High Banks Metro Park: Beer Drinking Allowed?

Highbanks Metro Park is one of the most popular parks in the Columbus Metro Parks System. The park has a diverse network of trails, including Dripping Rock Trail, Coyote Run Trail, Multi-Use Trail, Scenic River Trail, Big Meadows Path, Overlook Trail, and Wetland Spur Trail. The park also offers a nature center, sledding hill, playgrounds, and picnic areas. While the park offers a variety of attractions, it is unclear whether drinking beer is permitted. The website provides information on various programs and activities but does not explicitly mention alcohol consumption. Therefore, it is advisable to refer to the park's rules and regulations or contact the park directly to inquire about the specific regulations regarding alcohol consumption within the park premises.

Beer drinking in Highbanks Metro Park is subject to an alcohol permit

The process of obtaining an alcohol permit for Highbanks Metro Park involves the following steps:

• The permit application process can be initiated up to 60 days before the reservation date, but the permit must be completed and paid for at least 30 days in advance. Applications submitted less than 30 days before the event may be rejected.
• The permit costs $250, plus a refundable $250 security deposit. The total amount of $500 (fee plus deposit) is due when the signed permit is submitted.
• If alcohol is desired at multiple venues within the park, separate permits and refundable security deposits are required for each location.
• Only beer, wine, champagne, and hard cider are permitted. Mixed drinks, wine coolers, and liquor are prohibited.
• Alcohol cannot be sold or served to guests, and bartenders or catering staff are not permitted to accept tips.
• To apply for the permit, schedule an appointment with the Metro Parks Reservations staff at their headquarters in Westerville, Ohio. You will need to fill out an Alcohol Permit application and provide a copy of your driver's license for their records.
• After submitting the initial application, you will be connected with the Park Manager for an on-site meeting to discuss policies, guidelines, and any questions or concerns.
• Once the Park Manager approves the application, it will be forwarded to the Metro Parks Executive Director for final approval and payment collection.
• Following the event, the park team will review any issues related to alcohol use, venue damage, or rules compliance. If all rules are followed, the security deposit will be refunded.
• Failure to adhere to the rules and regulations may result in the retention of the security deposit and the cancellation of current or future reservations with Metro Parks.

Highbanks Metro Park offers a variety of venues and shelters that can be reserved for events, and beer drinking can be permitted with the necessary alcohol permit. The park's natural beauty, diverse trails, and historical features make it a popular destination for visitors seeking outdoor recreation and exploration.

The park has several trails, picnic spots, and playgrounds

Highbanks Metro Park is a metropolitan park in Central Ohio, owned and operated by Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks. The park is named for its steep banks along the Olentangy River, the park's most unique feature. Highbanks has several trails, picnic spots, and playgrounds.

The park has an extensive and diverse network of trails, leading you past shale ravines, meadows, Indian burial mounds, dense forests, and to an overlook atop the park's famed bluffs. The trails range from 0.3 miles to 3.5 miles in length, with some paved and others having grass, gravel, or dirt paths. Some of the trails include Dripping Rock Trail, Coyote Run Trail, Multi-Use Trail, Scenic River Trail, Big Meadows Path, Overlook Trail, and Wetland Spur Trail.

Highbanks Metro Park offers a variety of recreational activities for visitors of all ages. It has numerous picnic areas, playgrounds, and a sledding hill. The park also features a nature center, where visitors can learn about the park's natural and cultural history, including the ancient burial mounds and earthworks from the indigenous Adena culture.

The park is a favourite among local high school track teams and community members who enjoy walking, running, or hiking the trails. It is also a great spot for birdwatching, with visitors having the opportunity to see a variety of birds, including Red-Tailed Hawks and Bald Eagles.

The park is named for its steep banks along the Olentangy River

Highbanks Metro Park is a metropolitan park in Central Ohio, owned and operated by Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks. The park is named for its steep banks along the Olentangy River, which is its most unique feature. The towering bluffs, which are made up of limestone, Ohio black shale, and Olentangy shale, can reach heights of up to 110 feet (34 m). An observation deck lets visitors take in the same view that pre-Columbian natives once did.

The park is located in northern Franklin County and southern Delaware County, near Lewis Center, and it attracts about 1 million visitors per year, making it the most visited park in the Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks system.

Highbanks Metro Park offers a diverse range of natural features and attractions. The park features ten trails of varying lengths and difficulty levels, providing visitors with the opportunity to explore the park's natural beauty, including its ancient burial mounds and earthworks from the indigenous Adena culture. The park also boasts picnic spaces, a nature center, a sledding hill, and a nature preserve.

The site that would eventually become Highbanks Metro Park was first identified as prime parkland in a 1945 report proposing a Metropolitan Park System for Franklin County. The park officially opened on September 22, 1973, and was designated as a National Natural Landmark in 1980. Over the years, additional features have been added, such as a large wetland, new trails, a picnic area, and the Highbanks Nature Center. In 2017, the park's River Bluff Area was opened to the public, further enhancing the park's appeal.

Highbanks Metro Park is the most visited park in the Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks system

Highbanks was established in 1973 and was designated a National Natural Landmark seven years later. In 2017, the park opened its River Bluff Area to the public. The park is located in northern Franklin County and southern Delaware County, within several townships, and is beside U.S. Route 23.

Highbanks Metro Park contains unique natural features, including its namesake bluffs that overlook the Olentangy River, some as tall as 110 ft (34 m). The bluffs are made up of limestone, Ohio black shale, and Olentangy shale. An observation deck lets visitors look out across the ravine, something pre-Columbian natives were known to do to keep watch.

Within the park is a large nature centre, a sledding hill, a natural play area, Adena culture mounds, and the 206-acre (83 ha) Edward F. Hutchins State Nature Preserve. Highbanks has ten trails, ranging from 0.3 miles to 3.5 miles in length. Several are paved, while others have grass, gravel, or dirt paths.

Highbanks is home to two nesting bald eagles, which have hatched eaglets every year since 2010. The park also features two large sycamore trees that are reportedly 500 years old, as well as many other mature trees, including oaks, maples, hickories, and beech trees.

The site that would become Highbanks was first identified as prime parkland in a 1945 report proposing a Metropolitan Park System for Franklin County. In 1948, the first 75-acre tract of land was purchased for the park, which included an overlook of the 100-foot shale bluffs and two ancient earthworks by the Cole culture. In 1964 and 1965, additional land was purchased and planning for the park began.

Highbanks Metro Park offers a diverse range of recreational activities and is a favourite among local high school track teams and community members who enjoy walking. The park has something for everyone, from scenic trails to playgrounds and picnic areas.

The park features ancient burial mounds and earthworks from the indigenous Adena culture

Highbanks Metro Park is a metropolitan park in Central Ohio, owned and operated by Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks. The park features ancient burial mounds and earthworks from the indigenous Adena culture.

The Adena culture was a group of indigenous people who lived in the Ohio Valley region of the United States from approximately 1000 B.C. to 700 B.C. They were known for their complex cultural and social organization, as well as their sophisticated burial mounds and earthworks.

The burial mounds and earthworks at Highbanks Metro Park are a testament to the Adena culture's presence in the area. These structures were created to honour and memorialize their dead, and they serve as a reminder of the rich cultural history of the region.

The park's namesake bluffs, which overlook the Olentangy River, stand as tall as 110 feet and are made up of limestone, Ohio black shale, and Olentangy shale. An observation deck allows visitors to take in the same view that pre-Columbian natives once did when they kept lookout from the bluffs.

Highbanks Metro Park also features a large nature centre, a sledding hill, a natural play area, and the Edward F. Hutchins State Nature Preserve. The park offers ten trails, ranging from 0.3 miles to 3.5 miles in length, that wind through diverse landscapes, including shale ravines, meadows, dense forests, and ancient burial mounds.

Two of the earthworks located within the park, the Highbanks Metropolitan Park Mounds I and II and the Highbank Park Works, are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, recognizing their significance in preserving the cultural history of the indigenous Adena people.

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