The main road through Griggs Reservoir Park with a view of the Scioto River in the background.
The road through Griggs Reservoir Park closely follows the Scioto River throughout the length of the park.

Essential Information

  • Mileage: 3 miles
  • Activities:
    • Running
    • Trail Running
  • Location: Upper Arlington

I hesitated to even include Griggs Reservoir Park because the trails here are actually mostly roads, but the park’s fantastic scenery makes it is worthy of inclusion. The park is a thin 3 mile strip of land that runs alongside the Scioto River. It is rarely more than a few hundred feet wide, so you’re almost always within sight of the river.

A small road runs the entire length of the park. The road in the southern most section of the park goes through a frisbee golf course, and this section is closed to cars. The road here hasn’t been maintained in a long time, and the surface is mix of dirt and crumbling asphalt. It definitely isn’t smooth, but it’s not particularly problematic either. The road in the rest of the park is well maintain and open to cars. However, the car traffic is generally very light, and the speed limit is low. The road is mostly flat, but there are two significant hills, one of which is quite steep.

A dirt trail at Griggs Reservoir Park.
An off-road section of trail that branches off from the main road in the middle of the park .

Although the park road is the primary place to run, there is also a short off-road section that branches off from the road just north of the Fishinger Rd. bridge. Additionally, the land on the west side of the road primarily consists of rolling grass hills that are easy to run on. With a little bit of creativity it’s actually possible to spend much of your time off-road.

The park does not handle heavy rains well. The road through the frisbee golf course can get muddy, and the road in northern section is so close to the river that it occasionally floods the road. A little rain is not a problem, but the park should be avoided after prolonged periods of heavy rain.

Don’t make a long journey to run here. The park is a great local gem, but it’s not worth traveling long distances for. But if you live nearby, it’s a nice place to run.

Additional Information

  • Parking is available throughout the entire length of the park. However, the road north of the Fishinger Road bridge is one-way (to the north). Runners can go both ways, but keep this is mind when deciding where to park.
  • View the park’s website.
  • View the park’s location on Google Maps.