This area formerly ran through a series of farms and fields; most of that is reverting to overgrown fields and small woodland strips, except for a few houses at its southern end.  A gate about a half mile in has a parking area. You can continue walking north down the old road for over a mile; you will pass over several small creeks in the woods and several old farm fields. The mix of habitats here can make for a good birding and the area seems very good for successional species like white-eyed vireos, thrashers, and chats. Near each creek bridge there are two side trails that go east and will wind through the forest down to the Darby Creek.  

Battelle Darby Creek is the largest Metro Park with more than 7,000 acres of prairies, fields and forests, and more than 20 miles of riparian forest along the Big and Little Darby Creeks. The Darby creeks are noted nationally for their tremendous diversity and abundance of both aquatic and terrestrial plants and animals.

Designated state and national scenic rivers, the creeks are home to around 100 species of fish, five of which are endangered in Ohio. Forty-four species of freshwater mussels live in these waters, eight of which are on the Ohio endangered list.

Metro Parks has restored about 500 acres of wetlands, 500 acres of wet prairies and more than 500 acres of lush flowering prairies using only seeds native to the Darby Plains. The entrance road to the Indian Ridge Picnic Area is a great place to enjoy the splendor of such beauties as purple coneflower, royal catchfly, prairie dock, big bluestem and other wildflowers and grasses.

The park features more than 18 miles of trails and several scenic areas for picnicking.