A secret glen of natural beauty

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Just as the sun was setting low in the sky, Carol and I arrived at Hayden Falls in Columbus, Ohio.  We had been driving since 630am, with a stop by Fort Necessity.  At the end of a long day, it was nice to stretch our legs and explore a small but beautiful spot along the Scioto river.

Griggs Nature Preserve

This tiny park is small and easily missed. You are driving towards a bridge, so if you miss the turn into the Griggs Nature Preserve, you’ll miss the entrance to the park and find yourself crossing the river.  Relying on Google Maps, we arrived at a tiny parking lot successfully. Although I was uncertain I was in the right place, considering that the signs do not say “Hayden Falls.”  The parking lot is small, holding only  6-8 cars.

Carol and I eagerly exited the car to stretch our legs.  We then followed the short trail that led to a wooden staircase.  The stairs take you down into a shady glen. In seconds you are transferred from a heavily trafficked and noisy road to a lush, green gully with a sturdy boardwalk, birdsong, and the relaxing sounds of moving water.

Follow the stairs down

We strolled the boardwalk slowly, observing the beauty of the park. The boardwalk is elevated over the water, so you can look down and watch ducks fishing for food, study the plants at eye level, or just enjoy watching the flowing water.  But if you keep following the pathway, you will end at the falls.

The boardwalk ends with a small observation deck right before the falls.  And you would never know you were surrounded by a city and busy road.  The rushing water fills the space with a soothing roar. Our timing was ideal to capture a photo of the setting sun and the water’s spray.  The mist created a fascinating bokeh FX on a few of my photos.  And Carol immediately saw a face in the rocks. I admit, I didn’t see the face while there, but once she pointed it out to me – it was hard to imagine I missed it.

Do you see the face?

 

Don’t feel bad if you don’t see the face either. Carol and I didn’t see it while we were there.  I was focused on the fun sun glares while taking a bunch of photos. And Carol was absorbing as much of the peace that the waterfalls gave her.  Later, when we were going through our photos, she instantly saw the face.  When I searched, I kept looking in the water for some mysterious shapes.

Check out the photo below to help highlight the face.

Green Oasis

If you are anywhere near Columbus, take a few minutes out of your day to visit the beautiful falls.  Enjoy the lush greens of the misty glen, and the soft hum of the water falling over the rocks. The boardwalk lets you explore this beautiful and hidden gem, away from the noisy traffic.

Road Trip Destinations

• Fort Necessity
• Hayden Falls Park
• National Museum of the US Airforce (WPAFB)
• Wright Bros Memorial
• Paul Dunbar House
• Cooney Island – GeoWoodstock 2018
• GeoTrail through Ohio
• Devou Park
• William H. Taft Historic Site
• Hopewell Culture National Historic Park
• The Golden Palace

The Face in the Rocks

 

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