Post Update: If you are like me and wondered if the bison had special winter preparations, they do! Check out this video from the Metro Parks that shows the bison moving into their winter home.
I saw bison roaming in the wild, for the first time in my life when we went to Antelope Island in Salt Lake City, Utah. I got to see bison in the wild again, but it was only 25 minutes from my home! And it was not at the zoo. I took my daughter to Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park in Hilliard, Ohio, to see the bison and do some hiking.
We had seen bison in Utah, so it was not as awe inspiring as it was there. That said, how many people can go see a herd of buffalo grazing in a field after driving for less than 30 minutes?
As you can see from the pictures, the bison are enclosed within a fenced pasture. The park map made it look like there were two enclosures, but we only saw one. It was still a very cool experience. If you are ever in or around Columbus, Ohio, I highly recommend this park.
The nature center was very educational and hands-on. The volunteers and staff there were exuberant about answering questions, and were well-versed on the local history. It was well worth the visit.
We arrived at 4:45 on Sunday, so we didn’t have a really long time to go hiking before the sun went down. We walked down to and along the river, which was a short, but nice hike. Fair warning – the hill was fairly steep so I would have liked my hiking poles, but I had forgotten to bring them. I was OK without them, but if I did remember to pack them, I definitely would have used them.
Some of the trees had some serious spikes growing up their trunks. Talk about a defense mechanism! I’ve seen this before, but I still don’t know what the name of the tree is. If you know what it is, please tell me in the comments! I am curious to learn more about these trees and those spikes!
The walk along the river was very pretty and offered some nice vantage points, and photo opportunities. There are some parts of the this trail that are blocked by trees or branches, so be prepared to stoop, crawl, or climb over the limbs.
When we got back to the nature center, it was not yet dark, so we drove up the road a bit further. We found the main entrance to the park. This is one big park! It offers numerous biking trails, hiking trails, and many other amenities. We will definitely be back again, with more time, and maybe our bikes to cruise the trails, and see the bison again. Next time, we will find the second herd of bison in the other pasture.
Have you been to Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park? What did you think? Let us know in the comments! Until next time, remember #hikingisfun, and your #adventureawaits.
Leave a Reply