The Franciscan Trail is one of Central Indiana's newest trails having opened in April 2022 and the…read morefirst trail inside the Beech Grove city limits. Fully paved, the 2.2 mile trail has end points of S. 13th Avenue and S. Emerson Avenue/Hornet Avenue. There's free parking available at Sarah Bolton Park and Don Challis Park. If it's not obvious, the Franciscan Trail is a partnership between the city of Beech Grove and Franciscan Health. Franciscan Health is a longtime presence in the Beech Grove area. While St. Francis Hospital in Beech Grove is no more, Franciscan continues to have outpatient offices, IT offices, and home health offices in Beech Grove. As someone who is both a wheelchair user and an active trail user, the Franciscan Trail seemed like a great way for me to start off my 2023 Yelp reviews. The trail is 12' wide and considered wheelchair accessible. However, do note that there are some gentle inclines in places and those who don't handle inclines well may want to have a companion along. For those wheelchair users who are able to handle inclines and the usual trail terrain, the Franciscan Trail is an absolute delight. The trail winds along Lick Creek and Beech Creek and is quite scenic. I hesitate to use the word "urban" to describe the trail since Beech Grove is a smaller city, but it does go through the more urban parts of Beech Grove. A 1.1-mile second phase of the trail is already fully funded and expected to begin construction in 2024. It will pick up where the existing trail ends on Emerson Avenue. Because the trail is at times creek side, there is the risk of modest flooding during rainy periods. That said, the trail seems well designed and well cared for by the community. A trail has been a need in this area for quite some time and it's exciting to see it happen. Biking and walking are allowed on the trail. Wheelchairs are also encouraged. The usual trail rules apply. As Christina B. noted, this is not a looped trail and walkers should plan accordingly.

The Franciscan Trail just officially opened on April 15th and is the first greenway in Beech Grove…read more Part 2 is already in the works. The paved trail is 2.2 miles long and traverses between Sarah Bolton park and just past Don Challis park. It isn't a loop so be prepared to walk 2.2 miles back if you walk the full trail. We parked at Sarah Bolton park and walked just over 1/2 mile of the trail to check it out. The trailhead at the park features a map and the trail rules. The trail is freshly paved and boasts that it is pet friendly and handicap accessible. There are pet waste stations located every so often along the trail. Parts of the trail were a little hilly so I don't know just how accessible it would be but would probably vary by person. We didn't see them on this trip but I read that two officers patrol the trail on electric bicycles for safety. Even though it was in the city, it was super peaceful. We quickly entered into a woodsy area full of wildlife like birds and bunnies. The trail also runs along Lick Creek. We were there the morning after a thunderstorm so there was some flooding on parts of the trail, but it looked like some sort of drainage system was in the works. I'm looking forward to coming back to walk the full trail soon.

This is a wonderful conservatory and so cool that Indy Parks has this available! For $5 you can…read moreenter the conservatory and enjoy all the plants and surroundings.

The conservatory offers a variety of plants, flowers, and serene views of the waterfall. The…read morewaterfall and fish pond was definitely my favorite view out of everything offered at the conservatory with their scenic views and decor. The sunken garden was an okay view, the fountains were beautiful but there wasn't any other foliage, flowers, or scenery out there to enhance the view. The garden definitely has potential to be better than it is.

I wish I could be arsed to find out why this park is called Wolf Run Park. I can't, though, so I…read moreguess it will forever remain a mystery. Because the name of the park has "wolf" in it, I kind of thought it would be a bit more bad in the good way (like Michael Jackson's Bad), but instead, it was just good in the bad way (like boring). Kids will love the playground, though. And that's the point of visiting this park. The playground has a big structure for the older kids, and a small structure for the younger kids. There are saucer swings, regular swings, a rope climber, slides, musical instruments, a merry-go-round and other fun things to play on. The whole playground is padded with wood chips. The playground looks like it is relatively modern (no metal equipment), but there isn't anything that stands out about this park. It has a run-of-the-mill playground, and it does its job. There are basketball courts a ways away. There's a big, grassy field to enjoy. One thing to note is that there is zero shade on the playground. That was fine when I visited, because it was an overcast day. But I imagine that this playground can be insufferable on a hot, sunny day. Another thing to note is that there are restrooms at Wolf Run Park, but on the day that I visited, they were closed for the season. So I guess if you visit this park during the fall and winter (and maybe even early spring), the restrooms will be closed.

My nieces love this park and it's become one we visit fairly often. The playground has equipment…read morefor a variety of ages to enjoy with swings, spinning spots, play houses, climbing materials and plenty of slides. The ground is a wood chip base, so sneakers are better than sandals and slides for shoes! There tends to be a lot of bugs, little tiny flys of some kind today, so something to be aware of. They did just add a bathroom recently, and I used it for the first time today. There was no toilet paper or soap. The toilet and sink water worked fine, and there was a changing table. One of two water fountains worked too. I'm hoping that all improves soon, but I'm still grateful they put in bathrooms here! It was a problem before. The trail is nicely paved and there's a little break to the left when you turn down the trail. If you follow it, you'll find a little spot to see the creek. Not really enough to play in, but we like to go take a minute to see it sometimes.

I've been spending some time in Beech Grove over the Memorial Day holiday this year, and I realized…read moreI'd never really checked out Don Challis Park. This is a 14-acre park named after a longtime Beech Grove resident who was devoted to improving the community and the area's parks. If you visit the city's website, you'll even see a letter from the Challis family on the parks department page. The park is adjacent to South Grove Intermediate School. It's accessible from 9th Avenue, and it features a picnic shelter, playground equipment, a volleyball court, and a good amount of green space with mature trees. From May-October, the shelter can be rented for $65 for Beech Grove residents and non-profits. Non-residents pay $100. The park has experienced some upgrades in recent years, though in 2022 there was a shooting at the park during a vigil. To my knowledge, it was targeted (during a vigil) and I've never seen the park have any other issues. I've always felt safe around the park and in Beech Grove. Don Challis Park does have parking available, and there's also a public restroom (I think the restroom might be seasonal, though I'm not sure). Don Challis Park is a solid community park. I wouldn't call it a destination park, but it serves the community well. For a relatively small city, Beech Grove does well with its parks.

This is a nice little park in Beech Grove. It was originally named South Grove Park, but was later…read morerenamed to Don Challis Park, after a man who diligently worked for 29 years to make the parks in Beech Grove a wonderful place for children and adults to enjoy. The park has its own private lot. It appears to be going through some type of renovation. Maybe a paved jogging trail or something. It is relatively small, sitting at about 14 acres. It has a a covered pavilion with picnic tables, a playground, a sand volleyball court, and a little green space to play or sit and have a picnic. The park also has a huge restroom facility. The playground is lined with wood chips and has a jungle gym with some slides and a long row of swings. The sand volleyball court is in adequate shape and the park's grounds are well maintained. This is a decent park to spend some time. You can hang out with the little ones or just relax and watch cars go by. It looks like they are set on improving this park and making it even better.

This park is a good size for Southport area. The parking lot has plenty of spaces. They have a…read morecovered picnic area. Some of the playground equipment is older and some of the newer stuff is missing belts. They have a basketball court and a softball/baseball area. My toddler is a simple guy and enjoyed picking up the sticks and running around. So I'll give it 4 stars,

This is the definition of a traditional park. It is a small park with its own private parking lot…read more It has a medium sized shelter with picnic tables under it and a couple of grills next to it. The shelter has seen better days. There is also a field with a kickball backstop. The field does not have any markings, base lines, or mounds. It is just an open green space with a back drop. So, it can be used for other field activities such as soccer, football, frisbee, flying a kite, or playing catch. The playground equipment is in decent shape for the most part, but could probably use an upgrade soon. There is a set of monkey bars, a merry go round, a huge spiral slide tower, a metal slide, a bank of 3 see-saws, an expression swing, a hilly balance beam, a metal climbing pyramid, a bank of traditional swings, and a bank of toddler swings. Behind the swings are a couple of picnic tables and some benches. It looks like there is a merry go round that has been fully taken over by dirt and weeds and looks more like a garden The park has a full basketball court that is decent. The court is a good shape and the rims have nets. The court has benches along the side for resting or spectators. and there is a set of bleachers over there that it shares with the field. This park is alright. It is not like the new mega playgrounds, But it is one of the better ones in the area. I may not have the flash or pizzazz of the newer ones, but it can provide fun for a couple of hours.

I'm a big fan of parks and playgrounds, so I'm very glad that Commons Park exists. The playground…read moreat Commons Park has the biggest climbing spinner that I've ever seen on a playground ... and my children and I have been to a lot of playgrounds! It could easily fit a whole classroom of children on it. The playground also has a huge geometric climbing system; a huge play structure with a bridge, steps and a climber; slides; swings for all ages; and lots of opportunities to climb and get the wiggles out. The playground area is padded with soft tiles for easy landings. One of the best features of Commons Park is that this park is completely fenced all the way around. This helps to give parents with kids who like to dash some peace of mind. And not only is the park fenced, but the park is small enough to see where your child is wherever they are playing, as you sit at any of the benches that are placed around the park. This park also has an area where you can play table tennis (bring your own paddles and ball!), as well as a barbecue grill. Commons Park has a lot going for it. And I'm glad that this space is being used as a park, instead of what it used to be (apparently, this space was the site of a motorcycle gang). The downsides of this park -- which sits in a residential neighborhood -- is that there isn't a designated parking lot for the park. Parking is on the street. The other downside is that there isn't a bathroom or water fountain. So parents and caregivers of young children: Plan accordingly!

This is a very nice park. It is relatively new, opening in late 2018. It is very neat and clean and…read morehas newer/modern playground equipment. It is a very colorful park, which is good given the lands history. They have park benches and a grill. There is a cement ping pong table, a huge jungle gym , cargo nets, ropes, a large merry-go-round, two sets of swings, a beehive climber and other equipment I do not know the name of. The ground of the playground is covered in the rubber surface that is popping up at most newer playgrounds. Your kids will love this park. The park does not have a private lot, but there is free street parking available on the street bordering the park. The park is relatively small, spanning about a quarter acre. The playground is fenced in, which is good because it it right off of a busy throughfare. Kind of keeps the little ones corralled in. There is only one way in and one way out. There is no restroom facilities or water, so plan accordingly. The park was once the site of the Outlaws Motorcycle Gang clubhouse before the city took over the property after its seizure by federal authorities. This is a very nice park. I had past the park a few times and it was packed. I really like it. It can definitely entertain the little ones for hours. It is surely worth a visit.

Nice place for kids to play and walk the cannal, and spend family time. It is a little hard to find…read morebut worth the look

Our older two (4 and 6) loved the climbing structures, but there wasn't a ton for a toddler to do!…read moreThe canal view is nice though, and she was entertained by the ducks! There was a bit of trash throughout the park, and we did end up leaving a little earlier than planned after getting a strange vibe from a homeless man sitting at the swings.

Although it appears that the upgragrades are finished and there are no workman or equipment on site…read moreanymore, the park remains closed. What's up IndyParks? Why does every improvement to our local parks take SO LONG? Bluff Park at Hanna and Bluff Roads was closed for months upon months with nothing being done. When I contacted the city about this, they told me they were having trouble getting the proper permits to do the work! The city was having problems getting permits from...the city.

I grew up coming to this park for picnics/games in the large grass field. The play structure is a…read morebit lacking. I brought my baby today hoping they would have a bucket swing and they did not so we did not stay long.

In Indy water park it smells like bleach when you walk in and the life Gaurd are just so mean and…read morethe blow there whistles for no reason

My son is 6 and is special needs. The staff were extremely helpful and understanding. My son…read morequickly became obsessed with the one large water slide, and the lifeguards communicated with him in a way that my son could follow and understand their direction.

Thompson Park is such a beautiful, modern playground! I love that there's no mulch--the playground…read morehas a soft, rubber-like surface that's comfortable to walk on, and everything was very clean and well maintained. There are so many different activities and play features for kids to choose from. I was especially impressed by the sensory-friendly and inclusive features throughout the park. They have a communication board as well as a large basket/nest swing that provides more space and support than a traditional playground swing. I really appreciate parks that think about children with different sensory, communication, and mobility needs while still creating a space that's fun for everyone. Thompson Park definitely did that. Such a great park for families, and we'll definitely be back!

This park recently went through a remodel, and it has been a hit ever since! The playground…read morereceived a complete renovation and now features one of the tallest attractions at an Indy park. There are slides, swings, climbing areas, and plenty of fun options for kids of different ages. Right next to the playground is a shelter area that we rented for my son's graduation party. The rental was around $150 for the day, and we booked it easily through the Indy Parks website. One thing to note is that some people may not realize the shelter is reserved, so we had a few people try to use it during our event. We printed out our reservation confirmation to have proof that it was paid for and reserved. The shelter has four large picnic tables and a grill, which worked well for our gathering. The biggest downside is that there is no electricity and no restroom nearby, which was disappointing considering the rental price. Having those amenities would make the space much more convenient for larger events. The park also has a remodeled basketball court and a trail area for walking or enjoying the outdoors. There is a smaller parking lot, and during busy times some visitors park along the grass. This was a decent venue for my son's grad party. I just wish the shelter included electricity and closer restroom access for the price.