Here on Plainfield there are a series of very nice parks. I spent a few minutes in the afternoon…read morerelaxing at the friendship gardens. Technically, I took my son here to work on photos for his photography class. There are many interesting features to take picture of such as the waterfall and gazebo. You can walk in the park and it is connected to other parks and trails. Also good for bile riding too.

This is a very tranquil park. It is one way in and one way out, with a designated entrance and…read moreexit. There are a lot of parking available between three separate areas. The park has a very nice and soothing waterfall near the entrance. The park also has a small area with some picnic tables and there is a lot of shaded areas here. I was surprised to see a bathroom facility here, but it is under renovation at the time of this review. The park is a large garden composed of many smaller gardens such as the Memorial Veterans Garden, and the Enabling Garden. The center piece of the park is a triple gazebo that is very picturesque and can be rented. Even though it is not park of the park, I found another picturesque spot right off of it, a historic iron truss bridge. It spans the White Lick Creek and runs into the White Lick Creek Trail. The park is home to a veterans memorial and a statue that depicts a man holding a child, with two older children playing with a dog at his feet.The sculpture titled "a Celebration of Family values", is meant to signify The Dura builders family dedication to the town of Plainfield. You will also find many dedications and memorials in this park by some of the trees and in areas like the small fountain near the exit and the sundial sculpture across from the gazebos. The park has nice paths that run through it and are connected to a larger network of trails such as the aforementioned White Lick Creek Trail. This is a nice refection park that has a calming peace about it and is very soothing, even though it is located right off of a main thoroughfare. It does not have a shortage of benches. It feeds into some nice trails and offers some nice backdrops for pictures.

This park looks like Disneyland! The playground structures are absolutely amazing. Bargersville…read moreneeded this park for the kids for a long time. When I stopped on Friday morning to walk the dog, I was shocked to see the parking lot (which holds 60+ cars) almost full. They have 8 pickle-ball courts and they were full with a line of people waiting for a court The pangs of the balls were pretty loud and disrupted any peacefulness that the park has to offer. There is even a set of bleachers to watch the pickle-ball games. Anyway, the park does have an amazing playscape, perhaps the best in the Indy area. There are multiple climbing structures, swings for all abilities, a merry go round type structure and more. There is soft matting under the structures to keep the kids safe. Kids were having a blast. In addition, there is a colorful and awesome splash pad. There are nice benches, some covered, to sit and watch the kids. The park also has a walking trail into a wooded area, which is not paved, just gravel. There is some natural prairie vegetation. Trees have been recently planted. There are a nice set of restrooms including a family restroom. I also saw a small pavilion with picnic tables. Bottom line, while it's a bit crowded and loud, this is a great park with lots of fun things to do.

This is a new 19-acre park located in Bagersville. It still has that "new car smell" and is very…read morewell maintained. It opened on July 1, 2023. There is a decent amount of parking available but this park does get packed. The park features 8 very nice, fenced in, pickleball courts, a large playground, an active splash pad. The park also have two shelters with picnic tables under them and some benches under small shelter-like structures that provides some relief from the blazing sun. The splash pad has a lot going on. There are sprinklers, pouring buckets, sprayers, waterfalls and lots more. It is very nice and open from 9am to 8pm. The playground is modern and is Divided into zones for children aged 2 to 5 and 5 to 12. It is laid on a combination of artificial turf and rubberized, mud-free, surfacing. The playground features a swing bank with traditional and ADA swings, a net cone merry go round, a slide on artificial turf covered hills and a small jungle gym structure with a couple of slides and bridges. The highlight of the playground though is the towering jungle gym with a bunch of tall slides, ropes, and bridges. It is one of the first things that you will see when you arrive at the park. Additional amenities at the park include a water fountain that is capable of filling bottles, a restroom facility and a patch of green space to play catch or just throw a blanket down and relax, hiking trails that lead to and from downtown Bargersville. It is a small, but very well designed park. I will admit, that it does get packed during nice weather, no school days, especially on weekends. I really like this park. Bargersville has began to invest in parks, which is nice. This is definitely a must visit while in the Center Grove/Bargersville area.

There's a neighborhood park that offers a bit of parking, a shelter, four basketball goals (2…read morecourts), and a limited playground with swings and some climbing /workout equipment. The location is less than ideal with businesses around it and a railroad behind it. Note that there is a large fence to keep little ones from being tempted to stand too close to any train traffic. Unless you reserve the shelter for something (why here?) or are playing basketball, there is a much nicer park not that far away that can give you a lot more options and has a better environment. Review #2058

This was a great place for a quiet hike with our dog, who is still learning trail manners around…read moreothers pups. It's a relatively short hike that gets your heart pumping with inclines, and it's fascinating to see how the trees and plants are so different from other nearby hiking spots. I'd you're interested in birding, this is a great spot. Parking is limited and there are no bathroom facilities, so plan ahead. We really enjoyed this hiking spot and plan to return.

Short really cute trail. Very quaint and quiet to relax. My family loves to walk the dogs here and…read morelet then sniff their stress away.

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.

It's a state forest, no pool for the kiddies, but there are miles and miles of decent low and high…read moreeffort trails. It's pristine, clean, decent and clean restrooms (when they get around to adding the TP), and although the roads are in bad shape in many places, it's a fine spot for forest bathing. Your cellphone might not work in some parts of it. Put it away. If you simply must, go to the top of most hills. There are no gas stations or stores within ten miles in any direction; bring the stuff you need for your visit. In the summer, the amount of oxygen you can get here is almost overwhelmingly delicious. There are playgrounds, picnic tables, and shelters, and hundreds of places for a picnic on a blanket/rug. There are insects; remember your bug spray and tick repellent. Enjoy. It's FREE.

This state forest has two of my favorite longer day hikes within an hour of Indianapolis; The Low…read moreGap Trail and The Three Lakes Trail. The Tecumseh Trail also runs through MMSF. In the last few years, a nice bike trail has been paved in and a new office built. There are also backcountry camping sites for primitive camping-be site to check in and practice leave no trace! The park does not have a lot of state park like amenities so be prepared to use a pit toilet. Bring your own tp and hand sanitizer just in case! The hikes are fairly challenging due to length and have some good hills. Bring plenty of water and keep an eye out for wildlife. Rattlesnakes have been spotted in the area. Hunting is also allowed in the state forest so wear bright colors at all times just in case. If you're looking for a challenging hike that is not overly populated but not totally isolated Morgan Monroe State Forest is an excellent choice.

Columbus knows how to do parks. The location of this park in downtown Columbus has historical…read moresignificance. Two rivers, East Fork White and Flatrock Rivers merge creating a flood plain. During the 1800's, water was diverted to create power for milling, called a "Mill Race". A number of mills operated here. There were tanneries, brick makers and woolen manufacturing to name a few. Various mills operated for decades but faced challenges of periodic flooding. The mills closed over time and only a few foundations remain. The site has been transformed into a beautiful park, complete with sculptures, trails, a historic covered bridge and more. We visited the park yesterday and spent several hours exploring the site. A notable observation Tower is prominent near the river. I climbed the 130 steps to the top to see panoramic views of the river and town of Columbus. Graffiti vandals have left "art" on the tower. There is an elevator, but it was non operational during my visit. Maybe it as just me, but it was a little creepy at the top. A modern colorful playground is located on the north side of the park. Climbing structures, slides, interactive toys and a wide variety of swings fill the area. The equipment is clean and pristine. Benches and picnic tables surround the playground for parents. I saw several pavilions around the park for picnics or meetings. The grounds of the park are tree covered and beautiful. There is a project underway to restore native plants. The New Brownsville Covered Bridge crosses a small duck pond and is a lovely backdrop for photos. The tress bridge is opened to auto traffic. I saw several sculptures including an artistic vine covered tunnel. The sculptures did look like they have endured annual flooding. Fisherman were fishing in small boats in the river. There is a small boat launch in the park. An amphitheater structure is also on the grounds. The setting is an ideal spot for summer concerts. A single basketball court is located on the west side of the park. I did see a set of modern restrooms in the park. Pathways are concrete making travel easy for strollers and wheelchairs. Parking is available at various locations throughout the park. There is no charge to visit the park. Warning: the mosquito population was pretty treacherous during my visit. I would recommend long sleeves, pants and spray. They will carry you away.

I feel bad that I was so focused on seeing the covered bridge that I completely spaced out and…read moremissed the observation tower while I was here. The park is lovely, a big green space with some sporting features including tennis courts, picnic shelters, playgrounds, horseshoe pits and basketball courts. You should also check out the amphitheater. The park is located in an oxbow bend in the Flatrock River, so it's surrounded by peaceful slow-flowing water (which did flood quite high a few years ago). [Review 20531 overall - 76 in Indiana - 1512 of 2023.]

This memorial is dedicated to all the county's veterans of all wars and dates back to 2005. It is…read morelocated in downtown Martinsville, which was pretty dead when I was there. And that was midday Saturday. It should be noted that the park closes at 6 PM each day There is a lot of free street parking available within a reasonable walking distance. The park has a large granite pillar, a soldier's cross sculpture, a small flower garden, a stage and a brick walk with individual bricks dedicated to veterans. There is a directory in the park that helps people find a specific brick of a person that they are looking for. There is also a small granite sculpture titled "Home Front - Family and Friends", which is dedicated to the people that provided support from home. It is rare to see that group honored. They are often times overlooked, but I am glad to see it here. The tall pillar is dedicated to the Morgan County Veterans Who Died in the Wars of the 20th Century (featuring the Korean Conflict, Vietnam Conflict and the War on Terrorism). It also has a quote by Daniel Webster and an eagle with raised wings perched on top. The center piece of the park is a 2-sided large granite wall that has the logos of each branch of service, "Morgan County Veterans Memorial", and my favorite quote, "Freedom is not Free". You will find engraved scenes coving the back side of the wall and filling in space on the front side. This is a somewhat peaceful spot and is intended for a place where its visitors can reflect. This is a nice gesture to honor the county's heroes. The maintenance of it has seemed to slipped a bit, as the landscaping has begun to get out of hand, the stage could use a coat of paint and the memorials could be a bit cleaner. This is an easy fix though and would only take a few hours as an organized project. All in all a very nice tribute and is easily accesible. Definitely worth a visit if you are in the area.

This memorial is thoughtfully arranged with a complete range of veterans from early wars to our…read moremost current. Veterans names are emblazoned on the black marble surfaces. The park itself is gated and has numerous bricks inlaid to the floor of the plaza, many of them with names of supporters of the memorial. Our government flags fly over the plaza. Review #634