Park yet, spring is the perfect time to start.
Olentangy Trail
📍 Popular access point: 3740 Olentangy River Rd, Columbus, OH 43214 (Antrim Park)
This nearly 15-mile stretch winds along the Olentangy River and SR-315, and it’s one of the most versatile hiking and walking trails in Columbus.
You can start at Antrim Lake. You can head south toward downtown. You can hop on wherever is convenient and just go.
The vast majority of the Olentangy Trail is paved, which makes it bike, wheelchair, and stroller friendly. So if you’re looking for accessible spring hiking in Central Ohio, this is one of your best bets.
Antrim Lake in the spring is especially nice, with the water reflecting all that new green growth around it.
And if you want even more stroller-friendly hikes, check out our full guide here:
Blacklick Woods Metro Park
📍 6975 E Livingston Ave, Reynoldsburg, OH 43068
Tucked into Reynoldsburg, Blacklick Woods basically has everything.
Hiking trails. Swamps. Forest. A golf course. And yes… a Canopy Walk that rises over four stories above the forest floor.
In the spring, this park absolutely comes alive. The wetlands feel fresh. The trees are bursting back to life. And the Canopy Walk lets you get up close and personal with birds and other critters who clearly live here full-time.
It’s one of the most diverse outdoor spaces in the Columbus Metro Parks system, and it deserves way more springtime attention.
Three Creeks Metro Park
📍 3860 Bixby Rd, Groveport, OH 43125
Three Creeks is quietly one of the most beautiful parks in Central Ohio… and it does not get enough credit.
In the spring, you’ll find fields of wildflowers, peaceful wooded trails, and old-fashioned windmills etching the sky in the distance. It feels calm. Spacious. A little nostalgic, honestly.
It’s an oft-overlooked Metro Park, which is wild considering how pretty it is this time of year.
It’s also one of my personal favorites. And I will continue yelling about it until it gets the love it deserves.
Mohican State Park
📍 3116 State Route 3, Loudonville, OH 44842
If you want spring hiking that feels like you accidentally drove into Appalachia… Mohican is your spot.
Massive hemlocks. Dramatic gorge views. The Clear Fork of the Mohican River weaving through the valley. And some of the most legit elevation changes you’ll find within driving distance of Columbus.
The Lyon’s Falls Trail in the spring is elite, especially after rainfall. The Fire Tower hike gives you panoramic views that make you forget you’re still in Ohio. And the covered bridge? A classic.
It’s a little over an hour from Columbus, but if you’re looking for one of the best hiking destinations near Columbus in the spring, Mohican absolutely belongs on this list.
Spring Hiking in Columbus
Spring hiking in Columbus and Central Ohio is elite. The parks aren’t brutally hot yet. The trees are just starting to pop. The trails feel fresh again.
Whether you want waterfalls, wildflowers, riverside views, dramatic cliffs, stroller-friendly paved paths, or a four-story canopy walk… it’s all here.
So lace up your shoes. Check the weather. Maybe pack a snack.
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