Metro Parks Twinkling Lights and Winter Hikes
✓ Verified 2025-2026
Where: Battelle Darby Creek, Blacklick Woods, Highbanks, Homestead, and Inniswood metro parks, Columbus area, Ohio
When: December 2025 – February 2026; Chestnut Ridge lantern walks Dec 5-6
Hours: Dusk-8pm
Cost: free
lighted trail systems at five parksWinter Hike Series with hot drinks and a collectible patchevening lantern walks with hot chocolate at Chestnut Ridgeattraction
Five Columbus metro parks — Battelle Darby Creek, Blacklick Woods, Highbanks, Homestead, and Inniswood — light their trails from dusk until 8pm through the winter, a good early-evening option for families. The companion Winter Hike Series spans 19 parks December through February, offering hot drinks, treats, and a collectible patch for hikers who complete seven parks.
Best time to arrive. Sunset in Columbus area is around 5:07 PM in mid-December, fully dark by about 5:37 PM. A typical December night here bottoms out near 27°F, so dress for standing around outside.
Other displays nearby
There are 3 other displays within 5 miles of this one, and 16 within 15 miles. Most people make a loop of it rather than driving out for a single house.