If you’re looking for a low-stress, high-reward way to make the most of summer (or fall, or honestly any season), the Friends of Metro Parks Passport Program is calling your name. It’s free, fun, and filled with bison sightings, riverside hikes, and more than a few excuses to stop for a post-trail iced coffee.
What’s the Passport Program?
Think of it like a scavenger hunt for nature lovers. The Passport includes all 20+ Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks, and your mission is simple: visit as many as you can, get your passport stamped, and claim your prize—a limited-edition Metro Parks t-shirt (and lifelong bragging rights).
Where to Get Your Passport
You can pick one up at any of the following locations:
- Nature Centers at Highbanks, Blendon Woods, Battelle Darby Creek, and Blacklick Woods
- Metro Parks Headquarters: 1069 W. Main St., Westerville, OH 43081
How to Get Stamped
Each Nature Center and Ranger Station has a stamp station. You can also ask a park staff member or ranger to stamp your passport when you see them. Can’t find a ranger? Just make a note, take a pic, and get it stamped next time!
What Happens When You Finish?
Once you’ve collected stamps from all participating parks, drop your completed passport off at any Nature Center or mail it to:
Friends of Metro Parks
1069 W. Main St.
Westerville, OH 43081
Don’t forget to include your t-shirt size! Shirts will be available for pickup at Nature Centers or Metro Parks HQ once your passport is processed.
Why It’s Worth It
This isn’t just some stamp-collecting checklist—it’s your permission slip to fall head-over-hiking-boots for Columbus all over again. You’ll catch sunsets that make your camera roll weep at Scioto Grove, spot bison that look like they time-traveled in from the Ice Age at Battelle Darby Creek, and maybe lock eyes with a deer at Sharon Woods who’s just as surprised to see you. Every stamp is a little love note to the outdoors—and a reminder that some of the best things in life (and Columbus) are free, muddy, and totally worth the bug spray.
Need More Info?
Questions? No problem! You can email Melissa at mameyer@metroparks.net and she’ll help you out. And don’t forget to share your adventures on Instagram—tag @Metroparkfriend and use #FriendsPassport so the rest of us can get inspired (or jealous).
Happy trail-hopping, Columbus. You’ve got a lot of beauty waiting for you out there.
