Above is the confluence of Alum Creek (left) Blacklick Creek (to the right) and Big Walnut (center).
Three Creeks Metro Park
3860 Bixby Road, Groveport, Ohio 43125
(Franklin County)
Three Creeks is 1053 acres in size and is made up of 5 distinct areas connected to one another via the Alum Creek Greenway Trail. The park is dedicated to hiking, biking, fishing, canoeing and picnicking, plus athletic fields for baseball and soccer. At the center of the park is the confluence of Alum, Big Walnut and Blacklick Creeks.
The area surrounding where the 3 creeks merge is a valuable habitat for fish, birds, waterfowl, beaver, mink, fox and lots of other wildlife. In early spring, Virginia bluebells can be found throughout the area.
Three Creeks Metro Park has more than 10 miles of trails and is known for its extensive paved biking trails, but it also has numerous unpaved walking trails through wooded and meadow areas.
Three Creeks Bike Trails
The Central Ohio Greenway system is an expanding network of trails along Ohio's rivers and streams. The system of trails connects places, parks and people with nature. The Alum Creek Greenway Trail is part of the Central Ohio Greenway. The Trail is 8.1 miles long winding from the Confluence Trail area through Madison Mills, Heron Pond, and Sycamore Fields. The trail runs parallel to the creek through woods, prairie, fields and connects to other Greenway trails.
Athletic fields: Sports enthusiasts can play soccer, baseball and field hockey at Sycamore Fields and other areas in the northern part of the park. For information, call Columbus Recreation and Parks at 614.645.3300.
Tram: Metro Parks operates a 42-passenger tram that travels along the trails. To schedule a free tram program with the naturalist or find out about upcoming programs, call 614.508.8111.
Download Three Creeks Trail Metro Map
History of the Area
Ebenezer Buckingham was one of the early surveyors of this area. In 1800 as he was surveying the area just below the confluence, he called that section of the Big Walnut "Big Belly". In his journal he noted that the flat swampy floodplain was made up of unbroken forest of oak, walnut, ash, locust, buckeye hawthorn and pawpaw trees.
Soon after Buckingham surveyed the area, a number of gristmills were built. The flood plain has always been good for farming and evidence suggests that it has remained much the same way as it is now for 1000s of years.
