I've secretly held off on reviewing this place to not make it as known to keep it quiet and less…read morecrowded like most of the other parks are around Indy nowadays. As of April 21, 2025, they'll be charging for entrance, so might as well review it! I've been coming here for years now. It's an amazing spot with one major trail (2.85 miles) and then a shorter out-and-back trail that leads to the water overlook. I frequented this place cause it's not as known, which means less people! One of my go-to places to hike in the city given its ease of access off of the interstate and free admission. Womp. Thanks for providing the free space while it lasted!

The Starling Nature Sanctuary is an 11-acre nature sanctuary within the boundaries of Eagle Creek…read morePark. The sanctuary is named after Scott Starling and is located at the north end of Eagle Creek Reservoir (Pike Township). Starling passed away at the age of 29 after being struck by lightning during a storm. He was a 1977 Pike High School graduate and a Purdue University graduate. At the time of his death, he was working toward a doctorate in marine aquaculture and had served in the Peace Corps. The area was purchased by Indianapolis in 1966 and was officially designated the Scott Starling Nature Sanctuary in 1992. It's managed by Indy Parks. The sanctuary is the setting for a wetlands restoration project led by the Center for Earth and Environmental Science along with Indy Parks, wetland restoration professionals from Spence Restoration Nursery, and IUPUI (now IU-I) students and faculty. The sanctuary has done a great job of maintaining its natural state while also becoming more accessible. The core of the sanctuary is a 2.4-mile trail that is moderately challenging. Initially not very accessible (and trails that branch off can be far less accessible), there's been much done to improve it. The boardwalk section, in particular, is kid-friendly and is a popular yet fairly isolated spot for hiking, walking, and running. In terms of wheelchair users, this is really only a trail for more experienced, independent wheelchair users. I grew up in Pike Township and visited this area a lot in my young adult years, however, now that I live in Lawrence Township I don't get over here as much as I should. Today's visit was a reminder of how much I enjoy it even though there were a couple spots that were pretty difficult to pass in the wheelchair. It's worth the extra effort for sure.

Just a short drive from the State Fairgrounds is a block-sized park with a nice sized hill and some…read moremature trees. Apparently this park is a haven for birds. It looks like just about any other bare lot with trees. It may be a place for bird watching, but with a title like this, I expected some information kiosks or some thing useful to people stopping by the park. Frankly, I'm not sure why this block is named this way. It still is a nice place for the neighborhood. Who doesn't like a calm and shaded woodland within walking distance? But it isn't a destination for anyone else. No benches, no shelter, no playground, no information. Oh, well. Review #720

Hidden away on a quiet little side street, near the Fairgrounds & right off the Monon Trail. Set…read moreaside in 1925, it remains one of the very few urban bird sanctuaries in the US. At first glance, it doesn't seem like much. But get out of your car or off your bike. Look at the interesting varieties of trees, both young & old. Walk the uneven dirt path, concentrating on the uncut native flowers, grasses, & bushes in the interior of the preserve. Suddenly, you're not in the city anymore. You hear the birds, you feel the breeze, the sun filters through the leafy branches. This is the way I like it, mostly undeveloped & undisturbed. Surrounded by a charming neighborhood with well-kept houses, it's a lovely little oasis in the middle of Indianapolis.

Brown's Corner Park is a 3.22 acre park that is, quite accurately, a corner park existing at the…read morecorner of East Washington Street and Emerson Avenue. The park is named after 2ndd Lt. Hilton Brown, who as a young boy would play Army in the area. Lt. Brown ended up being killed in France during World War I. As Ken N. noted in his review, there's a plaque in the park that explains who Lt. Brown is along with one honoring the life of painter William Forsyth. The park has no amenities. It is adjacent to Pleasant Run and does tie into the trail. The park recently experienced some clearing out of its wooded area due to a homeless encampment that existed within the park area. There's a short turn lane here to access East Washington. This is adjacent to a residential area and also can easily access two gas stations directly across the street. This is certainly not a destination park, however, it does sit on the edge of Irvington and definitely recognizes some Irvingtonian history. While the Kin Hubbard Memorial is directly across from Brown's Corner, it is actually a separate park. There's no real reason to stop here unless you're like Ken - who had a passion for documenting Indiana's parks as part of his Yelp involvement - or like me and simply pass it on a daily basis to and from work. I'd probably give it a 3-4 in terms of access. You can fairly easily park in the residential area if you want to visit. There are curb cuts here, however, the park does have a bit of a rolling landscape with the exception of the easy to use trail that goes through it.

This small park lies on a triangular piece of land at the corner of Washington and Emerson. The…read morepark is named after Hilton U Brown, a field artillery lieutenant who died in the battle of the Argonne in World War I. The park has no amenities other than a small drive through lane for parking if you are headed westbound on Washington Street. Most of the park is wooded along the Pleasant Run river. A small plaque is on site to tell visitors who Lt Brown was. A second marker can be found in the park. It is for painter William Forsyth, one of the Hoosier Group around the turn of the 20th century who lived and had a workshop in a home diagonally across the street from the park. Unfortunately, the home was destroyed long ago and only the marker is left to remember the significance of the works painted there. Review #557

I was wheeling the Monon Trail from Indy to Carmel today and came across the Vera J. Hinshaw Park…read moreand Preserve. This is a 11.73 acre greenspace/undeveloped nature preserve just north of the Monon South Trailhead at East 96th Street. So, yes, this is part of Carmel's park system. The preserve includes several mature, high-quality trees - hickory, walnut, black cherry, and oak. There a definite effort for restoration in this area and more invasive species of plants have been removed. The park is a bit newer. It's next to the preserve and was recently acquired by the park system with joint management between Carmel-Clay parks and Sunrise on the Monon HOA. There's a small loop, a pond, and a shelter. There is, of course, also a path that allows for direct connection to the Monon Trail. The preserve is technically on Windpump Way (I'll confess that the 12-year-old in me giggles at this). However, it's easily and directly accessed from the Monon Trail. I'd remembered this area, however, it's much nicer and bigger than the last time I came this way on the trail. There's parking at the trailhead (along with public restrooms - thank you, Carmel). So, this is a definite easy spot. While I'd not call it a destination area, it's definitely worth a stop if on the trail. Carmel does a really nice job of caring for areas like this (unlike a certain city that I live in) and it's definitely quite nice. This area of the Monon is well paved, though there are some gentle inclines and declines worth noting. This preserve itself is completely flat and a great place to enjoy nature and get some exercise.

This preserve is located off the Monon Trail at the Indianapolis and Carmel border, just north of…read morethe 96th Street Monon Trail parking lot. (You know, that area that used to have the memorial to Pirate Cat! If you know, you know.) To access it, your best bet is to park at the parking lot at 96th Street (it's also called the Monon Greenway South Trailhead), then walk north up the Monon Trail about 200 to 300 or so steps. Walk through the tunnel, and you'll see a mailbox up ahead. That's where the Vera J. Hinshaw Preserve is located! It's a big, open space with lots of grass, a paved walking trail, a fountain and pond, and now they've recently built a shaded atrium area. It's a nice spot to take a break if you're walking on the Monon Trail in this area. There aren't any benches or even a trash can, but at the entrance of the preserve, there's a brick planter that you can sit on. I've also seen people fly kites in the grass. There's a neighborhood beyond the preserve. Surrounding the preserve are big, mature trees -- hickory, walnut, black cherry and oak. This is a nice little spot along the Monon Trail, and you can't miss it if you're in this area.

Found this little park and went for a walk. Has a paved trail (with an incline at the beginning)…read moreand tiny offshoot trails that loop thru the woods. Its a nice little spot for that area and would go again if convenient but probably wouldn't go out of my way to go back. Overall we did have a pleasant experience

What I like about this park is the variety of trails within a small area. The main trail is paved…read moreand has information signs along it about species in the area. But there's also wooded dirt trails off to the sides and a prairie trail to the north. The north part of the park is pretty flat while the south has a big elevation decrease. The other bonus of this park is that it connects to the Fall Creek trail. You can park at either trail head and enjoy the short connector trail between them.

I stumbled upon this park over the weekend while walking through downtown Zionsville. Until then, I…read morewas oblivious to this tucked away charming green space. This park features two sections- the higher level has a fountain, small green space and covered shelter overlooking the lower portion of the park with a large, lush field with a paved trail that winds along the Eagle Creek River. This park is located only a few blocks from the Main Street of downtown historic Zionsville and "next door" to the Lions Park. It looked like this was a popular spot to take your pups or ride a bike on the trail. Half the fun is enjoying the homes found on the streets neighboring the park.

This is a great little park to walk your dog in Zionsville. The park is relatively new, about five…read moreyears old and is in a low lying pasture along Little Eagle Creek. There is a good amount of parking in the park's lots upper and lower lots. Paved paths route in a large circle around the park and are accessible and keep Fido's feet clean. There are nice benches at regular intervals in the park for bird watching or just reading a book. At the upper end of the park is a small shelter with bench and a good place to watch summer fireworks. The is also a nice fountain and a few more benches to enjoy the view of the wetlands. This is a quiet hidden treasure in Zionsville and a good place to meditate and relax.

Okay, I am probably over rating this park because I know the sculptor whose work is the centerpiece…read moreof the park. Dale Enochs (Bloomington) sculpted this multi-piece "Rolling Rhythm" that is a massive 65' x 27' x 15'. At night, this piece is lit to bring a dramatic appearance to the north end of Saxony Boulevard (around 133rd). The actual park is only 3.4 acres, but there is additional green space that could be used sporting events or a fireworks celebration. Just south of the park is a playground too. There is no designated parking here, but street parking is allowed on Saxony. The rest of the actual park area is mostly wooded and has a paved path that runs along the perimeter. Note: If you are a fan of public art, you can see more of Dale's work at the following places: - Gateway to the Old North Side (2004) - Indy - 1201 N Central - Indiana Totem (outside State Museum) (2016) - Indy - 650 W Washington - Indianapolis Fallen Firefighters' Memorial (1996) - Indy - 748 Mass ave - Sphere (?) - Indy at the Governor's Mansion - 4600 N Meridian - Time Flow (2016) Indy - Bicentennial piece - Senate & Robert D Orr Plaza by the state capital building - Bloomington Banquet (2009) Bloomington - 312 W 7th St and numerous pieces in the White River Gardens Botanical gardens at the Indy Zoo Review #790

Despite the fact that Wes Montgomery Park is only a few minutes away from my house, I'd never…read morereally taken the time to stop and check it out until recently. This eastside park is located at 34th & Hawthorne and is named after Wes Montgomery (I bet you could figure that out, eh?), universally regarded as one of the greatest guitarists in jazz history who was born in Indy in 1923 and died at the age of 45 while still living in Indy. He picked up two Grammy Awards and had three other nominations including one posthumously in 1969 for "Willow Weep For Me." The park is a rather impressive park, though it has been plagued by acts of violence including homicides in 2021 and in August 2022. A 2017 homicide, 18-year-old Deante Williams, was in broad daylight. Wes Montgomery Park is a 37-acre park that features a small spray park, baseball diamonds, several basketball courts, a public pool, swing sets, a shelter house, and a medium-sized greenspace area that feels larger than it is. Like all public parks in Indy, parking is free and fairly abundant here. As a fun fact, the splash pad is designed in the shape of a guitar to honor its namesake. Wes Montgomery Park does offer some accessibility features in its park called the Boundless Playground. This was added in 2011 and offers children with disabilities the opportunity for recreation alongside nondisabled children. It's quite cool, though it seemed a wee bit worn (as did much of the park, though it's important to note that I did visit during the winter and not during the height of playtime). Overall, I'd consider Wes Montgomery Park a good but not great park. It's certainly not a destination park, however, it serves this neighborhood well. While it's important to be aware of the potential for violence, for the most part the park is well used and often the subject of service projects from area companies. I never felt unsafe during my time here and love that the park honors the memory of one of Indy's music greats.

The park is named after Indianapolis native, Grammy-award winning musician John Leslie "Wes"…read moreMontgomery. This is a very nice park that spans 37 acres and has a little bit of everything. The park has a very nice playground area that is lined with wood chips and rubber matting (which is in very bad shape). There are benches along the perimeter where parents can sit and watch their littles play. The playground has some very good equipment which includes a jungle gym with a bunch of slides, a rock climbing wall, and monkey bars. The jungle gym is accesible and has a ramp that allows littles with disabilities to play on it. There is also a spinning net pyramid, a climbing net and a bank of swings with traditional swings, toddler swings and a disability swing. It is a very nice playground and is shaded by a bunch of trees. There is a picnic shelter with picnic tables under it and a grill outside of it right off of the playground area. The park has an awesome splash pad with benches around that parents can sit. And there is another shelter with picnic tables and and grill next to the splash pad. There are also some picnic tables scattered around the park's ground's, most of which are shaded by trees You will find three full and 2-half basketball courts at the park. They are in OK shape. They are a bit older. The rims and backboard are in fair shape and the court itself needs a little TLC. The park's 3 baseball fields are in decent shape and are well maintained. The park as a whole is very well maintained and you can tell that the landscaping maintenance is on a regular schedule. The grass was cut and the trash was removed when I was there. I am not sure how safe the park is though. A quick internet search showed that someone was shot there a year ago. There was also some sketchy people just parked in their vehicles hanging out when I was there. In addition to all of park's amenities, there is a ton of green space pockets that are suitable for picnics, playing catch, a football game, soccer or flying a kite. This is a very nice park that is well maintained. It is definitely worth a visit. You can spend hours here, especially in the summer when the splash pad and pool are open.