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…read morebut 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.

I kicked yesterday morning off with the chilliest yet most peaceful walk along the canal path with…read morea 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.

It is an awesome lil trail for a quick nature reset. Even though it isn't more than a mile long it…read moreis Beautiful!

Located right near the Hendricks and Boone Count Line on US 136, I was pleasantly surprised at the…read moreaccessibility of this nature park. The trails are limited to hikers and are paved with blacktop. The park offers a perimeter hike or a diagonal path along the sides of the creek that flows towards the Big Walnut Creek to the east. For visitors who like to know what they are looking at, the park has numerous stands with information as well as location indicators on the park maps. There are also labels for types of trees that blend well with the surrounding scenery. I also noticed some small stands with words of positivity like Kindness, Faith, Peace. I don't know the story behind those but they are low to the ground so as to not interfere with those hikers who simply want to see nature. My only knock on the park is that due to erosion along the creek, there were a lot of trees falling over into the creek. The branches were clogging the flow of water, trapping debris and leaves so that some areas of the creek were stagnating. A bit of maintenance to clean up the clogs and maybe some assistance on reducing the erosion would preserve some of the trees fighting to hang on. The park is just over 20 years old and could use a good cleaning to restore its condition. There is a lone shelter outside the wooded part of the park near the parking lot which looked to be in pretty good shape. Review #730

Excellent quick hike getaway in Avon. - no entrance fee or…read moremembership needed - easy to find right in heart of Avon no long trek - on-site free parking - deep forest & streams - secluded, no crowds - connect with nature - flat easy to navigate trail, short distances

This nature preserve has a lot of undeveloped potential. The land (83 acres) is forest with a…read moresmall creek running through it. The park has little information (no kiosk) but does have a sign asking visitors to wipe the soles of their shoes BEFORE entering so that they don't bring in seeds from invasive plants. The park entrance is at the southwest corner of the preserve (near the highway). From there, a trail leads back to the first loop (Blue) that covers roughly the middle third of the park. On the north end of the loop, there is a sign that directs you back to the entrance or north to the second loop (red) which covers the northern third of the park. Basically, the red loop covers the area on the other side of the creek. Both loops and the connector trails consist of moderate size trees with foot worn paths between them. A few wooden bridges rest on the ground to get visitors through the wettest areas of the park. The loops have very little elevation change so I would rate the hikes as easy to moderate. Although the preserve does not have its own parking, the neighboring church (to the west) allows park visitors to use the church lot any time other than Sunday morning. I can see not wanting to develop the land for visitors, but information about the parks plants and animals would be useful. Trail lengths and a map of the layout would also be helpful for first time visitors to plan their treks. Review #806

I was a little bit nervous about signing up to do a 3k event in November, however, the opportunity…read morepresented itself and I knew I'd be able to visit a park I'd never been to before. Flat Fork Creek Park is part of Fishers Parks. Located at 101st and Cyntheanne Road, Flat Fork Creek Park offers just over 60 acres of relaxing fun for just about everyone in the family including a good amount of ADA accessibility. First off, you'll get a 60-foot sledding hill here. That's good to know as we inch toward winter. It's the tallest point in Hamilton County. There's also a 1.25 mile progressive mountain bike course that offers features for both mountain biking newbies and those with more experience. There's a beautiful fishing pond - state license required except for those 17 and under. Nearly 20 acres in the park are reforestation areas and there's a shelter with picnic tables that can be rented. Okay, that accessibility I mentioned? The 3k I did was a relatively small group, though it was centered around disability and had several disabled participants. The park includes an ADA accessible treehouse, a paved multi-use trail, and a boardwalk (I would note that while the boardwalk is, indeed, accessible, you do want to be a tad careful due to the side of the boardwalk that do offer a bit of a drop-off). You know what I think is really cool? They've created a ramp here so that even those with mobility issues can get to the top of the sledding hill - in most parks, that's an afterthought. As a side note, Fishers has won awards for their inclusion work and this park really shows it. This is really just a lovely park. You're not going to find a playground or other frequent park features, however, this beautiful park does a nice job of including everyone and weaving together nature with fun park adventures. This was my first time here. It won't be my last.

I recently discovered this park and have gone back a few times now. It's a beautiful park with a…read moregreat walking path, trail and hill. I love taking my dog here for a walk or going alone just to watch the sun set. The park is spacious and clean and overall a great experience. If it were closer to me I'd probably go daily.

Starkey Park is one of the oldest parks in Zionsville. The park is mostly natural forest that is…read morebordered by Eagle Creek on the southeast and housing developments on the west. The park is managed by the Zionsville Parks & Recreation center. There are seven short trails running through hills and dense forest within the park. The trails are less than one mile long each. The trails are ideal for nature lovers, birdwatching, hiking and dog walking. The forest offers cover for many interesting species of birds. In some parts, the trails are rugged and not easily navigated. Many native wild flowers bloom within the park. Unfortunately, the trails are not suitable for strollers or wheels chairs (except for a few short segments) because they are dirt paths. But the Rail Trail that runs adjacent to the park is totally accessible and overlooks the park on the eastern side. There is a parking area on the northwest corner or other parking areas along the rail trail.

Stopped here in early March before things have started to bloom, but I liked it! It wasn't too…read morecrowded, the trees were interesting. Liked the path near the creek. As the weather gets nicer outside will definitely be back. It's really close to a residential area and high voltage power lines at first. So when we parked, I did not have high hopes.. but after you hike down the 5 story staircase and walk a bit, it feels like you are the middle of nowhere.

We found this park in the beginning of November when the trees were fall colors. Lots of leaves on…read morethe ground but you could still see and indent where the trail was. It wasn't crowded at all. Quite a bit of trails that also run along the river. There is a huge field in the middle too with picnic tables. Great place to take a walk or have a picnic!

Marott Park is formally known as "Marott Woods Nature Preserve." Established in 1987 following the…read moredonation of land by Indianapolis businessman George Marott (think Marott's Shoes and what is now Marott Apartments) and dedicated to his wife, Marott is an 102-acre nature preserve unassumingly located right at 74th and College Avenue. Admit it. You've often driven by it and wondered. The preserve protects some of Indy's oldest remnant forest and native wildflowers. For years, it was known as Marott Park and had signage to support the name. However, it was Friends of Marott Woods that helped spearhead the name change to more accurately reflect the nature of the preserve and goals for it. It's important to note that because Marott Woods is an actual state nature preserve, it's protected under state law. According to the Friends website, "protecting the habitat takes precedent over our personal whims. Because of this, activities like off-path hiking, biking, fires, and off-leash animals are all illegal under state law." Marott Woods has a relatively small area for parking, picnic tables, and hills that are somewhat cleared yet definitely natural as opposed to paved. I definitely would not consider the trails wheelchair friendly, though there are areas where a wheelchair can access and still appreciate the preserve. Nature Preserves are, of course, far more natural than a public use park and while some effort is made for accessibility the focus is on natural preservation. There are some very cool spots that I can technically get to, but not fully utilize. As others have noted, Marott Woods doesn't look like much from the street, but it becomes amazing and it's pretty awesome to think that it's basically smack dab in the middle of a residential area. I do like that the name has changed. I think it creates more realistic expectations of what this space is and how it should be used. This is definitely one of Indy's northside gems and pretty easy to reach from Broad Ripple and Nora. I'm not quite ready to call it a destination spot, but if you've found yourself curious about it I definitely recommend stopping in and enjoying the remarkable natural setting.

Zipline, shade, and water... oh my! If you're looking for the perfect summer park, you need to…read morevisit Potters Bridge Park! Tons of shade--no baking in the sun or hot slides! Kid-friendly zipline One slide and no traditional swings Climbing structure Wood chip playground Stick-built play hut for imaginative nature play Bathrooms close by Scenic walking trails with overlook points Historic covered bridge overlooking the White River Access to the White River for tubing or exploring along the shoreline Bonus: This is one of the drop-off locations for White River Canoe Company, so you'll often see people finishing their river adventures here! Home of the annual Potters Bridge Fall Festival each October. Whether you're coming to play, hike, explore the river, or simply enjoy the shade, this is one of my favorite parks to escape the summer heat

My first visit here was in July 2021 when I resided in Indiana. The bridge was built in 1871 and…read morewas used for 100 years and since 1971 was listed in the National Register of Historical places in 1991. I made my first visit in July 2021 when I resided in Indiana. The park has restrooms, children's playground, paved trails to walk, tubing, jogging, running, kayaking, paddle boarding or biking. The park is also dog friendly. The park was well kept. The bridge was nicely constructed. My first sight to see this type of bridge. Overall, I enjoyed walking on the peaceful and beautiful park alongside the White River.

Red Maple Path is one of three paths located inside the 205-acre Hummel Park. Red Maple is…read moreprimarily known for its wooden bridge pathway. It's a narrow path, though I had no issues crossing it in my wheelchair. I can never turn down a good bridge. The entire path is around 1.2 miles around the eastern portion of Hummel Park. You'll experience several of the park's amenities. This is a very wooded park and quite beautiful. The path itself is paved and super wheelchair friendly with barely an incline to be found. It's worth noting that the bridge goes over the White Lick Creek. This is a pedestrian bridge and no fishing is allowed. You're really not supposed to stop on the bridge, though it'll take a stronger person than me to not stop and gaze at the beauty. Because this is located inside Hummel Park, parking itself is solid and there are accessible spots, including van accessible, quite close to the trail. This was one of my stops on a work trip to Plainfield and I already find myself wanting to return in the near future.

Red Maple Path is the Hummel Park Wooden Bridge path intended primarily for pedestrian use to…read moresafely cross White Lick Creek. The bridge is narrow so walking your bike across is a must. Nice location for pictures or an easy to find meeting spot in the park.