Blacklick Woods Canopy Walk Tower

Public, Commercial
Blacklick Woods Metro Park
Reynoldsburg, Ohio
2025 AIA Ohio Honor Award
2024 AIA Columbus Honor Award
1,035 GSF
Contractor: Setterlin
Photography: Brad Feinknopf, Jeffrey T. Horvath, Maverick Ordonez

Blacklick Woods Metro Park is a metropolitan park in Reynoldsburg, Ohio, owned and operated by Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks. Established in 1948, Blacklick Woods is the first park in the Metro Park system and became a National Natural Landmark in 1974. The park contains a nature preserve that is a sanctuary to migrating birds along the Blacklick Creek corridor. The park is free and open to the public 365 days per year.

Over the past decade, the park has begun serving an increasingly diverse population of multi-cultural residents. In turn, Metro Parks sought to expand community outreach efforts with the intent of introducing their constituency, including residents that may not be inclined to visit park spaces. This unique park experience manifests as an elevated canopy walk permitting exploration of the treetops in a casual and safe environment. This offers a one-of-a-kind experience, unlike any other in central Ohio. During the design of the canopy walk project Metro Parks made the commitment to construct the recreational canopy walk as a fully accessible public experience by funding an outdoor elevator to accompany the Canopy Walk Tower egress stairs.

The Canopy Walk Tower is the manifestation of this commitment to accessibility while fulfilling the Metro Parks mission to conserve open space and provide places and opportunities that encourage people to discover and experience nature.

PAROS A+D