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# First Snowfall 2025: Winter Hiking in Ohio
- URL: https://hiking-ohio.com/first-snowfall-november-2025/
- Published: 2026-01-17T01:06:12.000Z
- Updated: 2026-03-22T22:51:29.000Z
- Description: First Snowfall 2025: Hiking Big Walnut Park in Columbus, Ohio after November snow — peaceful winter trails and scenic views. Photo hiking guide inside.
- Author: Lori Jordan
- Tags: big walnut creek, Alum Creek Trail, Big Walnut Trail, hoover reservior, natural waterway, riparian, video, shelterhouse, dog park, paved trail access, mid-east area, 410 parks, 14069 acres, columbus parks

The City of Columbus Recreation and Parks Department manages the public parks inside the city limits. The city operates 410 parks with 14,069 acres of land, including trails, playgrounds, conservation areas, and natural spaces.

My goal in 2026 is to get each park in a blog. Starting with Big Walnut Park. I really did not plan on a city park blog, but we had a sizeable snow in November that I want to share.

We live within walking distance of Big Walnut Park. We actually lost our first drone in the pond. The park is maintained very well.

- Location: 5000 E. Livingston Ave., Columbus, OH 43227
- Size & features: 136+ acres, sports courts and fields, playgrounds, shelterhouse, dog park, paved trail access, pond, woods and wildlife areas.
- It’s a community park in Columbus’s Mid-East area and one of the main parks connected to the Big Walnut Trail.

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**Big Walnut Creek**  
Big Walnut Creek is a natural waterway that rises roughly 20 miles northeast of Columbus and runs southwest toward the Scioto River. It feeds into Hoover Reservoir, which serves as a major water supply and recreation area for northeast Franklin County.

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## **Trails**

**Big Walnut Trail**  
The Big Walnut Trail is a developing multi-use greenway that follows the creek through central Ohio. It isn’t yet one continuous trail, but completed segments run from Hoover Reservoir through Gahanna and parts of Columbus, connecting parks and neighborhoods. Once finished it’s planned to stretch nearly 26 miles from Hoover Reservoir in the north to Three Creeks Park in the south.

Trail expansions currently underway include segments in southeast Columbus between Nafzger Park and East Main Street, linking green spaces including Big Walnut Park and Helsel Park.

**Regional Importance and Ecology**  
The creek corridor is significant not just recreationally, but ecologically, forming part of important riparian habitat that supports diverse wildlife and migratory birds in the region.

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### Summary

The Big Walnut Park is a very nice park to visit. We also use the connected Far East Recreation Center for basketball and baseball. There is a nice area for children to ride bikes. There is a dog park. There is also a nice pond for fishing. I highly suggest you visit this park.