HomeOhioLewis Center › Overlook Trail Trailhead - Highbanks MetroPark

Overlook Trail Trailhead - Highbanks MetroPark

4.8 ★★★★★ 130 Google reviews · Running trail in Lewis Center, Ohio · Posted hours

Runner's snapshot

Surface
Not reported
Loop distance
Not reported
Shape
Loop
Shade
Not reported
Access
Posted hours

Confirmed from Overlook Trail Trailhead - Highbanks MetroPark's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.

LoopScenicDog-friendly

Family-friendly hiking area with a playground, well-maintained trails, and an overlook deck.

What runners say about Overlook Trail Trailhead - Highbanks MetroPark

Pulled from public reviews of this trail (130 of them) — the things people bring up again and again, in their own words. Nothing here is written by us.

well-maintained 5 mentions

“Hiking paths are well maintained and there are plenty of fellow hikers on this trail.”

🏞️ beautiful scenery 12 mentions

“Such an amazing park highly recommend its beautiful and the overlook you just might see yhe bald eagles”

👟 good for all levels 2 mentions

“A most popular and easy trail in highbank metro park.”

A most popular and easy trail in highbank metro park. Round trip will be around 3 miles and densely populated by trees. On the end of the trail, there is an observation deck. Must visit during falls season 🍁 🍂

★★★★★ — Dattatraya , Oct 2020

Great trail to hike. It takes you away from the roads and really feels like you're out in the woods. We've done the hike in every season and it's always beautiful. There is a loop off the main trail so you can take one way there and the other back to see more. The highest bridge on the hike is on the loop section.

★★★★★ — Josh , Dec 2024

I highly recommend Overlook Trail, especially the old growth forest trail that interweaves. There is old cemetery and lovely old trees. Overlook has some really cool ravines.

★★★★★ — Aly , Oct 2024

The Highbanks walking trails are fantastic and well maintained. The color this time of the year (fall) is worth the trip.

★★★★★ — Kipp , Nov 2025

Excerpts from public Google reviews. Read all 130 reviews →

Trail conditions & character

What this trail is actually like underfoot and overhead, taken from its own listing and from reviews. Each one links to every other trail with the same character. Busy or quiet is reported as a plain fact, not a plus or a minus — a runner heading out alone at dawn often wants company on the path, and someone running intervals wants an empty one.

🏞️ Scenic views 25 mentions

“Soon a bald eagle is upheld into view and suddenly the sky is barren and the eagle is seen resting upon an adjacent tree where it calls out like a beast in the midst of mirth.”

More trails like this →

🐕 Dog-friendly 4 mentions

“We've never done them but there are also trails for dogs!”

More trails like this →

🔁 Loop trail 3 mentions

“There is a loop off the main trail so you can take one way there and the other back to see more.”

More trails like this →

Plan your run at Overlook Trail Trailhead - Highbanks MetroPark

The practical stuff

  • AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
  • DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
  • ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
  • DogsWelcome, per reviewers. Leash rules vary by park — the trailhead sign is the authority.

Hours

Monday 6 am–10 pm
Tuesday 6 am–10 pm
Wednesday 6 am–10 pm
Thursday 6 am–10 pm
Friday 6 am–10 pm
Saturday 6 am–10 pm
Sunday 6 am–10 pm

Posted hours for the park or trailhead. Gates and parking lots often close earlier than the trail itself, and seasonal hours change — worth a check before a pre-dawn or after-dark run.

Where to find Overlook Trail Trailhead - Highbanks MetroPark

Lewis Center, Ohio

Get directions

Running trails near Lewis Center

Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.

Highbanks Metro Park

4.8 ★★★★★ 5,373 reviews

Lewis Center, OH

4 miMixedLitScenic

Native American burial grounds, 100-ft.-high bluffs with river views & 11 miles of hiking trails.

under a mile away

Highbanks Metro Park Multi-Use Trail

4.4 ★★★★☆ 20 reviews

Lewis Center, OH

Natural surfaceDog-friendly

under a mile away

Arbor Ridge Park

4.6 ★★★★★ 108 reviews

Powell, OH

Small outdoor space featuring tennis courts and a playground, plus walking paths.

1.7 miles away

Worthington Hills Park

4.6 ★★★★★ 93 reviews

Worthington, OH

PavedScenic

City park featuring a trailhead on the Olentangy Bike Trail, picnic tables, and a playground.

1.8 miles away

Meadowview Park

4.5 ★★★★★ 14 reviews

Powell, OH

2.3 miles away

Sancus Park

4.2 ★★★★☆ 81 reviews

Columbus, OH

Compact spot for children featuring a playground and picnic tables.

2.6 miles away

All running trails in Lewis Center, OH →

Nearby towns

Listing verified July 2026 from public records, the trail's own website and runner reviews. Trail conditions change — paths flood, gates close at dusk, and shaded woods stay muddy for days after rain. Something out of date? Report a correction. Manage this trail? Send us the details — it is free.