Rocky Fork Metro Park

Rocky Fork Metro Park preserves woodlands, meadows and wetlands around Rocky Fork Creek, with riparian corridors and created/managed wetlands that support wildlife and birding. Riparian means relating to or living or located on the bank of a natural watercourse (such as a river) or sometimes of a lake or a tidewater.

Note: there is another “Rocky Fork State Park” (Highland County) with archaeological Hopewell sites — don’t confuse the two. The Metro Park near New Albany is a Franklin-County area park focused on trails, meadows and floodplain/wetland habitat.

History

Rocky Fork Metro Park is about 1,096 acres in the Rocky Fork corridor. The Initial land gift: the first ~107–108-acre parcel was donated by the New Albany Company to the City of New Albany, then conveyed to Metro Parks in November 2008. The initial land gift: the first ~107–108-acre parcel was donated by the New Albany Company to the City of New Albany, then conveyed to Metro Parks in November 2008.

Much of the land that became the park was private farmland and large estate/farm parcels including the historic Taylor Farm area that dates back to the 1800s. In the early 1800s, the Taylor family owned about 650 acres of farmland in the area. The brick farmhouse on the site is dated around 1842, having been built by Anthony Wayne Taylor. The homestead was handed down across generations.

Local municipalities and developers like the New Albany Company owned or controlled key tracts before donating or selling them for park creation.

Acquisition and development were paid for by a mix of Metro Parks funds, municipal contributions from City of Columbus, City of New Albany and Plain Township, Clean Ohio grants and private donations and gifts.

Work was completed in time for an official opening of the park in August 2015. A separate bridle trail and horse corral was completed before the end of the year.

Addresses

Rocky Fork Metro Park 7180 E. Walnut St., Westerville, OH 43081

Horse Trailer Parking Lot 8189 Bevelhymer Road, Westerville, OH 43081

Trails

Beech Woodland

1.3 miles
Easy – Hike, Bike, Pets – Paved
Loops through a wooded area with vernal pools and large beech trees.

Bridle

3 miles
Easy – Horseback riding only – Grass and paved
Bridle Trail passes through woods and open fields. A bridle trail, approximately 3 miles long, goes through wooded areas and open fields. There is a separate entrance for horse trailer parking only, at 8189 Bevelhymer Road. No pets!

Dog

0.3 miles
Easy – Hike, Pets – Gravel
An off-leash pet-friendly trail with two loops through a wooded area and past a wetland.

Millstone Connector

0.5 miles
Easy – Hike, Bike, Pets – Paved
Path runs parallel to the park road and links from Walnut Street to the Millstone Picnic Area. Connects to the Beech Woodland Trail.

North Meadow

1 mile
Easy – Hike – Grass
Passes over a small earthen dam, along a pond and loops around a restored native meadow.

Bevelhymer

0.5 miles
Easy – Hike, Bike, Pets – Paved
Continues out of park to Bevelhymer Park.

Domesticated dogs and cats are also permitted in picnic areas, parking lots and on roadways. Pets shall be on a leash no longer than 6 feet.

Dog Park

Rocky Fork Metro Park has a fenced-in 1.8-acre dog park. One side is for small dogs and the other side is for large dogs.

Picnic Shelters

The Dog Park area and the Millstone area have picnic shelters available on a first-come, first-served basis, featuring tables and grills. The Millstone Picnic Area also has a playground and swings. There are also picnic tables and grills scattered throughout the park.

New Albany Village Planner

The idea of creating this park can be traced to Keith Myers, the New Albany Village Planner from 1991 to 2012. The plan was to create a park that would preserve the rural character of the area and recognize the community’s commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainability.