One of our favorite state parks in Indiana! Kids love the aquatic center (aka mini water park) in…read morethe summer and the campground and playground areas are very nice. The trails are mostly flat and easy. There is even a working farm and historical building to check out. If paved areas are perfect to stretch your legs on or bike on. Only gripes if I had to really try hard to think of any are that the campground seems understaffed. Unlike some other state parks, you rarely see DNR driving through here. Often times the camp check in is done at the main gate as there is not enough staff to go around. The proximity to Lafayette and West Lafayette make it super convenient as well. Feel like sitting down in a restaurant and not cooking? No problem. Options galore within 10-20 mins of driving.

Grounds are very clean. Campground Hosts are quite good at making guests feel less than welcome…read more We are 2 highly educated professionals who had 2 highly educated and productive friends come to eat dinner one of our 3 nights here. Staff (hosts, in particular) couldn't have been much more deplorable to us about it. We understand the policy, but there's a common decency to enforcing it in one's volunteer role (wearing a DNR hat). We're not loud. We respect other people, nature, and the place. Yet, there's 40' pushers with a jeep and 2 motorcycles who apparently don't have to abide by the same rules. When our guests did leave, the hosts thanked them for leaving loudly as they drove by. The campground was more than half empty, mind you. Sadly, we will think twice about returning if there are other options. If management values people coming here to camp on their vacation time, a close inspection of customer service might be a great way to approach that goal.

Wolf Park is a wolf sanctuary where people are educated about wolves and taught to be respectful of…read morethese magnificent creatures. You can go out in groups to explore the land and you might get lucky enough to actually see a wolf in the wild. There are lots of fun things to buy in the gift shop. There are plenty of great picture opportunities in the park. If you love nature or wolves this is a great place to check out.

Taking part in nature is always a great way to spend the day. I would make sure to take the guided…read moretour this makes sure you will have the opportunity to see the Wolves arrangements must be made ahead of time. We did see 2 of the Wolves and heard them howling in the distance. The staff was very informative about the facility

This is an amazing park tucked away in a small suburb of Lafayette. It sits right in front of the…read morezoo and spans 40 acres. It is relatively well maintained and clean. There is tons of parking available, spread out between a couple of lots and some street parking. The park has lots of shelters with picnic tables under them and a grill just outside of them. I would say there are at least 18 of them that are available to be rented. The park also has a couple of shuffle boards that you can play and a loose picnic tables scattered on the grounds. The park is home to an amazing playground that has just about everything you would want in a playground. It's only negative is that it is on a bed of wood chips. The area is pretty large and divided into different areas for recommended age groups. There is a wide mix of equipment here including traditional and toddler swings, a saucer swing, sit-n-spins, slides, expression swings, and a teen area with a jungle gym that has a suspended pebble bridge and monkey rings. There is a huge jungle gym that sits a top a hill in the area that has a bunch of slides and some monkey bars. The equipment seems to be in pretty good repair and looks great, even though it is a bit older. You will find a share a book kiosk and a glider swing in the area as well. The park features a train depot that sits right across from the zoo entrance and it has an operational train that goes around the park. It was not running while I was there because it was out of season. I really liked the park's man-made lagoon that winds through it. It very picturesque and calming. It adds a nice touch to the park. They have a little pier on the lake where they do paddle boat rentals, in season. You will see little amphitheater at the park. It seems relatively new and is very nice. it has seating and a scenic little plaza area with picnic tables that over look the park's lagoon. There is also a trail, the Columbian Trail, that weaves in and around Columbian Park. It is well paved and has a very scenic view. What sets this park apart though is its veterans area. They have a large area, the Memorial Plaza, located along the water dedicated to memorials to veterans. They have the United Spanish War Memorial, Gold Star Family Memorial, Medal of Honor Memorial, Purple Heart Memorial, and the Vietnam Memorial. There is also a bunch of flag waving from flags poles over there and a Howitzer gun on display. You will also see the Tippecanoe County Veterans Memorial, which is the oldest memorial in the park, dating back to 1949. I did not see a bathroom facility dedicated to the park, but I was able to use the one attached to the Zoo's entrance. It was very nice and well maintained. Also located on the water is the Rush Pavilion which serves as a clubhouse that can be rented for special events. It can hold up to 50 people and includes access to a full service kitchen. The wrap around porch can hold an additional 100 people. This is a destination park that you can easily spend a half of day without even going to the zoo or amphitheater. It has everything that I look for in a park and more. It is very picturesque and I really enjoyed my time there. I also like, that they included salutes to veterans in their planning. I highly recommend checking this place out. It checks off all the boxes and will not disappoint.

Im actually sad this park is not closer to home for me. We enjoyed walking around the lake. They…read morehave paddle boats, an amphitheater, lots of picnic shelters and grills, and a small train. Plus playground equipment, a beautiful banquet hall, and a small zoo. My favorite part was the swinging benches. I'd be there all the time if I lived by this park.

This is one of my favorite parks in the area! The park is beautifully landscaped and has multiple…read moresport activities available (3 baseball diamonds, a basketball court, and five tennis courts.) There is a hiking trail (2/3 mile) that loops a photo worthy lake with a fountain and numerous gardens lining the shores. There is also a small playground south of the sports complex that is a little distant, but keeps the little ones from any disturbance from the ball games. In the middle is a central building for concessions and restrooms. Near that is a rentable shelter. Oh, and though I didn't get a photo, there is a swimming pool on the west end of the complex, but I don't believe that entrance connects to the central part of the park. Review #1071

Nice community park with 3 baseball diamonds, concession stand, tennis and basketball courts,…read moreplayground, pond with walking trail, and swimming pool. I really like the park but docking a star for parking - it gets tight with multiple events ongoing.

I never knew this place existed until today. I was doing an online search for somewhere close to…read morehome and found it. It is a nice park and seems to be well maintained. There is a bathroom (outhouse style) and a path around a couple of the lakes. It would be an excellent place to have a gathering or just for fishing. Plenty of lakes and plenty of spots to throw in a line.

Beautiful place to go fishing or just for an easy walk after work to unwind...read more

The best trail for running in the West Lafayette/Lafayette area. On the southernmost point, you can…read morepark at Fort Ouiatenon, take the sidewalk 3/4s of a mile to the trailhead then follow the dirt path along the Wabash River up to the pedestrian bridge, where you can cross over to the Lafayette side or continue up a bit more on paved surface toward a small park, restaurants and the edge of Purdue's campus. If you head over to the Lafayette side, the trail continues on paved surface for a while before returning to a dirt surface and concludes at the Tippecanoe Battlefield Park in Battle Ground, roughly 13 miles from Fort O. The trail is mostly flat and runnable from start to finish. After heavy rains, the river regularly floods the southern part of the trail.

The Wabash Heritage Trail is 13 miles long making it a perfect training ground for a mini marathon…read more However, today we were exploring nature with our granddaughter. We started on the north end at Battleground Memorial. At the head of the trail is a sweet little nature center (Wah-ba-shik-a Nature Center) filled with descriptions of wildlife and fauna that are native to the area. My granddaughter was delighted to see the big white owl that greeted us at the door. The volunteer at the Center was welcoming and admission was free. They had maps for the trail that you can take. There are also special programs offered throughout the year. The trail starts and Battleground and extends all the way to Fort Ouiatenon. We only toured a couple miles along a creek that eventually meets the Wabash River. The trail is mulch covered and easy to navigate by foot. It would be difficult to maneuver a stroller or wheelchair onto the trail. The trail is lined with very large sycamores, oaks, walnuts and other trees native to the area. Some of the trees were at least 300 years older. The creek is clear and suitable for a little stomping. There are occasional benches along the trail as well as informational markers. There were also picnic tables and a water fountain at the trail head. We did not see any restroom facilities, but there were probably some in the Battle Ground Museum. The hike is quiet during the week. You can enjoy the sounds of birds and squirrels. I can imagine how beautiful the trail is when the leaves are changing color. There is some highway traffic noise as you get closer to the highway. The trail does not loop, so you have to backtrack to return to your car. There was plenty of parking at the Memorial. The map indicated that there were about five parking lots along the trail. We enjoyed the hike and will return to do a different section soon. I highly recommend.

Beautiful well kept park for sport and summer games and ice skating in the winter, there is easy…read moreand free parking, even more nearby at the mall, easy access right off State Street, good lookout points to the river, and excellent walking to downtown via the pedestrian bridge which also leads to the trails. Makes for a relaxing bit of green amidst downtown, campus, and a good stopping point on the Wabash Heritage Trail that runs all over for both running and biking.

Location! Sometimes a park benefits from having an ideal location more than any of the amenities…read moreyou find there. For Tapawingo, the location is ideal. Located along the Wabash River, the park is on the north side of the State\Columbia Street Bridge. As you cross the river into West Lafayette, head north at the roundabout onto Tapawingo Dr and head to the north end of the park. Turn right onto Brown and you will find free pull-in parking there. The park is lush and green with mature trees lining the paved pathways through the park. The northwest corner has a decent playground for the kids to enjoy. To the east is a small shelter. South of the playground is an elevated art installation that appears to be the bones of a ship called "Tapawingo Travelogue" by artist Eric Nordgulen (2015). Continuing south, there is a building that hosts outdoor ice skating in the cold months. I am not sure if there is any activity there during the summer, but it seems they out to let kids roller skate during the warmer months to make full use of the space. At the south end of the park is Margerum Fountain, named after a former mayor. The fountain is one with the high spray in the center and a small circle of spray surrounding it. Another benefit of the location is that the John T Myers footbridge is directly east of the fountain. If you haven't crossed the bridge, it has the makings of a great festival area and offers even better views of the river. (If you go, check out the large Millenium Sundial by David Aho - 1999). Lots to see and do at this park...or do nothing at all. You can still have a great time here. Review #1126

This natural area is a great hidden gem in the Lafayette area. Located on the banks of the Wildcat…read moreCreek, this place has a good amount of trails to keep you busy for an afternoon hike. The trails are maintained very well and there is clear markers of where each trial goes. There is also some really good elevation changes that are approachable for everyone. The NICHS group that maintains the area does an excellent job keeping everything tidy. Being a natural area, many of the plant types and trees types are marked as well as the different geological features of the area.

One of the hidden gems of the Lafayette area, and it has only gotten better over time. Sometimes I…read moremiss the small check-in house with the doggy bags, but the modern updates are really wonderful. Great for a little hike or a short run around the main loop.