By Sue Hagan, Marketing & Communications Manager
Fifty years ago this month, Ohio enacted the nation’s first Scenic Rivers Act, identifying some of the most beautiful and high-quality streams in the state. (Click for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Scenic Rivers page.) Three years later, a portion of the Olentangy River – from just south of the Delaware Lake Dam to the northern edge of Worthington – made the list. And anyone who has paddled this section of river, waded in it, gazed at it from a bridge or drove along its edge would have to agree that it is truly an impressive stretch of water.
In places, the Olentangy winds past towering shale cliffs, eroded over eons by the river. In shallow sections, riffles sparkle in the sun as the water passes over chips of shale. And amazing spherical concretions of harder rock emerge from the stream bed and the cliff walls, giving visitors a glimpse into Ohio’s geological past.
Preservation Parks is lucky to have three properties that abut the Olentangy. Shale Hollow Park, in southern Delaware County, touches the river on its southeast edge, although most of the park’s beauty lies along a tributary called Big Run. This stream cuts a picturesque swath through the park, bordered and crossed by gravel walking paths. But the crown jewel in the park is a double horseshoe bend bordered by 30-foot shale cliffs. Wading in this part of the creek is a favorite summer pastime for families, who relish this little oasis of peace adjacent to busy U.S. Highway 23.
What will be our next park (perhaps opening in 2019) starts at the river, crosses Pollock Road and extends to Berlin Station Road, at the southern edge of the city of Delaware. With a housing development to the north and another being built to the south, this new park also will serve as a natural oasis nestled among busy subdivisions. Along with other amenities, we’re planning gravel and primitive walking trails to bring visitors deep into the park.
Finally, River Run Park, downstream from the Delaware Lake dam, serves as a place to drop in a kayak or canoe for a paddle when river conditions allow. Between here and Delaware City’s Mingo Park, the Olentangy features a mix of deep pools, riffles, runs and short rapids. Paddlers see plenty of birds and other wildlife, along with the shale cliffs and concretions that set this river apart. Click here for a map that shows where to access the river in Delaware County.
We love these properties that sit along the Olentangy! Not only do they provide beautiful places to reflect, restore and recreate, but they serve buffers between the waterway and man-made development – protecting water quality and helping to ensure that the Olentangy will remain a scenic river for a very long time.
