Columbus Trails and Greenways
THE ALUM CREEK GREENWAY
Westerville to Easton, Airport Drive to Three Creeks Metro Park

There is a PDF map of the northern-most section at: Columbus Department of Recreation and Parks: Alum Creek Greenway

WESTERVILLE SPORTS PARK
ALUM CREEK PARK (WESTERVILLE)
HERITAGE PARK (WESTERVILLE)
EDWARD CHERRINGTON PARK (WESTERVILLE)
COOPER PARK
CASTO PARK
CSA SPORTS PARK (EASTON)
NELSON PARK
WOLFE PARK
ACADEMY PARK
THREE CREEKS METROPARK

OTHER

OTTERBEIN COLLEGE
OHIO DOMINICAN UNIVERSITY

GENERAL INFORMATION

The northernmost portion of the trail in Westerville is a part of their excellent system of bike and leisure trails. More on that can be found at Westerville Bikeways and Leisure Paths. I've reproduced their maps here:  

The trail is currently complete south from W Main St. in Westerville to the Columbus Youth League  Soccer fields just south of Easton Way. (About a half mile south of Morse Rd along Sunbury Rd.)  From West Main, the only intersection that requires crossing is at Westerville Rd at Cooper Rd and there is a pedestrian crossing there. Though not officially a part of the trail, you can cross W Main to the north side, go an eighth of a mile west and into Heritage Park and follow the Westerville trail system north as far as Polaris Parkway/Maxtown Rd at North State St (SR 3). Going east on Polaris/Maxtown Rd, you will intersect the Westerville Bikeway about a block east of US3 (North State St) and, crossing to Northgate Way, you can now continue north and onto the Genoa Trail, a rail-trail conversion which will take you almost to Galena. See: The Genoa Trail. You can also exit the Alum Creek Trail via ramp to the south side of Schrock Rd and follow the bike lanes or walkways of that road east to Charing Cross Road where you can cross north and get on the newly extended Westerville Bikeway and go north to Maxtown Rd and on.

UPDATE 7/30/07 - The section from the Soccer Fields to Ohio Dominican is going to be developed in two segments - From Ohio Dom (at the Airport Rd dead-end) to Innis Park and from Innis Park to the Soccer Fields. The longer piece, Ohio Dom to Innis Rd, is scheduled to start at some point later this year. The shorter run still has issues to be worked out with a local golf course.

UPDATE 6/23/08 - The completion of the Stelzer Rd Rebuild has created a useable detour between the two trail sections. More information here"

BRIDGING THE GAP ON THE ALUM CREEK TRAIL 

The next open section starts at Airport Rd, just across from Ohio Dominican University and runs south, intersects the I-670 trail just north of I-670, enters Nelson Park and runs through that park to Clifton Ave (S Greenways Ave), crosses the Creek  via a short, recently enhanced automobile bridge  and turns south again running along the athletic fields of St. Charles Preparatory School. It underpasses Broad St and enters Wolfe Park. Midway through the park it recrosses the Creek via a pedestrian bridge and enters Academy Park. It runs south to that park and exits near Bryden Rd. It follows the river south reaching Main St adjacent to the Kroger Plaza. You must travel west a half block to cross at the light (Alum Creek Dr) and go back up the other side to reenter the trail in Pumphouse Park. (Alternatively, you can continue south on the Alum Creek Dr walkway and intersect the trail as it emerges from the south end of the park.) The trail leaves the park and runs down the south side of Alum Creek Dr to just before the I-70 overpass where it shifts away from the road and runs through a short wooded section before emerging at Livingston Ave. The I-70 on ramp is to the west side.

From Livingston Ave, the trail goes south over a trail bridge and through a wooded area and then loops around and between two large ponds before going back into the woods for a bit. It ducks down under I-70 and then circles around on the south side to cross the Creek on a trail bridge. It runs between I-70 on the north and the Water's Edge complex on the south to College Ave where it turns south and runs along that road crossing Petzinger (intersection to be reconfigured later this year) and then underpasses a railroad bridge and continue south for a bit before turning into the woods (west) and make a large reverse "L" through parklands and woods and reaching the north side of SR104. It underpasses that roadway at the river and then turns sharply east and ramps up to connect with the trail coming out of the north side of Three Creeks Metropark. Going west (right) takes you to the trail head at Alum Creek Dr. Going east (left) takes you into Three Creeks Metropark.

As noted, there is a long spur trail that connects to the Oxbow loop in north Three Creeks Metropark and runs (crossing the Creek) to Perfomance Pkwy and the trail head at Alum Creek Dr. The other end feeds to the loop which is signed counter-clockwise for bicycles. Turn right (east). The trail has a significant drop to the loop form at the 4.7M mark. Left takes you back into the loop (past Mile Post 4.0) and has a steadier rise getting back up to the top. From the fork south (right turn) the trail snakes through the woods before breaking out into a large meadown. It runs along the tree line (west side) and passes Mile Post 3.0 just before crossing Watkins Rd. (Caution: Trail Stop but not auto and no signal. Blind rise to the west (right) for automobiles.) The trail continues south with a gentle rolling quality until it intersects the path leading to the Sycamore Fields parking area (west). There is a bridge over to the parking area and a small loop on the other side of the Creek.

From the crossing, it runs south along this very large meadow to the Heron Ponds area. It passes Mile Post 2.0 just before the pond and there is a pond loop trail here and a parking area. The trail turns west, crosses the creek again and then runs south, underpassing Williams Rd and into the Madison Mills Area. There is another parking area and basketball courts. The trail begins to meander eastwards and underpasses I-270 before turning south again. It passes two very large wetlands observation areas (keep an eye out for the turtles!) and then into a less forested area, crosses the Big Walnut Creek via trail bridge and enters the Confluence Area. There is parking and facilities here. The trail ends at Mile Post 0 but the asphalt trail continues for another hundred feet and converts into the Blacklick Trail.