Big Darby Creek State and National Scenic River
 Big Darby Creek is located in central Ohio near Columbus. Its main channel, known as Big Darby Creek, extends 88 miles and includes an additional 245 miles of tributaries that include the Little Darby Creek. Map
A total of 82 miles of the Big and Little Darby creeks were designated as state scenic rivers in 1984 and given National Scenic River status in 1994.
The Big and Little Darby creeks are well recognized by boaters as a recreational paddlers paradise. Canoers and kayakers have found a truly serene paddling paradise located a short distance from a major metropolitan environment. While much of the land cradling both sides of the Darby creeks is privately owned, there are several public access sites. These include the Battelle-Darby Creek Metro Park access off Alkire Road in western Franklin County and the Ohio Route 665 public access located six miles downstream.
The navigability of both streams offers a great learning experience for the novice paddler and fond remembrance of other adventures by experienced paddlers. Both creeks also are recognized among the top sport fishing streams in Ohio, so take along your fishing pole and enjoy a float trip in search of smallmouth bass, crappie, sunfish and bluegills.
The Big Darby and Little Darby also provide a bonanza of wildlife viewing opportunities that routinely include a great diversity of birds such as the great-horned owl, flycatchers, ruby-throated hummingbird, scarlet tanager, belted kingfisher and green and great blue herons. Squirrels, white-tailed deer, wild turkeys and other forest species of wildlife inhabit the Darby Creeks.
Big Darby Creek begins near Marysville in southwest Union County and flows gently in a southerly-southeasterly direction west and southwest of Columbus toward Circleville in Pickaway County where it empties into the Scioto River. Due to its relatively small size, its shallow waters and its pristine beauty, there is no motor boating on the Darby Creek system. But if you enjoy a paddlers paradise, then the Big and Little Darby scenic rivers provide for a highly desirable boating destination. One canoe rental livery is located on Big Darby Creek on Ohio Route 665 in the village of Darbyville in southwest Franklin County.
The Big Darby Creek is located 15 miles west of Columbus and 50 miles east of Dayton. |