Trails & Ales! Sharon Woods Metro Park / The Draft Room

History

Sharon Woods Metro Park was one of the first parks in the Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks system, officially opened in 1948. Its creation marked the beginning of a regional effort to preserve natural spaces for public recreation and conservation.

The park derives its name from Sharon Township, where it is located. The township itself was named in the early 19th century, reflecting the area's historical roots in central Ohio’s settlement period.

The park’s land was acquired in the mid-20th century as part of a broader initiative to create green spaces amid growing urbanization in Franklin County. Its development included trails, picnic areas, and Schrock Lake, shaped to balance recreation with habitat preservation.

Over the decades, Sharon Woods has expanded its amenities, with significant upgrades like the addition of the Maple Grove Picnic Area in the 2000s and the Natural Play Area in recent years, reflecting a commitment to evolving public needs while maintaining its historical ecological focus.

Summary

Here is a map of the park.

For this event, we will hike the Edward S Thomas, Oak Openings, Spring Creek, and Lake Trails. The trails are individually not long, but we'll hike them in a couple directions and end up doing about 5 miles.

Sharon Woods has a stray hill here and there, but overall it's not a very strenuous place to hike. The trails are a lot like those at Highbanks though: wide and well-graveled. Mud and water aren't usually issues at Sharon Woods, though a little bit of the hike will be in a grass field at one point, and unshaded.

Where We'll Meet

When you enter the park, drive all the way back to the rear parking lot by Schrock Lake. This lot is right in front of a turnaround. There's a picnic area and a playground here (these will be on your right as you approach/enter). There are also restrooms and a water fountain here (these will be on your left).

We'll actually meet closer to these rest rooms, though the way the park is laid out, you'll probably end up having to park just a teeny bit further down and away from the rest rooms. (You'll still be pretty close, though.)

After the Hike

So, this is going to be a GOhio! first: Post-hike, we'll head to a brewery with no food options.

But fear not, I would never take a group to a place with no ability to get any food.

After the hike, we'll head over to The Draft Room. This brewery is located right next to Pasquale's Pizza, Can’t Believe It's Vegan, and Jimmy John's. These eateries will deliver to the brewery, or you can stop and bring something in.

(Yes, I will be getting food, and yes I already know what I'm going to get. Those who guess correctly will win nothing but will have impressive bragging rights.)

The actual address of The Draft Room is 570 W Schrock Rd, Westerville, OH 43081, and it's no more than five minutes from where we'll be parked at Sharon Woods.