Unless you are a skilled hiker, I recommend going to this beautiful nature preserve when the…read moreweather has been dry. There is about 90 feet of elevation change on the 0.8 mile loop that can be a bit slippery if you pick a time when mud/rain can be a problem. I only explored the north end trail during my visit. After parking in a shaded lot, I went into the park where I had a choice of left or right. The right side has a steeper descent than the left. Fortunately, there is a hand rail for stability. I figured it easier to go down the steep side than up, so I stayed on the right hand path. There is a fairly level area before you reach the "stairs". The stairs are mostly natural, so they aren't evenly spaced. Just keep focused and you should be alright. Once the trail reaches the bottom of the gorge, there are places where elevated paths keep your feet from trekking through the mud. Depending upon how much rain has fallen, you may get some mud, but my feet stayed dry the entire loop. At the base, there are deep ravines where the trees catch the sunlight and light up in brilliant yellow greens. The rocks are layered and take on a rusty color that can make for some great photos. The highlight of the loop is finding the "arch" through the ridge of rock. It was just a bit taller than my head (I would say most folks won't need to duck going through.) After that, you will start working your way back. Although I traveled the same distance up, it was gradual and not nearly as challenging as climbing steps. I didn't see much wildlife there, but there were squirrels and butterflies that showed themselves. I like a short hike that features a destination and great scenes along the way. If you like that too, then seek out this park. Review #2840

Great trail among beautiful landforms. It's a nice hike that makes for a good day trip along with…read moreWilliamsport Falls, Attica, and the courthouse murals on Covington.

Very nice nature park. Loop trail is easy walking. Great place to take the kids or the dog for a…read morewalk. Several access points for fishing along the trail and near the bridge.

Just north of Crawfordsville on US-231 is a nature park with a wooded hike and lots of bench/tables…read morealong the path. The majority of the trail parallels the river, including the bend for the last third of the trail. Near the entrance are several board displays including a map and information about the wildlife in the area. The trail starts on the left of the parking lot and loops around a small pond to cover the majority of the park to the right. Most of the paths are dirt, though parts are sandy (near the bend) and rocky. Decent footing for walking, but not so good for jogging since there can be muddy stretches and uneven surfaces. Near the bend, the trail opens up to a "beach" area across from an old power plant. The river has a small dam that creates a murmuring that is relaxing. Fishing is allowed, but there are signs posted that the fish may not be healthy for eating. Sadly, after the rounding of the bend where the trail passes under US-231, a "camp" for homeless blocked the path. I didn't see anyone there, but felt uncomfortable going beyond that point. On the trail back, I found a bypass along the front of the park where the tall grasses had been cut straight to the parking lot. Overall, the park was a decent hike, but could use some attention. I kept running into cobwebs through the wooded area, so I wonder how much use the trail gets. Also, the trail got hard to follow beyond the bend. I wasn't sure if I was to continue along the river or if there was some woodland path that was obscured from view. Note: Access to the park is only available from the north bound lanes of US-231 near the Elston Park Softball Complex. Review #966

We recently went to Illinois to visit family and planned to go to Kickapoo to do some fishing and…read moregrilling. It was a pretty warm day, so we found a spot with some shade, flat ground, benches and access to the pond for fishing. We didn't have much luck with the fishing, but neither did the folks who had been in the same spot before us. The park has several ponds with multiple access points. Some have docks where you can fish off of them and others have boat launches as well. A very large area with lots of picnic tables and stationery grills was roped off/closed. We weren't sure why. They also have paddle boats as well as kayak and tube rentals. Entry was free (which was surprising to me) and I was sad to see so much litter strewn about. People should take better care of our green spaces. Hopefully, they have someone who cleans up and maintains these areas.

3.1 clear lake trail sucks for maintenance, not even wide enough for 1 person, no edge work done…read morefor years, the path itself is moderate/rugged is good. And dont expect trail markers when you come to a fork in the path. At one point it just stop and dumps you in a field near a parking lot with no explanation.

I love taking my beagle here to walk once in a while. She loves this place. It's big and clean and…read morepretty.

This is a great park! It has plenty of room and something for just about everybody! Some of the…read morefeatures are: - swimming pool and splash park - skate park - 2 playgrounds - baseball diamonds - horseshoe pits - 18 hole disc golf course Not only does it have the fun stuff, but it also has shelters, restrooms, and a memorial to the local infantry that fought in the War with Spain. The grounds are split by a flowing creek with several bridges for easy crossing. And the north end of the park is filled with mature trees that offer lots of shade for visitors. Review #965

What a wonderful place to get out of the city and just slow down! My honey took me here 4/26/26…read moresince we've had some nice weather lately. Pleasantly surprised they have many picnic tables, the cover bridge to see and of course the Falls. Just be careful when walking to the lower fall as you are pretty close to the ledge of the falls. Plenty to enjoy here. Next time we shall have a nice picnic and enjoy the scenery. You can swim too.Parking is easy but i'm sure it gets crowded in the summer time!

Cataract Falls is a geological wonder worth visiting and only an hour west of Indianapolis. These…read moremagnificent Falls were created over millions of years as ice and water carved into the ancient limestone resulting in Mill Creek and two sets of falls. The Upper Falls drops 20 feet and can be viewed near the entrance to the park at several overlooks. We visited this week on a bright summer day. The waters were loud and rapid after recent rains. This is one of Indiana's most beautiful sites. There is a large parking lot near the Upper Falls along with picnic tables, grill, pavilion and small playground. We brought a picnic lunch so we could enjoy the Falls. There are pit bathrooms near the playground in a second parking lot. The Lower Falls are a short drive through the park. A nearby lot provides plenty of parking. The short path to view the falls is not paved, but an easy walk. These falls drop 18 feet with incredible views of the layered limestone exposed west of the falls. I was envious of a lone kayaker below the falls. There are marked trails through dense woods descending near the creek. You'll want to wear good hiking shoes and bug spray if you are up for the adventure. The property was donated by Agnes Stuckey in memory of her mother, Agnes Steiner. The Park is maintained by the Indiana DNR. There was no admission during our midweek visit.

This is another great rail trail in Indiana that straddles Sugar Creek. Finding the trail is…read moretricky, winding pass farmland, through a golf course and around some tight curves. There is plenty of parking and a porta potty at the entrance we used. There was no phone connectivity, so I could not check in. This is wilderness! This was my third visit to the trail. There is short hike up a hill to access the trail. The tree lined trail is nicely paved with occasional benches and pet clean up stations. There are lots of wildflowers along the path and some picturesque views including and old train bridge across Sugar Creek. There were lots of birds chirping so a good place for bird watching. On the weekend, there are many people out walking, running, riding bikes and more. Rock hunters look for fossils under the bridge. The trail itself is accessible and navigable in a wheel chair but I don't know how a wheelchair could climb the hill to get on the trail. Perhaps there is another area with easier access. The trail closes at dusk.

This is a 4 and a half mile trail of wilderness on the outskirts of Crawfordsville. It's…read morewell-maintained and peaceful, great for walking, jogging, or biking. It's mostly paved with a short gravel section. Although it is technically part of the trail I would skip the section by Crawfordsville High School and start by Donnelly's, its more nature-y. I don't think there's any water fountains so definitely bring a water bottle. It's rural and seems very safe, I've never heard of any crime on it, but I would still recommend normal safety precautions because it is very isolated.

Highland Park is a huge community park in Kokomo with lots of green space, recreational spaces and…read morea historic covered bridge. What I like best about the park are the mature trees that provide lots of shade. Some of the trees are over 400 years old. There is a huge colorful playground with climbing structures, swings and slides. The base is a mix of mulch and soft matting. Benches line the area for parents to sit and watch kids . (The equipment could use a good cleaning from the trees.) There are two ball diamonds with bleachers within the park. A beautiful stream that meanders through the park attracts fisherman. Tree-covered picnic areas are scattered along the creek. The Vermont Covered Bridge spans the creek and is open to pedestrian traffic. There are restroom facilities near the playground. There are several parking areas throughout the park and you can drive along the creek. Highland Park is a great place to bring the family.

We rented the Rogers Pavilion at Highland Park for our family reunion in August. We booked it about…read morea year in advance since we have our family reunion every August, and we wanted to make sure we could get the date we needed. The pavilion was around $250 for pretty much the entire day, which I thought was a great price for the amount of time and space you get. We really like this park because there's plenty of space and lots of parking. There's also a playground directly across the street that's suitable for kids of different ages, along with a basketball court. The pavilion itself has plenty of tables and chairs, you just have to set them up yourself. There's also a small kitchen, which is very convenient, along with two gender neutral restrooms on each side of the kitchen. The only downside is that the grill provided with the pavilion is a little bit of a walk from the indoor area. There's also another covered pavilion with seating between the grill and the Rogers Pavilion. There happened to be another event going on there during our reunion. It didn't interfere with our event, but of course, having the entire area private would have been even better. I really like this pavilion and think it's a great place to host an event. There's plenty of space, lots of parking, and activities for all ages. I'd definitely consider renting it again for future family events!

It's been a while since I've been to the Canal, but when I saw they were having a Full Moon Yoga…read moreParty, I knew I wanted to check it out and I'm so glad I did! The yoga was provided by The Hot Room Yoga, and I believe the event was in partnership with Indy Cultural Trail. There was also a local artist, Lily Groot, who was there creating free prints for at least 450 attendees. I got print 13. Honestly, it was such a great event! You could purchase items from Black vegan cafe food truck, while we hung out and watched the sunset. Then around 8:30 PM, we turned on the glow lights they provided and got ready to do yoga under the full moon. The yoga session was about an hour. It was definitely challenging as you really just had to listen on what to do, but it felt so good for my body, mind, and soul. There was something really special about doing yoga outside, surrounded by the Canal, with the sunset fading and the full moon coming out. It was a vibe. I'm really glad I got to experience this! There's another one coming up in September, so if you've never been, you should definitely give it a try, it was free! Such a fun and unique Indy experience!

Goodness, have I walked the canal about 50 times now?!…read more It's such a unique experience for Indy to have some water space in the middle of the city. This 3 mile loop will take you from 11th Street down to White River State Park to access the green space and extra trails down there. The canal water itself is not super cute, where there can be litter, and the water is rather opaque. They do drain the canal every so often to keep it from getting too uncute. The sidewalks are kept nicer, though a few spots in front of apartment buildings could use some TLC. There are also a few spots where the sidewalk is not level, so take caution if that is an issue. It's mostly stair access to the canal, but I *think* I've seen an elevator around the Ohio street basin. The canal has a few businesses along it for your merriment. Notably, there is Fresco on the Canal (I have a separate review for this) which is open March-October. Eiteljorg museum cafe is open daily around the lunch hours (11-3) and can be accessed through their patio gate. Entertainment wise, there is more going on. I've done the swan boat rentals, where you can pedal around on the canal. This is quite a workout! Rental of swan boats and kayaks is near the Ohio Street basin. There is also the gondolas, where your gondolier can sing, and they've always sounded marvelous. There's also a few stations for the Pacers Bikeshare around the canal, which is free for Marion County residents. Any time the weather is right, you can find me getting my steps in!

During a recent trip to Turkey Run State Park for a meeting, I had some extra time to explore a…read morebit. While you might think that's what led me to Shades State Park, to be honest I landed here because I got lost. So, I figured "What the heck?" and decided to snag a second Indiana state park in one day. Located about 17 miles southwest of Crawfordsville off SR 47, Shades State Park is an ideal location for camping, hiking, and canoeing. As Katy E. notes in her review, Shades is less popular than the pretty close by Turkey Run. With sandstone clicks overlooking Sugar Creek, this is the place for those who want more nature and less activity. You can also check out the Pine Hills Nature Preserve while here. Shades is definitely not built necessarily for someone like me (a wheelchair user) precisely because it's not "built." It's a pretty natural setting, though it does have a picnic area with shelters, a 6-ravine hiking challenge, 10 trails (plus a backpacking trail), fishing, interpretive naturalist services (seasonal), and it's a favorite spot for a number of astronomy groups due to its dark skies. While I found the entrance to Turkey Run (which I love) a little too developed, such is not really the case here. There are 105 non-electric camping sites, 7 backpack camping sites, 10 sites for canoe camping, youth tent areas, and a dumping station. For hikers, the trails range from about .5 miles to about 2.5 miles. A couple of these trails are genuinely rugged, and probably not best for beginners. There are a couple shorter trails that are considered easy, though obviously "easy" means different things - especially for wheelchair users. Trail #7 is currently closed due to recent rains/floods. A few fun facts: Shades State Park opened in 1947. It was the state's 15th state park. This area was originally known as "Shades of Death" due to its darkness and deep forest. In the 19th century, there was a mineral springs resort here. Joseph Frisz, the owner, actually sold the land to the state for a park to preserve the area. Shades does not have a hotel or inn, however, you're close to Crawfordsville. Turkey Run Inn is about eight miles away for those not into primitive camping. I'm a big fan of this park. While there are certainly trails here I can't really do in the wheelchair, there's enough places to go that I can easily still spend the day here. Including Pine Hills, Shades covers about 3,000 acres.

What a serene and beautiful state park! Went during memorial weekend which was the perfect…read moretime/weather. We brought 2 dogs (small and medium size) with us. Recommend bringing plenty of water, bug spray, a packed lunch/snacks, a bag for trash because you must pack in and pack out - leave no trace behind. Wear hiking boots for ample ankle support and when you cross creeks/streams of water. For hiking - we hit up trail 2, then 1 and ended with 9. I'm glad we did it in that order because we did the most challenging trails in the beginning and ended with a nice walk. Easily hiked ~6 miles. We went when it wasn't crowded so we were fully immersed into nature without big groups. This park doesn't have much foot traffic compared to Turkey Run, which is what we enjoyed the most here. We went around noon and left before it got dark. PROS: $7 for Indiana residents, modern restrooms, playground for kids and benches for lunch. CONS: No trash cans

This park was a great place to get out and go for a walk. The sidewalk is oversized with plenty of…read moreroom for people to pass or go on opposing directions. On our walk we headed up a long winding sidewalk for a mile. We still hadn't reached the end before turning around and heading back. There were so many adorable dogs on the visit. We also saw several birds and squirrels. Plenty of parking and areas to get out. There is also a children play area and places to picnic. Recommended

My childhood park from 40 years ago... When visiting as an…read moreadult, I still see it as a wonderful park, well maintained etc., and definitely worth spending time at. The only downsides are, and this is comparing it to the 1980s..., is that there are many more people here, PAVED trails (not a fan), and the signs say that we can no longer explore off the trails... kind of a let down, but I understand.