I really enjoyed my visit to this park. First, I don't think many people know about it and so I…read morehad the entire park to myself. I was able to grab one of the limited street parking sites on Bunch Blvd near the north entrance to the park. Second, there was a small plaza with informational signs describing the park, the folks involved with getting it built, and general wetland information that was brief, but helpful. Next, most of the pathway for visitors is slightly elevated on a boardwalk. Even though there was disturbance in the area during the construction, the wetlands have now recovered and the elevated trail makes for easy walking without damaging the surrounding wildlife. The rest of the trail is equally broad and hopefully gives good enough views that visitors won't wander off into the prairie area of the park. Note that during my visit, the wetlands appeared mostly dry but green. About half way through the trail, a large wooden shelter was constructed with a slightly elevated observation deck that offers great views over the lowlands of the park. There are more benches available there and lots of shade in an otherwise open area of the park. I really appreciate that the area has been preserved as a beautiful green area that can accommodate both humans and nature. Review #1053

Visits to the Oakhurst Mansion and Gardens are part of the Minnetrista complex of activities in…read moreMuncie. The Oakhurst Mansion was built in 1894 by George and Frances Ball in the Arts and Crafts style. The Balls were avid readers and created the Blue Book of Canning, that teaches food preservation. This remarkably maintained house is open for self guided tours. The interior contains all original woodwork, trim details and some furniture. Family history is abundant throughout the home. My granddaughter enjoyed the interactive activities throughout the house, especially canning in the kitchen and creating a family tree. Immaculate gardens surround the house. The garden is filled with oak trees and other dense hardwoods. Paths meander through the garden. There was one clerk present during our visit that checked us in and invited us to explore the house and grounds. She was friendly. Admission was included in the $15 tickets that we purchased at the Bob Ross Experience (but can also be purchased on line). There is ample parking in the lot northwest of Oakhurst. Accessible ramps are located at the east entrance of the home. They are opened Wednesday - Sunday.

The campus of Minnetrista is beautiful! My sister and I often drive here and park to start and end…read moreour run from the campus. There are nice paved paths that easily connect to the Cardinal Greenway or just a short jog to the White River. The paths through Oakhurst Gardens are not really long enough to do your full run, but they are a nice little detour from typical sidewalks! I would highly recommend the garden paths for an easy stroll on a nice day. This is a safe and free area to enjoy a nice walk. Even in February the gardens are well kept and the ornamental sidewalk designs provide enjoyable scenery. I am looking forward to going back as spring awakens the blooms in the garden. Another plus about parking/visiting this area for a walk or run is that the Minnetrista museum building is unlocked during business hours and you can sneak in to use the restroom!

This park may be headed towards being a 5! There appears to be obvious signs of improvement as the…read moreplayground area has new equipment located near the community center (an older playground is still standing to the north end of the park near the baseball field.) A number of wooden shade structures have been erected around the playground looking as if they are new. They don't actually offer much shade, but look like they could add tarps or something to offer a little bit more. Maybe some vine plantings will be added. There was an area that looked as if heavy equipment were clearing the space for further construction. I didn't see any indication what would be going in, but it shows that the park is getting attention. It was well maintained and seemed to be clean. I didn't see any restrooms other than what may be inside the center. I parked along the street, but there was a lot at the center as well. Review #927

Great trails! Definitely one of my favorites. Not too crowded. There's a good variety of trail…read moreoptions. The trails are well kept. It was very cool to see the mounds and read about the history.

If you haven't been here the mounds are an archeological site, and that this site and was noticed…read moreby outsiders/settlers and survived is also amazing. The nature center has a great mural of the mounds, their preservation, and Mounds before it became Mounds State Park. The obligatory bird/wildlife viewing room, like Turkey Run and Brown County State Park, is here, when you finally peel yourself away from that peaceful space, visit the Bronnenberg House next door to the nature center. You can only go in to the Bronnenberg home on the weekends, but no one bugged us for peeking in the windows of the closed building. There is sadly no more pool, and hasn't been for a couple decades, but you can get your feet wet in the shallows of the White River. We poked around for mussel shells and man-made fossils, river-erroded glass, tiles, and brick bits. Plenty of hiking trails and bike-able spots in the park, a minimal bike trail in the from Bronnenberg house the group of mounds, but the roads are pretty flat around the park if you need a good ride. Friendly enough staff at the gate and campground gate, and one ranger took the time to say hi to us after noticing our way out of state plates. Fellow campers were quiet enough, making this a good getaway.

This park seems like a relatively new park in appearance. It is split in half by 2nd street with…read morethe northern half having the majority of amenities. There you will find a nice playground, some paved paths, and a splash park. On the south end there is greenspace and some shade structures. What is lacking here is parking for visitors other than the folks who live nearby (the buildings look like condos.) Parking in the nearby lots require permits. There is very limited street parking on 2nd though I didn't see anyone utilizing that small stretch of curb. Although there is water on site for the splash park, I didn't see any restrooms either. So, the park seems to be intended for those nearby residents/tenants, but not so welcoming for others. Note: I also didn't see any plaque about Mr Thornburg which I looked for since it was a "memorial" park. Review #929

The wetlands have been allowed to stay primitive. The only concession to that is that a path has…read morebeen made to skirt within viewing distance of the water that stands. Much of the water that is still has become overgrown with floating vegetation which is not pretty to look at, but is expected. The animals didn't seem to mind as I saw ducks feeding, often bobbing their heads below the surface to grab something. A bullfrog could be heard during a long stretch of my walk. A turtle nestled in the sun atop a fallen branch that protruded through the surface of the water area. For hikers, the trail is partially paved and some of it is a slightly elevated boardwalk to allow feet to stay dry. There is very little elevation change, so it makes for an easy stroll along the pond and wetlands. The trail connects to the White River Trail. The trails accommodate walkers and cyclists, so be aware since the path is not very wide. The park has a parking lot on site and some large shade trees on a lawn area near the street. It seemed a popular place for visitors to have enjoy their lunch in a green setting. Review #1103

This park is a nice peaceful spot located along Buck Creek. It was dedicated in 2019 and was made…read moreand is maintained by American Legion Post 321 in Yorktown. It is located across the street from the Legion and behind Morrow's Meadow. There is a nice bridge that takes you from Morrow's Meadow/Pizza King, over the creek and to the park. You are welcomed to the park by a large flat silhouette Iwo Jima sculpture that has an actual American flag and the words "American Legion Memorial Park", cut out in the bottom of it. It is perched on a low cement platform. The park is small but still very nice and is a peaceful place to sit, reflect and pay respect to those that served and are no longer with us. It is a large green space area with a couple of fire pit areas, a couple of picnic tables, and some benches that you can sit on that overlook the creek. You will also see a large American flag hanging from the trees and rocks with metal dedication plaques on them. The park has a bunch of trees that provide tons of shade. I will be honest, the park could use a bit of TLC, but this park is made possible by private donations and volunteers, so for. That reason I give them a little leeway. It is a bit more challenging to keep up with the landscaping an maintenance. As i previously mentioned, it is not the biggest park I would say it is about a bit bigger than a football field, but it is still nice and I found it to be a good spot to sit, enjoy the day and reflect.

The park appeared to be undergoing some changes as we drove along SR32. Where there used to be…read morenatural grass and maybe wildflowers looked like the ground had been tilled or disturbed in some manner. When we pulled into the parking lot on Perdieu Road, there was a wire across the trail access with a sign notifying that there had been some recent spraying which may be hazardous to visitors, so we weren't able to explore. What I don't understand is why a natural habitat is getting sprayed and the ground being tilled. I checked their website before writing this and didn't find any current information. So, before coming here, try calling the conservancy's number on the website to see if it is open. It still is a great idea and has a lot of potential, but like many things during this pandemic, it can be disappointing.