Licking Park District

10/29/2026

Today is National Cat Day so we thought we would feature our feline staff member. Meet Terry, one of our longest-serving park employees, full-time people lover, and part-time cat-shaped paperweight. (Photos show his important role at staff meetings)

Terry was found at the park as a tiny kitten and decided he wasn't going anywhere. His official job duties Include:
Director of Visitor Relations: Greets every person who walks through the door. Personal space is not part of the job description.

Senior Snack Inspector: Monitors all food entering the office. Especially yours.

Head of Staff Morale: Provides emotional support, unsolicited lap visits, and occasional keyboard interference.

Facilities Management: Tests every chair, box, and sunny spot for comfort and safety. Provides indoor rodent control.

Terry's qualifications? Over a decade of experience in looking adorable, zero interest in traditional productivity, and a body condition that suggests he's been generously compensating himself in the snack department. If you've visited the park office, there's a good chance Terry has already decided you're his friend. And if you haven't met him yet, don't worry. He'll be happy to come supervise you.

Please note: Terry's expenses are paid for by staff, not park funding.

10/27/2026

Fall is in full swing across our parks, and November is packed with ways to get outdoors, get creative, and connect! 🍂
Our November Program Guide & Newsletter has arrived—take a look at the images below to see what’s coming up this month, including:

Featured Hands-On Programs and Outdoor Activities:
🍂 America 250 Ohio Hike Challenge – Celebrate Ohio’s history and natural beauty by taking on the challenge to log 25 miles on our trails by December 31!
🍂 DIY Pinecone Earrings & DIY Woodcarved Pumpkins – Create unique, nature-inspired crafts to take home.
🍂 Thanksgiving Floral Centerpiece Workshop – Craft a gorgeous, seasonal focal point for your holiday table.
🍂 Guided Fall Hike – Enjoy crisp autumn air and late-season foliage along the trails.
🍂 Wild Storytime – Perfect for our youngest explorers and their families!

Inside the Newsletter:
🍂 Recent park updates and seasonal conservation projects
🍂 Late-autumn nature tidbits (what our local wildlife is up to before winter sets in!)
🍂 A special Volunteer Spotlight honoring volunteers from the East Central Ohio Beekeepers Association!

Questions? Contact us at 740.587.2535 | [email protected]

10/27/2026

Trail Status Update:
Important notice for equestrians: Please read the following carefully for scheduled closures and trail advisories this week.

Infirmary Mound Park: Trails will be CLOSED to horses on Wednesday, October 28th, and Thursday, October 29th, from 7:00 AM until noon each day for special events. Trails are open as normal all other times and through the weekend.

Lobdell Reserve: The Orange Trail is CLOSED between markers 20 and 21 for maintenance until further notice. All other Lobdell trails are open with no scheduled closures through the weekend.

Taft Reserve: Open with no scheduled closures through the weekend. Please note: Daily through October 31st at Taft South, you may encounter dryland dog mushing teams before 10:00 AM and after 4:00 PM.

Paved Trail Advisories:
TJ Evans Trail in Granville: The trail near the Columbus Road bridge remains subject to periodic closures. Please do not go around any barricades.

TJ Evans Trail in Newark: The trail crossing under Granville Road, southeast of OSU-Newark, remains CLOSED through late November for bridge replacement.

Dry-Land Mushing: October Parameters for Cooperative, Shared Use of LPD Trails by Dryland Mushers and Equine Riders/Drivers
The Licking Park District (LPD) recognizes that Equine Riders/Drivers and Dryland Mushers are two USER GROUPS whose activities on the trail may occasionally impact each other’s trail experience.
The LPD has determined an accommodation and compromise that addresses the needs of both user groups and makes trail use times and places more predictable, while ensuring reasonable trail access.
*With 48-hour prior notice to the Park District, dryland mushers have access to Infirmary Mound and Taft Reserve South (Access to Taft Reserve South is defined as trails from Fairview Rd north to marker #17 by “step-over gate”)
*Dryland mushers will conduct their activity in October before 10AM and after 4PM.
*Park District will announce October dryland mushers’ upcoming activity (date/location) on the “Call Before You Haul” Trail Hotline, website, and Facebook trail status notifications.
Exception: Infirmary Mound Park, Taft Reserve Middle (all areas between Marker 17 and Marker 9) and Taft South, and Lobdell Reserve are available to dryland mushers without prior notification in October, if those trails are closed to horses but open to other trail users.
Full parameters for November through March, as well as April, will be available on our web page. We will post a calendar-view schedule there from November through March. If you would like a copy emailed to you, send your request to [email protected]

If you'd like to receive an email and text message whenever there is a Trail Status update, send your email address (required) and phone # (optional, if you also want alert texts) to [email protected]
* Please note TRAIL STATUS ALERTS in the subject line.

Remember to ~Call Before You Haul~..to the Trail Hotline (740.349.4823) or check our page or Website before heading out for the trails at any of our park locations.

Questions? Contact us at 740.587.2535 | [email protected]

10/27/2026

10/26/2026

Thanks to the The Reporting Project for visiting in our Howloween event!

10/25/2026

Trail Status Alert
Trails at Infirmary Mound, Lobdell Reserve, and Taft Reserve are OPEN to HORSES,

Dryland Mushing Activity at Taft South: Daily through the end of October, Park users may encounter dryland mushing activity at Taft South before 10am and after 4pm.
..................TRAIL ADVISORIES.......................
Monday, October 26, 8am - 1pm: Infirmary Mound trail users may encounter the Siberian Huskey Hiking Club, a large group with 10-20 dogs (on leash), hiking the trails at Infirmary Mound.

LOBDELL RESERVE: The Orange Trail between markers #20 and #21 is closed due to maintenance until further notice.

TJ Evans Trail (Granville): The trail near the Columbus Road bridge will be periodically closed. Please do NOT go around any barricades.

TJ Evans Trail (Newark): Starting Monday, July 20th, the multi-use trail crossing under Granville Rd, southeast of OSU-Newark, will be closed for approximately 4 months for replacement of the adjacent Granville Rd bridge.

Dry-Land Mushing: October Parameters for Cooperative, Shared Use of LPD Trails by Dryland Mushers and Equine Riders/Drivers
The Licking Park District (LPD) recognizes that Equine Riders/Drivers and Dryland Mushers are two USER GROUPS whose activities on the trail may occasionally impact each other’s trail experience.
The LPD has determined an accommodation and compromise that addresses the needs of both user groups and makes trail use times and places more predictable, while ensuring reasonable trail access.
*With 48-hour prior notice to the Park District, dryland mushers have access to Infirmary Mound and Taft Reserve South (Access to Taft Reserve South is defined as trails from Fairview Rd north to marker #17 by “step-over gate”)
*Dryland mushers will conduct their activity in October before 10AM and after 4PM.
*Park District will announce October dryland mushers’ upcoming activity (date/location) on the “Call Before You Haul” Trail Hotline, website, and Facebook trail status notifications.
Exception: Infirmary Mound Park, Taft Reserve Middle (all areas between Marker 17 and Marker 9) and Taft South, and Lobdell Reserve are available to dryland mushers without prior notification in October, if those trails are closed to horses but open to other trail users.
Full parameters for November through March, as well as April, will be available on our page. We will post a calendar-view schedule there from November through March. If you would like a copy emailed to you, send your request to [email protected]

If you'd like to receive an email and text message whenever there is a Trail Status update, send your email address (required) and phone # (optional, if you also want alert texts) to [email protected]
* Please note TRAIL STATUS ALERTS in the subject line.

Remember to ~Call Before You Haul~..to the Trail Hotline (740.349.4823) or check our page or Website before heading out for the trails at any of our park locations.

Questions? Contact us at 740.587.2535 | [email protected]

10/22/2026

Trail Status Notice:
Trails at Infirmary Mound, Lobdell Reserve, and Taft Reserve are OPEN to HORSES, with the following exceptions:

Upcoming Infirmary Mound Park trail closure: On Saturday, October 24, trails at Infirmary Mound Park will be closed to horses, due to an event on the trails and public use of the horse trailer parking lot. Infirmary trails will reopen to horses on Sunday, 7am.

Upcoming Taft trail closure: On Saturday, Oct 24, until 1pm, trails at Taft Reserve will be CLOSED to the PUBLIC - all users- for a special event occurring on the trails at Taft. Taft trails will reopen Saturday at 1pm to the public, including horses.

Dryland Mushing Activity at Taft South: Daily through the end of October, Park users may encounter dryland mushing activity at Taft South before 10am and after 4pm.
..................TRAIL ADVISORIES.......................
Monday, October 26, 8am - 1pm: Infirmary Mound trail users may encounter the Siberian Huskey Hiking Club, a large group with 10-20 dogs (on leash), hiking the trails at Infirmary Mound.

Tuesday, October 27, until 9am: Infirmary Mound Park trail users should be aware they may encounter leaf blowing activity on the wooded trails at Infirmary Mound, from dawn until 9am.

LOBDELL RESERVE: The Orange Trail between markers #20 and #21 is closed due to maintenance until further notice.

TJ Evans Trail (Granville): The trail near the Columbus Road bridge will be periodically closed. Please do NOT go around any barricades.

TJ Evans Trail (Newark): Starting Monday, July 20th, the multi-use trail crossing under Granville Rd, southeast of OSU-Newark, will be closed for approximately 4 months for replacement of the adjacent Granville Rd bridge.

Dry-Land Mushing: October Parameters for Cooperative, Shared Use of LPD Trails by Dryland Mushers and Equine Riders/Drivers
The Licking Park District (LPD) recognizes that Equine Riders/Drivers and Dryland Mushers are two USER GROUPS whose activities on the trail may occasionally impact each other’s trail experience.
The LPD has determined an accommodation and compromise that addresses the needs of both user groups and makes trail use times and places more predictable, while ensuring reasonable trail access.
*With 48-hour prior notice to the Park District, dryland mushers have access to Infirmary Mound and Taft Reserve South (Access to Taft Reserve South is defined as trails from Fairview Rd north to marker #17 by “step-over gate”)
*Dryland mushers will conduct their activity in October before 10AM and after 4PM.
*Park District will announce October dryland mushers’ upcoming activity (date/location) on the “Call Before You Haul” Trail Hotline, website, and Facebook trail status notifications.
Exception: Infirmary Mound Park, Taft Reserve Middle (all areas between Marker 17 and Marker 9) and Taft South, and Lobdell Reserve are available to dryland mushers without prior notification in October, if those trails are closed to horses but open to other trail users.
Full parameters for November through March and also April are available on our page. We will post a calendar-view schedule there from November through March. If you would like a copy emailed to you, send your request to [email protected]

If you'd like to receive an email and text message whenever there is a Trail Status update, send your email address (required) and phone # (optional, if you also want alert texts) to [email protected]
* Please note TRAIL STATUS ALERTS in the subject line.

Remember to ~Call Before You Haul~..to the Trail Hotline (740.349.4823) or check our page or Website before heading out for the trails at any of our park locations.

Questions? Contact us at 740.587.2535 | [email protected]

10/17/2026

Get out and enjoy the Ber, or should we say Brrr, months on the trails of Licking County! Complete 12 hikes that total 25 miles to be entered into a prize raffle. All participants who complete the challenge will receive a car decal to display your accomplishment. Along the way learn about the rich history of our area! You have until December 31 to complete the challenge.

How it works:
1. Hike! You can hike in any order. Use the directions listed on our website (https://lickingparkdistrict.com/278/25-for-250-Hike-Challenge), or the Google Map from the QR code (also on our website) to find parking and route information.
2. Find the interpretive sign on each hike. For hikes that are round trip, the sign will mark the turnaround spot.
3. Scan the QR code on each sign to fill out a brief google form with your email. This is how we will keep track of your progress!!

Are you up for the challenge??