Trails & Ales! Scioto Grove Metro Park / Grove City Brewing

The only Metro Park with a fire tower!

Setting

Scioto Grove Metro Park is a 620-acre park along the Scioto River with mature forests and scenic bluffs overlooking the river. It features more than 7 miles of trails, two picnic areas with shelters, tables and grills, a kids' play area and several overlook decks. The park is located on a scenic bend of the Scioto River.

Scioto Grove features a distinctive 3D archery course with 12 foam animal targets (e.g., turkey, bear, wolf, rabbit), alongside a traditional archery range. This provides a unique experience for archers of all skill levels, with free archery programs offered periodically.

The park offers five reservable backpacking sites along the Scioto River, available weekends from April to October at no cost. These sites, equipped with tent pads and fire rings, are perfect for those testing gear or seeking a quick overnight adventure near Columbus.

In August 2023, the park opened an 82-foot-tall decommissioned fire tower, relocated from Jackson County. Visitors can climb it during daylight hours to enjoy views of the downtown Columbus skyline and Scioto Downs, offering a unique perspective of the area.

Summary

Here is a map of the park.

We will hike around 5-6 miles on the Overlook, REI River, Mingo, and Arrowhead Trails. While this will be one of our longer hikes, Scioto Grove is generally not very strenuous.

We'll meet at the Arrowhead Picnic Area near the restrooms and playground. Arrowhead is the main picnic and parking area of the Park. There's also a water fountain here.

A good part of this hike will be unshaded, so be ready for some sun. These trails can also be wet and muddy in places. I recommend waterproof hiking shoes and a change of socks for after the hike.

Afterwards, we will head over to Grove City Brewing for drinks and food. I really like their hamburgers. The actual address of the brewery is 3946 Broadway, Grove City, OH 43123. We should be there by 5 or so if you can't make the hike and just want to join us at the brewery.