PATRICK KELLY
Assistant Manager, Scioto Grove Metro Park
The fire tower at Scioto Grove has been open for a little over a year now and visitors have been able to enjoy some great views of the surrounding area.
While the cabin on top remains closed outside of programming, the view from the platform below, some 90 stairs off the ground, is fantastic. Visitors can often be found challenging themselves to climb past their comfort zones and conquer the tower.
While most visitors use the traditional stairs to climb the tower and look out, we have also had some less traditional viewers. Curious drone flyers and even the odd paramotor enthusiast have flown in close for a better look. Some arguably too close.
Visitors even had the opportunity to use the tower for its intended purpose a few weeks ago and view a large scrapyard fire on the southeast side of Columbus.
The Scioto Grove team is currently working on cutting in and filling an official fire tower connector trail by the end of the year. The trail will be a rolled gravel trail running from the Multi Purpose Trail to the Overlook Trail between the Drone field and Arrowhead Picnic area. The removed topsoil will be redistributed throughout the park, mostly to our archery range to further build up the perimeter and backstop.
As the year comes to a close, we look forward to turning the tower into the perfect backdrop for our holiday ornaments as we raise our LED ornaments and mount them some 40 feet up.
The former US Forest Service Fire Tower was dismantled and moved in sections from Jackson County, Ohio to Scioto Grove Metro Park. It was erected on site in August 2023.
