Sawmill Wetlands Educational Area is an Oasis off Sawmill Road

The Sawmill Wetlands Educational Area is a small nature oasis in the middle of the busy Sawmill Road shopping area!

I have a running list of things to see and places to go, but sometimes I just zoom in and out on Google Maps and look for something interesting – green spaces, parks, hidden gems, etc.! And this is one of those times. I ran across a random green area in the middle of the big box shopping area that is Sawmill Road.

After some zooming in and Google searching I discovered that the Sawmill Wetlands were once endangered and were saved after a 7 year fight against development. The wetlands reopened to the public after that time period in 2018.

The park is open from dawn to dusk and covers 17.5 acres. It is made up, mostly, of a boardwalk trail. There are 20 bird feeders and houses along the paths as well as benches for sitting and enjoying the sounds and sights of nature. “The Hill” area has been planted with trees to extend the forest and in May 2020 the east side of the hill had been seeded to become a pollinator prairie.

We visited in the fall, just past peak leaf color and definitely past the time to see the pollinator gardens that surround the parking lot! We will definitely need to plan a trip back in the spring or summer to see the Sawmill Wetlands in full bloom!

My kids were excited to see a bunny hop along the path as soon as we got there. Though we didn’t see any, online I saw people post pictures of deer they have seen in the park!  The wetlands weren’t very “wet” due to our dry summer, I’m guessing. It will be interesting to come back in the spring to see how things change!

From the Birding in Ohio website I learned that the Sawmill Wetlands has “a breeding population of smallmouth salamanders and a type of insect (a midge) that has not been recorded anywhere else in Ohio.”

• If you like birdwatching check out Scioto Audubon Metro Park or Blendon Woods Metro Park!

The entrance and decent sized parking lot is on Sawmill Place Blvd.  When you park in the lot and face the Wetlands, we took the entrance to the left. It will lead immediately to the boardwalk. The entrance on the right begins as a grass trail. 

• Looking for more outdoor fun? Try: 25 Fun Outdoor Activities in Columbus for the Whole Family

If you’re looking for a nature break in the middle of shopping or want a smaller, more manageable hike for young kids, definitely check out the Sawmill Wetlands Educational area!

Know Before You Go:

Address: 2638-2674 Sawmill Place Blvd Columbus, OH 43235 
Parking: parking lot on the premises 
Hours: Dawn to Dusk

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