New Albany Nature Preserve and Wetlands - New Albany, OH
New Albany Nature Preserve and Wetlands: Dog-Friendly Hiking in New Albany, Ohio
Discover a pet-friendly outdoor escape at the New Albany Nature Preserve and Wetlands, conveniently located at 7587 Fodor Rd, right across from New Albany High School. This nature preserve offers dog owners and hikers in New Albany, Ohio, a scenic setting with elevated trails, grassy paths, and unique boardwalks perfect for a quick walk or leisurely hike with your pup. The preserve is wheelchair accessible and welcomes children, making it a great option for families with pets.
Although certain areas of the preserve are less maintained and can be muddy, especially after rain or during low water periods, visitors will enjoy the natural woods, observation platforms, and a peaceful green space amid the surrounding residential area. The presence of street sounds means it doesn’t offer full wilderness seclusion, but it does provide a convenient and accessible spot for dog-friendly hiking near Columbus. Be aware that certain trails and features may be overgrown or in need of care, as echoed by several local reviews.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is the park wheelchair accessible? Yes, there is wheelchair accessible parking and some accessible trails within the preserve.
- Are there walking or hiking trails connected to the park? Yes, there are multiple hiking and walking trails, many of which are elevated or have grassy surfaces suitable for walking dogs.
- Is the park muddy after it rains? Some areas can get muddy, but many paths are elevated to help minimize mud even after rain.
- Is there a playground or activities for kids nearby? The park is directly across from New Albany High School and is noted as being good for kids and kid-friendly hikes.
- Is there shade or shelter available? The park features wooded areas providing shade along trails.
- Is parking available? Yes, there is a parking lot for visitors.
Reviews
This place was a huge disappointment! There was no “wetlands”…just a bunch of mud pits with sticks and branches sticking out of them. Where there was water was disgusting. There was a layer of some kind of film on top of it. I don’t think this place is being taking care of at all. Maybe in the past, but not now.
A great little nature preserve right across the street from New Albany High School. There are nice elevated trails as well as boardwalks to cross low areas. There are also platforms to walk out into the wetlands to better observe the local environment.
It’s sad to me to see the state of this place. When little bits of land are spared and a label gets slapped on them like “nature preserve”, we tend to think that it’s all good. But the reality is, this is a wet woods/wetland area that was probably unable to be developed into anything else. Now here it sits, surrounded by homes with (almost) no one willing to step up and care for it. I did happen to see someone picking up trash there one day – bless her heart. But to the rest who live nearby and the city that pretends it doesn’t exist, shame on you. If you’re going to preserve fragments of land and make them publicly accessible, set them on a better path (clear the invasives, maintain trails, stop folks from cutting trees for use in forts, etc.). When will our last vestiges of “greenspace” stop being an afterthought? Sad.
A nice place to take a quick walk with your dog. Many of the paths are elevated or have grass so even though I went on a rainy day we didn’t get muddy or anything like that. It’s nice to be in the woods and there are a few interesting things to see; but you won’t escape the sound of cars rushing by or light from street lamp and houses so it never truly feels like you’re in nature.
I read the reviews about New Albany Nature Preserve and Wetlands so I was aware that it might not be in great condition. Also we haven’t had a substantial rainfall in a while. The wetlands were almost completely dried up. The trails were in fairly good shape on one side of the preserve but on the side where the boardwalk and observation platforms are it’s quite different. The trails are overgrown and the boardwalk and observation platforms have seen better days. One of the trails that is marked on Google Maps actually is a driveway that leads to a house in the middle of what is the overgrown preserve. Also, there are a couple of signs that are from when George Voinovich was governor of Ohio in the 1990’s. The preserve and wetlands were probably excellent in the 90’s and could be again if maintained.