Preservation Parks of Delaware County

Blues Creek Preserve

Skunk Cabbage

Our very first blooming “wildflower” produces enough heat to melt snow and raise its internal temperature to anywhere from 59 degrees to 95 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s warm and toasty inside the smelly skunk cabbage!

Skunk Cabbage

Golden Marathon
Winter 2010

It may be cold outside, but it’s still a great time for walking in the parks!

A project of Preservation Parks of Delaware County and Senior Citizens Inc.

the Golden Marathon is a series of hikes – each about two miles – that add up to at least a 26.2-mile marathon at the end of three months.

The winter walks take place every Monday at 1:30 p.m. and are held in Preservation Parks' preserves and other area locations. Participants can join at any time.

Note: If the temperature is lower than 35 degrees Fahrenheit, walkers will meet at the Food Court at Polaris Fashion Place, 1500 Polaris Parkway, Columbus
.
Participants can join at any time.

Click here for hike locations and dates.

All winter hikes begin at 1:30 p.m.

For additional information
contact Saundra McBrearty:
at 740-524-8600, ext. 6
or e-mail her at
saundras@preservationparks.com

Blues Creek Preserve was acquired at public auction in 1993 with funds provided by an anonymous donor. The original purchase was 97.5 acres. In 1999 an adjoining 41 acres were acquired, bringing the total to 138.5 acres.

Facts

138.5 acres of mixed habitat, including wetland woods, stream corridor, wetlands, and meadows
Opened in 2001
Hours of operation: 8:00 a.m. to dusk

Facilities

Two picnic shelters
Restrooms
Playground and tot lot
Trails *
* Leashed dogs are allowed on these trails, but you must clean up after your pets. “Mutt mitts” are provided at the kiosk to assist you in the clean up.

Future Plans

Additional trails
Additional picnic facilities
Pond
Nature center

Trails at Blues Creek Preserve

Shagbark Loop Trail - At 1 mile, this gravel trail is the longest in the park. You may enter the trail across the drive from the small parking lot near the park entrance, at the pedestrian bridge, or near the picnic shelters. This trail takes you through a meadow which is reverting from a previous farm field to a wooded area. The many young trees you will see are evidence of this succession. After traversing the meadow, you will enter a mature woodlot where you will see several large Shagbark Hickory trees. This section of the trail is a loop and leads you back to the meadow portion of the trail, or you may choose to continue onto the Bluestem Trail. A variety of wildlife may be seen from this, or any, trail in the park.
Approximate walking time: 45 minutes.

Bluestem Trail - This short 4/10 mile grass loop leads you through a meadow which has emerging prairie plants, such as Big Bluestem, and a small pond in which muskrats have established residence. You can see their mud and cattail lodges in the pond.
Approximate walking time: 15 minutes.

Fox Run Loop - Beginning at the picnic area parking lot, this 7/10 mile grass trail winds through a meadow in which you might see foxes, deer, pheasants, wild turkeys and a variety of other grassland birds, such as red-winged blackbirds, meadowlarks, eastern bluebirds, and kestrels.
Approximate walking time: 30 minutes.
(Note: there is no shade along this trail).

Meadowlark Trail - Also beginning at the picnic area parking lot, this 3/10 mile grass loop trail heads north towards Blues Creek as it winds its way through a separate section of the meadow. Because this trail comes closer to the woods and stream corridor, other bird species which may be seen include hawks, owls, fox sparrows and eastern towhees.
Approximate walking time: 15 minutes.

(Note: there is no shade along this trail).

Preservation Parks of Delaware County | 2656 Hogback Road | Sunbury, Ohio 43074 | 740-524-8600 | Fax: 740-524-8200