If a Metro Park were a Cookie!

KATIE THORPE
Outdoor Adventure Programmer

Meandering through the woods on a long hike, your mind begins to wonder. Thoughts of the day to day routine might drift in, or the daydream of upcoming summer adventures, or the thrill of coming across Bigfoot on the Darby Creek Trail could come into your mind’s eye. If you are anything like me, you might start wondering about food. On a particularly long, calorie-burning hike, the thought of eating a sweet, warm, delicious cookie bakes in my brain. As you wander through the Metro Parks, working up an appetite, here are a few cookies that coordinate well with a few parks.

Blacklick Woods

The first Metro Park sets the standards for all to follow. From the dense forest canopy to the wide wildflower fields to the nature center, Blacklick Woods sets the foundation for the entire parks system! Blacklick Woods has perfect picnic spots and great playgrounds. A classic park goes well with a classic cookie. If Blacklick Woods were a cookie, it’d have to be a Chocolate Chip Cookie.

Battelle Darby Creek

This park is huge! With over 7,000 acres, Battelle Darby Creek allows you to truly escape into the natural landscape. Battelle Darby Creek can be enjoyed in so many ways from relaxing with an afternoon picnic, floating down the creek, racing down the sled hill, or quietly watching bison graze near the nature center. A massive park deserves a massive cookie! If Battelle Darby Creek were a cookie, it’d have to be a Monster Cookie (with extra M&Ms).

Inniswood

Inniswood Metro Gardens is the perfect spring park! The beautiful blooms and gorgeous greens along the Brookwood Trail are breathtaking! Whether visiting the vibrant views or posing for the perfect picture, Inniswood is a must stop! If Inniswood were a cookie, it’d have to be a Sugar Cookie with Lavender Icing.

Slate Run

Nothing is better than tramping through the autumn-colored hills of Slate Run in September. The covered bridge and the living historical farm bring you to a simpler time of handmade crafts and homemade bread. A nostalgic park deserves a nostalgic cookie. If Slate Run were a cookie, it’d have to be a Molasses Cookie.

Prairie Oaks

Something about the waving prairie grass fluttering in the wind at Prairie Oaks is mesmerizing. A large park, Prairie Oaks has a lot to offer. In the water of Darby Bend Lakes, a kayaker can float with the beavers and fish for bass. Along the Coneflower Trail, a hiker can walk with the deer and snoop on the owls. Prairie Oaks might be underrated but once you visit, it’ll quickly become your favorite. If Prairie Oaks were a cookie, it’d have to be a Peanut Butter Cookie.

Bon Appetit!