Very neat trail. Has numerous observation areas. Trail is flat and easy. Went in the winter and it…read morewas all iced over, can't wait to see it in the spring.

If you want to really appreciate the natural beauty and diversity of Indiana, take a hike through…read moreBeanblossom Bottom Nature Preserve. It will take your breath away, especially if you visit in the spring, summer and fall, when things are blooming. This is a wetland preserve, so there are swamps all around. You'll see wildlife that like to call swampy, marshy land their home, like frogs and dragonflies, and you might even see a snake, although we didn't on our visit. You'll also see lots of beautiful greenery, trees and flowers. This is one of the most unique nature preserves I've visited in Indiana, because the hiking trail starts off on dirt, but then it turns into a raised, plastic boardwalk. Because the boardwalk is plastic, it can be slippery after a rain, so just be aware. On the boardwalk, you're literally walking right over and through the swamp, so you can get an up-close view of everything. The hiking trail is about 2.5 miles, but it felt shorter. This nature preserve seems to be popular with birders, because we saw several during our hike. When I did some research, I found out that Beanblossom Bottom Nature Preserve has been designated a state Important Bird Area by the National Audubon Society. So that explains why we saw so many birders! Speaking of birds, we saw a Great Egret swoop down in front of our path and into the swampy water. They're so big! It was like seeing a dinosaur. This nature preserve was closed for a while because a tornado went through it and damaged a lot of the trail. But a renovation was completed in spring 2019, and the trail loop has been completely restored. Parking is at a premium at Beanblossom Bottom Nature Preserve. There are exactly eight parking spaces in the parking lot, but you can also park along the side of the road if the parking lot is full. There are no restrooms or other services, so plan accordingly.

I'd call this a pocket park, if anything. Yelp has the category "parklet," which is appropriate, I…read morethink, because Old Pumphouse Park is a tiny little park. Yes, a parklet, if you will. (Will you?) There is a literal pump at this park, with a sign that tells you the history of the pump. It's not functional anymore, but it used to be set up as a place for families to get water who didn't have their own well, and for firefighters to do their thing. Now, of course, the town of Nashville has its own water system, and no one needs a water pump. But it's a fun relic. Old Pumphouse Park is pretty much in the center of downtown Nashville, right outside the public restrooms. How I enjoyed the park is: I sat by the pump, which sits under a gazebo by some beautiful hydrangea, and ate some chocolates that I bought down the street. This is a nice park to visit for a bit and sit at for a while, as you're making your way around downtown Nashville.

While Nashville continues to grow and turnover the shops in the area, I was glad to see they…read morefinally started adding parks to the community. Sure, I know they have huge state parks in the area and the kids have playgrounds at the school, but they were missing the charm of having a quiet place, slightly away from the crowded streets of the town. So, when my day of shopping/eating/browsing was winding down, I finally noticed this park. Just a block away from the main drag through town, I was able to sit on one of the benches and appreciate the nice landscaping. The public restrooms are there too, so it makes sense to have a place for others to rest if someone in the group needs to use the facilities. Seems like there has been a pocket park here for quite awhile, but what I finally noticed was the mini shelter that covered an old water pump, the kind used to fetch water out of a well. There is a plaque about the ceremonial "burying" of the old pump back in 1949 when the town finally got on a public water system furnished from a lake in the state park. What makes this quirky is that an actual hearse was used to haul the pump to its final resting place after 60 years of service. There is even a photo of the horse drawn hearse posted in the mini shelter. What a strange bit of local flavor. Regardless of whether you enjoy reading these little bits of local lore, the park was well maintained and provided a nice place to take a break. Review #2779

I hesitate in adding this review as I want to keep this a hidden gem to avoid all the crowds that…read morecovid has created in nature, but I felt the need to share to spread the local love! Reasons to love this preserve/hiking trail: - no people. I passed literally no one while on the hiking trail. It was incredible and rare to find nowadays. - inclines! Living in Indy, we don't experiences hills. So happy to have some inclines to add to the hike! - tons of wildlife and nature finds. I found so many mushrooms, insects, and other animal/plants species. - lots of terrain changes. Mostly surrounded by woods, but it meanders around a creek bed and hilltops as well. - the gravel drive and surrounding houses are to die for. *quickly checks Zillow listings* Let's keep this preserve a hidden gem and keep it clean as we found it!

Being someone who grew up here this park was a staple of my childhood. Its changed some but overall…read morenot much. They have pickleball courts, basketball courts, a city pool with splash pad, multiple shelters you can rent for get togethers, trails to hike, disc golf course, playground for the kids, and the greatest sledding hill in Indiana come winter time. For the 4th of July, they always shoot off fireworks off the top of the hill for the whole town to see. Arguably one of the best city parks in all of Indiana given the hilly terrain and all the activities.

This public park for Martinsville is comparable to Pioneer Park in Moorseville. There are four…read moretennis courts and two full size basketball courts or they can be used as four half courts. They have a full size pool with a water slide, a splash pad and a good size facilities building to accommodate their water park. Both parks are very similar in that respect. This park might have better shelters depending on your point of view but definitely a couple more with a total of nine. Most are fully enclosed and most have fireplaces. Most have some sort of playground equipment at each shelter location. These shelters can be more accomdodating in inclement weather or during colder weather. But enclosed ones have ways to open them up for summer weather such as one or more garage doors. Parking is plentiful at most shelters and all have access to a paved road. There are trails for hiking, a large fishing pond and a dedicated playground with a huge spaceship structure at its core. A dog park is available. My only complaint is there is no sign that I saw directing you to the restrooms. The obvious boy & girl restrooms at the rear dog park were locked.

Nice great park to take nice strolls around. A park, pavilion and large field to play on. Trail is…read morenice and paved.

This 41-acre park is maintained as well as it is functional. During my visit, the flowering trees…read moremade it beautiful as well! The park lies in a neighborhood on the south side of Bloomington. There is plenty of parking with a nice playground located nearby. There is a shelter with picnic tables and a grill on a hill over looking a prairie and woodland. To the east is a paved hiking trail that loops around the park, including an area set up for football. The park is also connected to the Jackson Creek Trail which connects to Sherwood Oaks Park to the west. Review #872

If you like hiking in natural settings where you can get a fair amount of distance (around 2 miles…read moreper loop) and without much elevation change (about 60 feet), this may become a new favorite park for you. As part of the Sycamore Land Trust, the properties here total 98 acres and were acquired in 1995 & 1998, so just over 20 years of naturally converting from farm land. There are wooded areas and prairies. There is a small lake hidden from view on the trail but just at the beginning of the Shawnee Trail loop. On the east side of the Shawnee Trail is a small observation deck that lets you overlook a prairie. Not a much better view, but it does held see over some of the grasses that obstruct your view. I will mention that if you are going here, wear clothing that you won't mind getting muddy. Also, be aware that the natural trails are mowed without any gravel or grit for traction, so even if it hasn't rained recently, the trail does hold some moisture which can make it slippery and muddy. I was surprised a couple times with all the fallen leaves and if not for a bit of luck, I may have slipped to the ground. There is a map of the trail paths at the parking lot. I suggest taking a photo with your phone so that you can check progress. The basic layout is the Lenape Trail heads east from the parking lot. If you take the short cut, the trail is only 0.7 miles long through a lightly wooded area. If you push on to the eastern edge of the trail, you add another 0.6 miles and will get more elevation change and pass through some areas where wooden bridges cross over the creek several times. If you want to explore some area where the observation deck and more meadows are visible, take the path that leads to the Shawnee Trail to the north. After following a 0.1 mile path to the north, you can work your way around the loop which is another 0.5 miles. Note that there are random placements of benches along the trails. No restroom facilities exist. The parking lot is gravel and is located about a half mile south of SR 46. I look forward to returning in the spring/summer months when the wildlife is more active and the fields are more colorful. Review #2061

I was looking for something fun to do on a sunny afternoon and came across this nice walking path…read more There is a nice sized parking lot at the trail head. There is a water fountain and a waste can where you first get to the path. One of the main things I loved about this trail is the fact that it is wheelchair friendly. I have a difficult time finding suitable trails to take my daughter on. This trail is not paved but it is very well packed and does have gravel in some spots. I would think that if it was wet from rains it may not be as suitable to walk on. We passed several runners, walkers and bikers. We did not make it the entire length of the trail but the length we did walk was so peaceful. There were no leaves on the trees yet and no green grass but hearing the running water in the creek along part of the trail was very relaxing. I can easily see how this would be a great place to come and get away from city life for a short time! I'll definitely be coming back when I'll be able to walk the entire path. And hopefully see some wildlife and maybe some wild flowers along the way!

I have been during the day and night. It can be a little dangerous at night. There is a homeless…read morecompound that stays out in the woods, so be sure that you're not alone and that you're prepared for danger. But it is absolutely gorgeous at night. I didnt see anything sketch on my night hike and highly recommend going. Just better safe than sorry. The day time is also really nice. It can get crowded, but thats all parks here in Bloomington. It is usually filled with runners and speed walkers. I dont see many kids. It is a trail, not a full size park. And it doesnt have the art that the B-line has so it may not be well suited for some kids. I would have loved it when I was a kid...but I was a nerdy outdoorsy kid. Definite spot for locals interested in getting off the B-line and out of the hustle and bustle of day-to-day life quickly. I wouldn't really recommend for tourists. We have much better spots for you.

This is a nice little park located in Franklin, IN. It is managed by the Franklin Parks and Rec…read more There is free street parking within a reasonable walking distance to/from this park. This park features a tennis court, a full basketball court, picnic area, and playground. There is also a decent area of green space to play things like catch. Filed sports would probably not work too well here unless you play ones with short fields. The tennis court and basketball court have seen better days, but they are both playable. The picnic area is shaded and has picnic tables and grills. The playground area is on a bed of wood chips and has a play set that has a few slides and a canopy. It is in great shape. There is also a bench that caregivers can sit on while the littles play. You will also find a bank of traditional/toddler swings. You will find a community center/meeting space at the park. It was recently renamed the Booker T. Washington Community Center. It is available to be rented for community events. The park has a historic background as the historical marker located at the park notes, it is the site of the former Booker T Washington Elementary School, Franklin's grade school for children of color from 1873-1951. In addition to the historical marker in the front on the community center, you will find informational placards throughout the park featuring prominent figures during the time of the school's operation. Thus is a nice no frills park. It is very clean and well maintained, but could use a little updating. It is definitely a cool place to hold a low-key family picnic or birthday party.

If you're like me and like to see actual pictures and videos of places this is it! Here is a video…read moretour of Booker T. Washington Community Center / Palmer Park. I had a 1 year old birthday party here and it was a great space for it! It was $154.29 after taxes for the whole day 10am-10pm. I rented it with Franklin Parks and Recreation