I'm a definite fan of Carmel Parks, however, I'd also definitely place Hazel Landing Park on the…read morelow-end of the Carmel Parks system. Hazel Landing Park was reopened on October 20, 2025 with the debut of the new, and quite wonderful, Bur Oak Bridge. The bridge connects directly from the park, though if you're parking on the paved area you'll have a little bit of a walk and a gravel path you'll have to use to access the bridge. The bridge, easily my favorite thing about this park, spans 500 feet across the White River. It's 14-feet wide and is great for pedestrians, bikers, or wheelers like me. It connects Hazel Landing Park to Heritage Park in Fishers. Heritage Park is definitely a more traditional park with a quality restroom and more traditional amenities. Hazel Landing Park was originally developed in 2003. It's a 41-acre park with its only other main feature being an 18-hole disc golf course. It's set against the river - kind of cool. There's also a canoe and kayak launch, picnic tables, a grill, and lots of green space. That said, it also has a bit of an industrial feeling as it's backed by parts of Carmel's utilities and the concrete companies and a gravel pit. If you know Hazel Dell Parkway, you will know what I'm talking about. The other major negative is that the driving path is significantly rough with major potholes. It's definitely not a park you want to pull into quickly. This isn't a bad park by any means. The Bur Oak Bridge is exceptional. While there's an incline to get on the bridge, it's a gradual incline and I had no issues handling it in my wheelchair. I do know this is a park that tends to flood in poor weather (it is next to White River), though it wasn't particularly bad today. I wouldn't recommend this park for wheelchair users, though someone with assistance or someone particularly able to handle gravel could at least enjoy the bridge. With so many other park options in Carmel, this would probably be one I'd mostly pass on other than those days when I want to take in the beautiful White River.

Summer 2020 was the season of exploring new-to-me parks in Hamilton County, and Hazel Landing Park…read morewas on the list. It's oddly located at 106th and Hazel Dell Parkway and doesn't really seem like a park entrance -- after all, it's just south of a sand and gravel pit. There's not much here beyond a few picnic tables and a full disc golf course. When I visited, the parking lot was full but I couldn't see anyone, because they were all in the woods playing disc golf. There are rugged but flat trails to walk, but the signs say "danger: watch for flying discs" which made me leery to go too far into the wooded area. There is a nice stretch of bank along the White River, though. My opinion: unless you're here to play disc golf, there are better parks in Carmel and HamCo to explore. One of my favorites is just up the road: River Road Park!

I stumbled upon this park over the weekend while walking through downtown Zionsville. Until then, I…read morewas oblivious to this tucked away charming green space. This park features two sections- the higher level has a fountain, small green space and covered shelter overlooking the lower portion of the park with a large, lush field with a paved trail that winds along the Eagle Creek River. This park is located only a few blocks from the Main Street of downtown historic Zionsville and "next door" to the Lions Park. It looked like this was a popular spot to take your pups or ride a bike on the trail. Half the fun is enjoying the homes found on the streets neighboring the park.

This is a great little park to walk your dog in Zionsville. The park is relatively new, about five…read moreyears old and is in a low lying pasture along Little Eagle Creek. There is a good amount of parking in the park's lots upper and lower lots. Paved paths route in a large circle around the park and are accessible and keep Fido's feet clean. There are nice benches at regular intervals in the park for bird watching or just reading a book. At the upper end of the park is a small shelter with bench and a good place to watch summer fireworks. The is also a nice fountain and a few more benches to enjoy the view of the wetlands. This is a quiet hidden treasure in Zionsville and a good place to meditate and relax.

You should definitely visit Falls Park! It is an incredible place to go and has many things to…read moreenjoy by all ages! The newly renovated playground area offers areas for toddlers and big kids to play. You can fish in the pond, hike around the walking trails and take in the beautiful views of the falls. Great place for a picnic or an afternoon with grandkids. Plus there is the cutest free library!

Very short trail. If you're going for walking I don't recommend but if you just want to be outdoors…read morein the shade and near the creek it would be fine. I went with my dog hoping to get a decent walk in and I was disappointed.

I'll openly admit that I'd never heard of Hague Road Nature Haven until I decided to do some…read moreHamilton County exploring today following church. Hague Road Nature Haven is a relatively small spot at 43 acres. It's located at the Southeast corner of Hague Road and SR 38. The master plan calls for an outdoor education center, though for the most part the current status of Hague Road Nature Haven is as a fairly rough, immersive, and absolutely peaceful place that makes up for its accessibility issues with being a bit of natural wonder right here in Central Indiana. Hague Road Nature Haven is surrounded by Cicero Creek. There's a small parking lot. It's cleared but still natural in presentation. Plans eventually call for campsites, a natural playground, a nature center, study areas, and I believe I even saw plans for a small, natural amphitheatre. There are no plans, necessarily, to turn this into anything resembling a recreation area and we should be grateful for that. For now, you've got lots of greenery, hiking trails, creekside spots for stomping or wheeling or just watching. There's one absolutely delightful spot with a sort of swing bench. It's an inspired touch for an inspiring location in Noblesville. You can fish here, of course, and I was honestly surprised at just how much of this nature haven I could handle by wheelchair (though certainly not all). The creek itself stays relatively shallow. However, obviously, children should be supervised and care should be taken to ensure safety. This is nature, after all, and things can happen easily. Animals may very well be here, as well. This haven is still relatively light in terms of attendance and in one afternoon I saw fish, tadpoles, lots of birds and, yes, even deer. I wouldn't be surprised if turtles are around here and maybe even a snake or two (I like snakes...for me, that's a good thing). There's a relatively light "nature walk" trail here. It runs just under a mile. The path is natural, though I found it cleared enough that I could manage it. In adverse weather, I probably could not. It's not technically "accessible," but it's wide enough, mostly smooth ground/crushed stone, and almost completely flat. Plus, it's right by the creek. This also means mosquitoes in season, but that's easily handled. Absolutely heaven. This is a relatively secluded area - this can be an amazing thing, but it's also worth noting in terms of taking appropriate precautions. You're really not that far from residential areas here, though this truly is a set-apart haven and a magnificent slice of nature almost smack dab where you least expect it. There's no question I'll be back.

I'm always intrigued by the parks that seem to get the most reviews. While some Indy Parks…read morelocations seem to get ignored, we occasionally get a park like Juan Solomon Park on the northwest side of Indy with 10 reviews. The park was acquired in 1971. It's a 41-acre park. I love learning how parks get their names - and Juan Solomon is named after Juan Solomon (I bet you figured that out, eh). Solomon was very active in Indy's African-American community and served as director of the Community Service Council, Indianapolis Urban League, and was on the board of the Indianapolis Department of Parks and recreation. He worked for Eli Lilly for 32 years and led the Mayor's Task Force on Employment. The park is one of Indy's parks that really has some cool features including a covered sheltered, soccer fields, renovated playground equipment, tennis courts, and wooded trails great for nature walks. There's a .8 mile loop. Crooked Creek runs through the center of the park. This is a park with public restrooms and there's an indoor facility with space for rent and a very cool sod roof. Interestingly, there's also a water treatment facility here. Parking is abundant here. While Solomon Park was developed in 1971, it actually didn't become Solomon Park until 1973. Solomon also lived in this neighborhood (across from the park). As I noted, you can book community room rentals. I know on weekends it's $80 an hour with a three-hour minimum (paid upfront). There are flushing restrooms connected to the building (though they are also open to the public). Capacity is 75 people (no kitchen on site). You can rent the shelter for $85/day with a capacity of 40-50. I used to live in this area. I don't get to Juan Solomon as much as I used to, however, I still stop in when I'm on this side of town or if I arrive on this side of town early for a meeting. While part of me thinks this should be a destination park, it even offers pretty darn good accessibility with the playground, I still think it's not quite a 5-star park as it's not always kept up really well and I'll be honest and say I think the community room rental is a bit steep for a public park. That said, there's much to love here and this park serves the Crooked Creek area quite well. It's not a destination park, however, it's definitely a popular park for this area.

I've had this spot bookmarked after driving by nearly a dozen times. We finally had the time to…read morestop by and check it out with our son this last weekend. The thing that caught my eye the most was the beautiful building with a living roof and the trails surround the park. They have a large playscape on a padded floor, tennis courts and a soccer field. It felt like everything could use a little TLC and they are struggling to keep up with trash overflow that seemed to litter the parking lot, etc. (most likely to blame from the visitors not picking up after themselves) Overall, great bones but could use a little loving.

This is a nice nature park with a vast amount of green space. It is located well off of the main…read moreroad which gives it a bit of calmness. It spans 82 acres and dates back to 1970. The park has a shelter with picnic tables under it and a few tables and a grill just outside of it. A large portion of the park is a dog park area. They have 2 large fenced in areas with benches and dog ramps and jump bars. It is a nice dog park and requires a permit where dog owners can purchase a day or annual pass. There is a decent sized parking lot to park in and just off of the parking lot is the entrance to the park's nature trail. It is a very nice trail that is well defined and wide. You are never too deep in the woods being that it borders a neighborhood. The green space is vast and well maintained. You can do just about any field activity here including flying a kite, playing soccer, playing football, throwing a frisbee, having a picnic, batting practice or playing catch. There is a huge hill in the midst of all the green space that would be awesome for hanging out, working out and sledding after a snow. Some people use the green space, instead of paying to use the dog park to walk their dogs. I think that is acceptable by the park, as long as you clean up after it and keep it on a leash. The park's playground is ok. It has a bank of traditional swings, a bank of toddler swings, a geo dome, a see-saw, a spiral slide, and a large accesible jungle gym with a bunch of slides, monkey rings, pull up bars, and track ride. The area is on a bed of saw dust and the equipment is in fair condition and you can see signs of weather and wear. I know that money does not grow on trees, but it would be nice to upgrade this area. I will caution you that the park can get muddy after some precipitation, so dress your feet accordingly. This is a nice nature park that has a dog park, hiking trails, green space, a playground, and picnic area. There is no restroom facility, but they do have a porta-potty available by the parking lot near the dog park area. Definitely worth a visit if you are looking for a park and are in the area. I enjoyed my time there.

Paul Ruster Park is an 82-acre park that sort of rides the South and East corridors of Indy. It's a…read morelittle gem, though not particularly a wheelchair friendly one given it maintains a lot of its natural setting rather than having a lot of actual "features." The park was acquired in 1970 and is part of Indy Parks. It has beautiful, winding trails, a small fishing pond, and a playground that has some nice equipment but I sure wouldn't consider it to be top-notch in that area. I sort of stumbled by Paul Ruster Park. I was on a therapeutic drive after work and happened to make a turn and instantly saw the park sign. As I knew this was not a park I'd ever visited before, I had to stop and check it out. As I was driving in on a winding road, I saw one guy pulling out his fishing equipment. I love that. Paul Ruster Park does feature a bark park. You can buy a pass for it at the Post Road park. There's also a 1.5 mile trail in the park that I tried out - it's relatively gentle with some inclines and has some lakeside features. Dogs can go on the trail, though they must be leashed. The trail is pretty good for wheelchairs and is certainly paved. Paul Ruster has a really good sledding hill, though that's obviously not wheelchair friendly. It might be interesting, though! There is a path that leads to the playground equipment, though I certainly would not call the playground area an accessible area. I'm always curious about how parks get their names. So, I did some research since Paul Ruster doesn't really ring a bell. Ruster was a 1964 graduate of Warren Central High School who died on December 10, 1978 of Hodgkin's Disease. He was a longtime Eastside presence and had a brother who had been a Warren Central baseball star and would become a P.E. teacher. Paul Ruster himself went to Ball State and returned to Warren Township where he taught for 10 years before his death. He was a beloved child advocate and the park was named after him in 1979. Another fun fact about the park - it's reportedly haunted by the ghost of John Kitley, a 12-year-old harmonica playing boy who was killed along train tracks in 1864. The park is close to the Washington Square area and yet is nicely set apart from both the retail and residential areas that are within minutes.

So I'm the king of Garfield Park I got the badge to prove it. I walk my dog here 3 to 4 days a…read moreweek on average, this place is a mixed bag. The good: rehabbing the fountains in the Sunken Garden which will be open in Spring. They've cleared away a lot of the old trees, rehabbed the sewage system so wastewater doesn't go into the creek and stink up the place during the summer. The bad: lots of homeless off Pleasant Run Parkway which backs up to the park, visible trash and the smell of human waste. Scumbags who litter in the park, porta potties which are often times unusable thanks to the homeless. Somebody was shot and killed in the park during the summer. I'm sympathetic and don't want to see anybody in a bad situation. I'm as dumb as they come and I've managed to keep myself sheltered, clothed and fed since I was 18. The city tolerating this and not forcing these people into shelters or getting treatment is the real crime. Mental illness is part of it as well but the vast majority is drug use. Stay within the park and don't come here at night. Check out the photos.

We went to the park for a fun afternoon of engagement photos for a friend. We have been before for…read morevarious events and the farmer's market and love this park. It isn't as active in the winter and the conservatory was closed, but lots of places to walk, run and even to sit and enjoy nature. We do find it funny though that several of the resident squirrels came right up to us as evidently they are used to being fed by people! We made a note to next time bring something for them. Lots of fun photo spots around the paths and over the bridges, so got to celebrate with them and enjoy the outside. I do love taking photos for friends and enjoy a good park!

This is the spot for indoor and outdoor kid friendly fun. The interior is small, hosting many…read morerescued reptiles, amphibians, and other exotic animals. There's a small play area with lots of opportunities for hands on learning. Outside there's chickens, walking trails, a play set, and giant chess board for good weather fun. This park is free to explore. Staff is knowledge and passionate about caring for the animals. Looking forward to coming back to check out some of the programs.

I finally stopped by Helen Pecar Park this past weekend on my way through Hendricks County to my…read moreparents' home. Pecar Park & Nature Center is a fairly new Avon Park that is a unique balance of primitive meets contemporary. The park has its own naturalist and the nature center offers turtles, tortoises, bearded dragons, and other animals. There's an amphitheater that is primarily used as an outdoor education space. The Nature Center can be rented by the hour or by the day (only between the hours of 10am-9pm). Pecar Park offers 9 primitive campsites, though there is an indoor bathroom and shower to make everything a little less primitive. Rental of a campsite is $15 for township residents, $25 for non-residents. The park also offers a playground, community fire pit, pod, greenspace, GLOW lab, and geocachers should know geocaching is available at this park (and encouraged). Pecar Park still feels like a work in progress. It's one of those parks that's always a dilemma for me - technically, it's accessible. Yet, it's really not. The way Yelp's accessibility questions are phrased, technically this park meets them. However, this park tends to be a place where it's best to have a companion with you, especially if you have mobility issues, as there are places where paths are a bit more rustic and even the playground is a bit more natural in setting. Pecar Park is off the main drag in Hendricks County and seems to be a still underutilized park. It seems to be more about natural activities than just "fun." There's also a bird aviary and a low ropes challenge. Again, this feels like a work in progress but a cool work in progress. It seems like this park has grown a bit since its 2019 opening, however, it remains one of Avon, Indiana's more underrated gems. While accessibility is definitely a bit of an issue here, with a little assistance it's likely one can really appreciate this more natural and relaxed setting. As near as I could tell, the nature center itself was solid in terms of accessibility. I got everywhere I wanted to go here - it just took a little effort.