Lori Jordan

The name “Whispering Cave” comes from the acoustic effect: a whisper at one end could be heard across the recessed cave span.

It features topiaries trimmed into life-size shapes of men, women, children, animals, and boats and arranged to resemble a painting. Specifically, there are topiaries of 54 people, eight boats, three dogs, a monkey, and a cat. It also hosts 220 trees, including 35 different species.

The farmhouse was a wood-frame structure made primarily of poplar and walnut timber. By the time Metro Parks took ownership, much of the siding had deteriorated. During restoration, Metro Parks replaced the rotted siding with milled redwood siding that matched the original

The “Central Area” of Walnut Woods was once part of Eastside Nursery, Inc., where rows of nursery trees like serviceberry, crabapple, and red maples were grown.

Glacier Ridge Metro Park, located in Plain City, Ohio, is a 1,031-acre park managed by Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks. The park is named after the glacial end moraine, or terminal moraine,

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.