Camp Chase Trail

Going east from the Wilson Road Trailhead (located between 3145 and 3670 Wilson Road SE, West Jefferson, OH), the Camp Chase Trail runs for 3 miles in Madison County and then another 13.2 miles in Franklin County where it terminates at the Scioto Greenway Trail. Along the way it passes through the beautiful Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park.

Camp Chase History
Camp Chase was a military staging and training camp for Union forces, and a prison camp for captured Confederate soldiers. All that remains of the camp today is a Confederate cemetery containing 2,260 graves, located at 2900 Sullivant Ave, Columbus, OH. The camp was named for former Ohio Governor and President Lincoln’s Secretary of the Treasury, Salmon P. Chase.

Wilson Road Trailhead
The small trailhead at Wilson Road marks the end of the Roberts Pass Trail where it meets the Camp Chase Trail. It includes parking, benches, bike racks, waste receptacles, and a porta-potty.

Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park
Located near Galloway, this is the largest of Columbus, Ohio’s Metro Parks at over 7,060 acres. Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park enables many outdoor  activities, including biking, canoeing, fishing, cross country skiing, sledding, picnicking, hiking, and more. Unique features include restored prairie areas that house a group of 10 American bison, restored wetlands, a large nature center with exhibits about the exceptional biodiversity of Big Darby Creek, and a Fort Ancient mound. Thirteen miles of the Big Darby Creek and Little Darby Creek run through the park.

Everyone Welcome
The Ohio to Erie Trail, of which the Prairie Grass Trail is a part, is a collection of multi-use trails that provide exercise and adventure to anyone who’s willing to leave the automobile behind. Bicyclists, equestrians*, skaters, hikers, families with strollers, bird watchers, walkers and nature lovers are a common sight. In the winter, the trail becomes a snowshoe and cross-country ski path. And, for those with mobility impairments, construction designs call for full compliance with ADA guidelines so that everyone has the opportunity to explore the natural beauty of Ohio as the trail weaves its way across the state.

*Currently the Madison County Park District does not allow horses on the Madison County trails.

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    Around 2009, an idea first developed during a conversation between Wayne Roberts with FMCPT and Van Viney, CEO of MATCO Services. It took a while, but in 2019 work began in earnest to begin construction of a "welcome" area on the east side of London. This was envisioned to compliment our beautiful "welcome" on the west side of town, the Prairie Grass Trailhead with its camping area, shelter house, and many other amenities. The original vision to create a multi-panel mural using the bricked-in windows of the old tile factory building that MATCO now owned was expanded upon to include a mini-park, a respite with benches, pleasant landscaping, and more.

    Many local people have contributed many, many hours of brain power and sweat equity to bring this project from an old factory wall and overgrown grounds to the trail highlight it has become. We have kept costs extremely low though all of the in-kind donations and almost innumerable hours of donated labor. But also, we received great support support for the funding we required, all from Madison County-area companies and people. It was, and is, a true "community" project.

    An added benefit was realized a couple of years ago when we found that we could easily create access to Roberts Pass for MATCO clients and employees. They previously had found  handicapped-friendly trail access difficult if not downright impossible. For the first time, they are able to safely access their next-door neighbor, the Roberts Pass section of the Ohio to Erie Trail!

    Further value was gained when Michele Bouquet and Sue Cline joined our efforts bringing the wisdom of the Madison County Master Gardeners with them. They, and many of their cohorts, contributed tons of time developing and implementing a gorgeous native plants garden in our mini-park, along with several pollinator plant zones. We hope to build on the value of this by adding educational kiosks throughout the mini-park. We also plan to work with area groups, including the OSU Extension Center, on educational opportunities for local schools, seniors, etc.