Tag: hiking trails

  • Hiking Scioto Grove Metro Park Columbus Ohio | Fire Tower & Trails

    Hiking Scioto Grove Metro Park Columbus Ohio | Fire Tower & Trails

    Six Towers Deep: An Afternoon at Scioto Grove

    Last Friday afternoon, Luna and I set out for Scioto Grove Metro Park in Grove City, just south of Columbus, Ohio. It marked my sixth tower climb since July, and the late-day light gave the whole loop a golden edge. The perfect mix of calm and movement that clears my head.

    About Scioto Grove Metro Park

    Scioto Grove Metro Park spans roughly 620 acres along the Scioto River, offering a mix of wooded trails, open meadows, and riverside overlooks. It’s one of the newer Metro Parks in the Columbus system, officially opened in May 2016 as the 19th Metro Park.

    You’ll find:

    More than 7 miles of hiking trails Canoe and kayak access points on the river Fishing ponds Archery ranges (traditional and 3D) A disc golf course Picnic shelters and overlook decks Backpacking campsites for overnight stays

    📍 Address: 5172 Jackson Pike, Grove City, OH 43123

    🌐 Official site: metroparks.net/sciotogrove

    The Keystone Fire Lookout Tower

    The centerpiece of Scioto Grove is the Keystone Fire Tower, originally from Jackson County, Ohio, and carefully relocated and restored for visitors.

    Standing at 111 steps tall, this 82-foot tower offers panoramic views of the Scioto River valley and even a distant glimpse of the Columbus skyline. Which is roughly seven miles away on a clear day. The structure was re-galvanized and rebuilt for safety, giving hikers a rare chance to climb an authentic fire lookout still in working condition.

    If you’re bold enough to climb it, the reward is pure . Including: wide air, open view, and the grounding quiet that only comes from being above the noise.

    The Loop Hike with Luna

    We started our hike in the late afternoon, taking one of the park’s easy-to-moderate loop trails that weave through forest and along the riverbank. The route brushed sections of the REI River Trail, Mingo Trail, and Overlook Trail. They all connected for a solid 5–5.5 mile loop.

    The terrain was steady with just enough elevation change to feel earned. Luna explored every scent, tail up and curious. I slowed down and let the rhythm of the park take over.

    At the tower, she waited at the base, head tilted as I climbed. From the top, the world widened. With the Scioto curling below and autumn barely brushing the trees. It felt like ritual, this sixth climb. A ceremony in motion, a quiet victory stacked on all the others since July.

    By the time we looped back, the sun had dropped low, casting long shadows over the trail. The kind of ending that feels less like goodbye and more like pause.

    Tips & trail notes

    🕒 Tower Hours: Open during daylight; check the Metro Parks site for closures. 🐾 Dog-Friendly: Pets welcome, must remain on leash.

    🥾 Trail Difficulty: Easy to moderate. Mingo Trail (~5 miles) offers light elevation gain (~100 ft).

    🎒 Best Route: Connect REI River Trail, Mingo Trail, and Overlook Trail for a scenic loop.

    💧 Bring: Water, sturdy shoes with grip, and a flashlight if hiking near dusk.

    ☔ After Rain: Expect mud on lower Overlook Trail and riverside paths.

    Why Scioto Grove Stands Out

    What makes Scioto Grove special isn’t its challenge. But it’s the balance.

    Close enough to Columbus for an afternoon escape, yet far enough to breathe.

    Every trail bends into a new quiet. Every climb, every overlook, offers a reminder that adventure doesn’t have to mean distance.

    Six towers down, and this one might just be my favorite yet.

    Photos from our trip

    Links

    Portfolio

    Etsy

  • Choosing More: Trails, Bonfires, Waterfalls, Love, and Creativity

    Choosing More: Trails, Bonfires, Waterfalls, Love, and Creativity

    What could you do more of?

    My thoughts:

    Lately, I’ve been thinking about what I need more of. And not in the material sense, but in the marrow of my days. The kind of “more” that fills, steadies, and fuels. The kind of “more” that shapes a life worth remembering. It’s not about excess, it’s about abundance in the things that matter most: trails, laughter, waterfalls, family, community, creation. These are the moments that root me, the pieces of life that remind me why I keep pushing forward.

    I want more Ohio winding trails, through forests, hills, and hidden ridges that still call my name.

    The backwoods bonfires, with sparks lifting like prayers into the dark.

    Then of course more s’mores, sticky fingers and laughter mixed with smoke.

    Relaxing trips to the lake, the sun reflecting on ripples like glass.

    That leads to more camping trips, with the quiet hum of crickets and the steady breath of earth beneath me.

    I’m a sucker for a waterfall, tumbling like time itself.

    And I could use more kayaking, with my arms burning but spirit alive.

    I’d love time with Kelso, their presence steady as a compass.

    And time with my sisters, weaving memories out of ordinary afternoons.

    I’ll always want time with my mom. May she rest in paradise. Though, I am carrying her in every quiet moment, every place where the wind sounds like her voice.

    I want more of these moments because they are the anchors: where the noise quiets and the core of living rises up clear. Trails, rivers, bonfires, and late-night laughter don’t just fill time; they carve it into memory. They remind me I’m not just moving through life, I’m part of it… woven into the forests, the water, the people who walk beside me.

    I want more because “more” isn’t greed, it’s gratitude. It’s choosing to multiply the things that heal instead of the things that drain. More connection, more earth beneath my boots, more stories written in smoke and stone. These are the things that make the days stretch wide and give me the energy to keep pushing, keep creating, keep fighting for the world I believe in.

    The list Continues:

    All this make me want More sunrises on trailheads.

    And then sunsets bleeding across horizons too wide for words.

    I wish for journals filled, ink poured like rivers of thought.

    I’d love a good rockhounding trip, uncovering pieces of the earth’s hidden heart. UP MICHIGAN is always on my list!

    I want advocacy, protests, standing up when silence would be easier.

    And More poetry read aloud, words stitched into air.

    With this I need more community built, where every voice finds its place.

    I love more time with my dog. The walks, snuggles, the simple grounding presence only she can give.

    And time with my cats, their quiet purrs stitching calm into my days.

    Who wouldn’t love more time gaming? We know play matters too, and escape can be just as healing as creation.

    I would die for more time making physical products for my shop: witchy items, jewelry, keychains, and more. The tangible art that keeps my hands moving and my spirit rooted.

    And more time on writing retreats, they don’t need to be fancy! I just need the only noise to be pen to paper and the only task is to let words flow free.

    Spending time connecting with other poets and creators, trading sparks and building bonfires out of shared voices.

    More more more ! Give me more! experiments, more mistakes, more chances to grow without apology.

    Why?

    Because if I’m honest, FOMO: the fear of missing out, lurks in the background. Not about the shiny, curated things the world flaunts online, but about missing the marrow of my own life. Missing the trails I haven’t hiked yet, the poems I haven’t written, the moments with the people and creatures I love most. Fear of missing the work that matters, the fire that only comes alive when I’m fully in it.

    So this is my reminder to myself: don’t let fear decide. Let more decide. More moments, more presence, more joy stacked up like stones marking a trail forward.

    Because life isn’t about less. It’s about leaning into more, the kind of more that fills you up without emptying the world.

    Wanting more doesn’t make me restless, it makes me aware. Aware that life is short, that moments slip by, that time with people I love and places that restore me cannot be taken for granted. So I’m choosing more. More presence, more connection, more experiences that outlast the scroll of a screen.

    Your turn:

    What would you want more of? Where do you feel time calling you? Share it with me, and let’s hold each other accountable to seek more of what matters, and to build lives overflowing with meaning, not scarcity.

    Poeaxtry’s links

    Amazon Author