I saw this and was like we must go see it! I feel like maybe we didn't go to the best part of it but it was still nice. It was a perfect after dinner stroll. Only bad thing was the ice cream place right there was closed! How do you close for the season in October? Ugh lol. But hey lead to us going to a good chocolate place. Not from the area and just from seeing some pictures I wish we had explored some more. read more

I kicked yesterday morning off with the chilliest yet most peaceful walk along the canal path with a dear friend. Despite only being 14° outside, the snowy trail along the water was just what my soul needed to start the day. We walked our way along the water until we hit the Rocky Ripple neighborhood. There are several bridges along the way for pedestrians to cross between both sides. The path is an Indianapolis treasure that I sometimes think we take for granted. The trail connects Broad Ripple to Butler University and several other neighborhoods along the way. read more

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Unfortunately, I was only able to try out the northern part of the trail (the part off the Monon in Broad Ripple). While Broad Ripple is very vibrant and happening, the trail did feel a little congested for someone just wanting to get out and enjoy nature on a sunny afternoon. I look forward to trying out the southern part of this trail! read more

For the last couple weeks, I've been participating in a "Steps Challenge" for the government agency where I work. If you know me, you've already laughed. Yes, I was a footless man doing a steps challenge. Thankfully, companies like Fitbit are making it more and more possible for wheelchair users and others with disabilities to be more physically active and to not be so isolated doing so. My Fitbit Charge 2 converts "wheels" to "steps" in a way that certainly isn't 100% accurate, but is by far the most accurate device I've ever used. As a result of my participation, I've been exploring Indy's trail system a little more completely. The Central Canal Towpath is a trail I've been on, but I've never really completed the entire trail. It's a 5.2 mile trail, said to be aiming for 7.7 miles in the future, and it connects to other trails with the ultimate goal of connecting Broad Ripple to downtown via the historic Indianapolis Water Company canal. There are at least a couple decent places to access the Central Canal Towpath - as Dylan E. notes, the actual Indy Greenways website indicates there's ample parking across from the naval armory (at 30th Street) and his own choice of the White River Parkway area is also solid. I tend to utilize the Holcomb Gardens area at Butler University primarily because it's a little more wheelchair friendly than most other than a slightly steep foot bridge that crosses the canal. The trail is almost entirely compacted stone - and I mean seriously compacted, not the "compacted stone with lots of gravel" that you often find on trails. Trust me, my tires know the difference. The good news is that this makes wheeling much less physically stressful, though it also means I look mighty dusty by the end of even a couple miles. This trail is a nice combination of urban trail meets greenway. As you're going along the canal the entire time and White River part of the time, you're also always experiencing some wildlife. You will also pass by three parks, about a half dozen destinations (including the Indianapolis Museum of Art and downtown Indy) and five neighborhoods ranging from ritzy to "we could use a little help here." As a wheelchair user who often wheels alone, I appreciate the relatively flat surface. It's worth noting that certain street crossings have an incline that may be a touch difficult for some wheelchairs/strollers. While certain parts of the canal are a little trashy, I've seldom ever had issues with obstacles along the path other than the occasional fallen branch. Traffic on this trail is lighter, much lighter, than trails like Monon and bike traffic is even less. If you're slightly spastic or have any difficulty controlling your chair, please do be aware that both sides of this trail offer drop-offs that could be challenging. Unless you're Pat McAfee, try to avoid actually going into the canal. Overall, for me Central Canal Towpath is an under-appreciated gem. It's not quite a 5-star trail for me primarily because the city of Indy has this nasty habit of not taking care of its treasures. It's urban, a little worn, and occasionally a bit difficult to access but it's definitely one of Indy's upper tier trail experiences. read more

There is no single long distance trail in Indy, so you need to look at the whole trail system. I bike, so a long distance trail is 20+ miles in my head. The canal towpath connects the White River trail to the South and T's into the Monon in Broadripple. The towpath is used by runners, walkers, and cyclists. The canal towpath can be beautiful with the sun on the water and the trees. There are usually blue heron along the canal and other wildlife, especially birds. The first rides in the spring and the fall colors are both nice. The surface is hard packed and you can ride any bike. Some people with narrow high pressure road bike tires may not be comfortable on the trail surface, but I've ridden with buddies on road tires. I ride with 35mm tires, slicks, on a hybrid frame. If it's rained overnight there will be some puddles. You want to eat? The Art Museum has food, there are several places at 56th and Illinois, and infinite choices in Broadripple. The towpath surface is primarily fine crushed limestone. Looking at it from South to North, the Central Canal Towpath starts at 30th St. If you're connecting to White River Trail, there's a paved bit that runs behind River's Edge apartments. Cross 30th St with care as visibility is not great. At 38th St the Towpath passes Indianapolis Museum of Art and you can bike through the 100 Acres or the museum grounds. Butler University is adjacent to the towpath from 42nd to 52nd St. Near 56th and Illinois the towpath crosses a bridge to the east side of the canal parallel to Westfield Blvd. There's about 1/2 mile of paved trail here, which is really a little used road. From Illinois to College the trail narrows quite a bit just leaving space for two bikes to pass for about 1 mile. At times the trail here is right next to busy Westfield Blvd, which might make you nervous with young children. The last part of the trail is paved and concrete through Broadripple connecting to the Monon Trail. read more

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This was a very nice path right along the canal. There are bikers, joggers, walkers, dogs, kids, ducks, anything and everything along the path. The tree lined path is mostly paved but there are some gravel areas and some areas where you have trees on one side and a road on the other of course being separated by the canal. Along Rocky Ripple a nice home owner has placed out their garden hose for water use (THANK YOU DEAR FRIEND!). The path is a bit jagged and there are sections where you have to use a cross walk to pass the street which for me is always a drag. I also think that there could be some water placed upon the path since I didn't see a public water fountain. That said, the trail was very nice but the lack of water and inconsistent flow of the trail makes it A-OK and not great. Walking it may be better, biking for fun it might be ok, but jogging or serious biking I would imagine would not be stellar experiences. read more

Central Canal Towpath - Parks Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

There are a lot of great bike trails here in Indianapolis. The tow path is great. It runs from Broadripple to the White River Greenway at 30th street. One of my favorite rides starts downtown on the Cultural Trail, up to the Monon, then hit the tow path, loop around to the Greenway to arrive back at White River Park. The tow path is secluded, passing through Butler and behind the IMA. There is a lot of shade and wildlife. It goes through diverse neighborhoods. And as a bonus, there is always a turtle to see! The wood ducks are really pretty. And occasionally even a Muskrat. There are no water fountains and the trail is screed (which is a find gravel) that is well packed and I don't mind riding on my street bike. read more

Central Canal Towpath - Wish you were here - Parks Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

The towpath is one of my all-time favorite paths to run in Indianapolis! It's not ideal for long runs over 15 miles but anything under 15 runners can stay on the path. Any milage over 15 would need to transition over to the White River/Riverside path or the Monon. What makes the towpath perfect for runners is it's smooth partially paved/gravel path. The path is much easier on runners knees then pavement yet still provides a mostly smooth path for those of us who do not enjoy running on rough surfaces. Coming from Broad Ripple it's a little stop and go with the cross streets but once runners get to the green bridge it's a relatively smooth path with few stops. What really makes the path stand out is the scenery. On one side is the canal which is very serene and on the other side of most of the path is woods. During the fall months the juxtaposition of the colorful woods serene water path and the haze of morning Frost is nothing short of picturesque. A true Bob Ross painting!! Often times you will find different running groups from two major colleges on the path as well as various groups of runners and cyclists. Runners will run from commercial/residential Broad Ripple then past Rocky Ripple neighborhood, the beautiful Butterfly University and the always manicured outdoors of the Indianapolis Art Museum or (Newfield as their new self identification) and finally end at the now retired Naval Armory on the edge of the Riverside neighborhood. The only negative on the tow path would be aggressive spring geese...for the most part the geese population are indifferent to runners but there's always that one geese...some yelling and hand waving usually suffice in scaring them away! read more

I have to agree with everything that Cyndi C. and Todd R. have to say about the Towpath. I usually do a 10 mile hike on the Towpath every Saturday and sometimes on Sunday with the IHC. Lately, we've been breaking up the routine by getting off the Towpath at Michigan and wandering through the Art Museum grounds for shade and diversity and getting back on the Towpath at the red bridge by 100 Acres. I have long envied the people who live along the canal as it seems to be a place rich with wildlife...four and two legged :-) Blue Heron, ducks, geese, turtles, and fish all inhabit the canal along the Towpath. In the spring, it is fun to see the new hatchlings and hope they all make it to adulthood. Many times we've stopped on the trail and re-filled our water bottles from the hose one neighborly resident makes available for human and canine. While I don't mind sharing the Towpath with runners and walkers, many times the bicyclers go too fast and don't announce themselves. Someone needs to remind them that people DON'T have eyes in back of their heads. Not all bikers are this inconsiderate, but unfortunately, many are. read more

This five mile trail follows the Indianapolis Water Company's 19th century-built canal through spectacular neighborhoods of unique architecture and native Indiana woodlands, past Butler University and Broad Ripple's unique shops, under busy freeways and across some of Indianapolis' main arteries., But this Indianapolis Greenway provides a certain je-ne-sais-quoi to the Butler Tarkington/Meridian Kessler area. The Canal is as unique to Indy as all that the Canal passes through. In many ways the Canal and feeding the ducklings is a rite of passage for this community of generations of families. It ties together a vast section of the north side that makes this area feel like one big beautiful neighborhood of Broad Ripple. Actually, anyone who has gone to IPS in the past 30 years and lived near the Canal probably went to Broad Ripple HS. So anyone who has seen the beautification that the city did in the early 2000's shows that the city understands and appreciates why this area is considered a landmark to the residents. It is a point of our collective reference, a place where we rode our bikes, scuffed up our knees on the uneven (but now paved) ground, had our late night strolls, shared first kisses, and from where we went home with twenty more mosquito bites than we had before. The Monon Trail that intersects is very nice, but it is somewhat monotone in its presentation of either neighborhoods, businesses, neighborhoods, businesses. The Central Canal towpath changes venues, if I may, and links to so much that is unique to, and is essentially, Indianapolis. Come take a stroll, jog, or bike ride down memory lane. Remember what Indy means to you! read more

The Canal Towpath is a trail that is part of the Indianapolis Greenway System. The trail is a little over 5 miles and stretches from Broad Ripple to close to the areas near Marian University. While utilizing the trail, you can actually connect to the White River Greenway, which makes it possible to essentially commute from Broad Ripple to Victory Field, only crossing the road a hand full of time. This is simply a very nice trail. read more

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Wonderful walk on towpath . Beautiful, what a gem. Beautiful fall day, We felt like we were a million miles away. Love it! Connects to Ima 100 acres and that makes it even cooler. read more

Central Canal Towpath - Beautiful fall day along towpath. - Parks Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

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This is such a delight to follow along the canal. Starts out in Broad Ripple paved, then becomes a narrow gravel path, tricky to navigate when crowded. Crosses over Meridian Street and on through Butler-Tarkington, then down past Rocky Ripple, Butler University, under Michigan Road, bisects the IMA & 100 Acres park, under 38th Street, curving gently through neighborhoods until it ends near the Naval Armory. This is where the White River Trail picks up & heads downtown. You can make a mighty circuit by connecting to the Cultural Trail & going back up the Monon to the beginning of the canal path. While on the tow path, I find myself making little detours to Graeter's or Flying Cupcake, Holcomb Gardens, Rocky Ripple, & 100 Acres. The canal is full of turtles, fish, birds, ducks, & geese; occasionally I'll see a furry four-legged critter of some kind swimming there, too. Depending on the time of year, it's scented by flowers or canopied by leafy trees. I love the way the still water reflects the many bridges that arch over it. The canal path has less traffic than the Monon; but it's narrow, and does have loose gravel & uneven surfaces collecting mud & water after rains. read more

Central Canal Towpath - Wood Ducks along the canal towpath - Parks Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

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This review is based mainly on walking the trail between IMA and Butler, and then walking south between IMA and ~30th street (trail ends near some buildings, apparently) on a summer weekend day. Yes, the crushed gravel is a nice surface, in that it is more forgiving than asphalt or concrete for walkers and runners. But, during the summer (and most of the year, I imagine), you also kick up some dust when walking. Yes, there are some cute bridges, but...we also passed below several that were trash strewn or where the infrastructure looked worn. The water is murky and slow moving. Some parts of the trail pass by gorgeous, historic homes, and other parts pass through very ordinary neighborhoods. A definite big plus is that you can indeed walk for long periods without any street crossings. The entry points to the trail are hard to find. They are marked on widely available maps, but if you are traveling by car, figuring out the parking near trail entry points can be confusing. We first tried the entry point near Butler University, and after meandering through a residential district, past a stadium, the road finally ends in a small parking lot near some tennis courts and what appears to be an urban ecology garden. Very picturesque, BUT....we were concerned about leaving our cars in the lot, because there are gates at certain points that we had passed, and were concerned the gates might close while we were on the trail, thus trapping us in the lot. There were no hours posted for the gates. We then decided to park at IMA (parking is free). But, getting to the entry point on the trail does involve accessing the exterior gardens of IMA, which recently required admission. We managed to make it to the trail entrance without paying an admission fee (you can enter the public part of the IMA building, go downstairs, and exit into the gardens and then to the trail). There may also be a direct link between out door parking and the gardens, but we couldn't find it. Despite the confusion with parking, and the access points, I will definitely be back. Most people might recommend spring or summer, but I personally think this trail would be very pretty after a fresh snowfall in the winter. read more

I'm in love with this trail. It's walking next to water, with mature trees, lots of animals to look at, and I feel centered in a way I rarely experience, moving myself down this trail. I love also how it goes from west 30th St to Rocky Ripple, with the diversity that implies, and really, the only thing I don't like is the parking- I could leave my car on the 30th St end...ha, I crack myself up. Anyway- it's nice pretty much anytime, barring high noon, where the trees offer no shade. read more

What a nice connector to loop the community. We started on the Monon Trail just south of Broad Ripple and rode into Indianapolis to the Cultural Trail. The trail through the city is fantastic. We grabbed the trail next to the Zoo and rode out to the Central Canal Towpath and brought it back to the Broad Ripple area. All in all a great 20 mile ride and an up close and personal experience of Indy. read more