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We hung out in the tent and set up our Go-Pro camera for on top of the car for a time lapse video. My husband had to go out twice to change the battery.

In the 1960s and 1970s, after years of increased urban growth in Columbus and surrounding areas, the Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks system was established to preserve natural spaces and protect ecological areas from urban sprawl.

The cooler, north-facing slopes below the cliffs provide an ideal environment for eastern hemlock, black birch, and a state-listed member of the heath family—the great rhododendron (Rhododendron maximum). This area likely hosts the largest native population of this rhododendron in Ohio.

The Heritage Rail Trail follows the path of the former Columbus, Piqua, and Indiana Railroad, which began construction in the mid-19th century. The first train passed through Pleasant Valley (now Plain City) on July 4, 1853.

Historically, the area was part of land granted to Revolutionary War Continental Army veterans, and agriculture has remained a consistent use since its settlement.

In 1984, Inniswood Metro Gardens officially opened to the public as the eighth park in the Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks system. The former Innis residence, now known as Innis House, serves as the park's administrative center and houses a horticultural library

For over a century, this quarry supplied limestone used in constructing iconic structures like the Ohio Statehouse and Ohio Stadium. The area also holds cultural significance, having been a workplace for many Italian immigrants who settled nearby.​

Squirrels are part of the Sciuridae family, which includes tree squirrels, ground squirrels, chipmunks, marmots (like groundhogs), flying squirrels, and prairie dogs.

Pickerington Ponds' unique landscape was formed around 18,000 years ago during the Wisconsin Glaciation, creating a wetland depression and a partially wooded natural dam. Before becoming part of the Metro Parks system, the area