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    Central Canal Towpath

    4.6 (16 reviews)

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    Enjoying the canal on a sunny morning
    Chris Y.

    There is no single long distance trail in Indy, so you need to look at the whole trail system. I bike, so a long distance trail is 20+ miles in my head. The canal towpath connects the White River trail to the South and T's into the Monon in Broadripple. The towpath is used by runners, walkers, and cyclists. The canal towpath can be beautiful with the sun on the water and the trees. There are usually blue heron along the canal and other wildlife, especially birds. The first rides in the spring and the fall colors are both nice. The surface is hard packed and you can ride any bike. Some people with narrow high pressure road bike tires may not be comfortable on the trail surface, but I've ridden with buddies on road tires. I ride with 35mm tires, slicks, on a hybrid frame. If it's rained overnight there will be some puddles. You want to eat? The Art Museum has food, there are several places at 56th and Illinois, and infinite choices in Broadripple. The towpath surface is primarily fine crushed limestone. Looking at it from South to North, the Central Canal Towpath starts at 30th St. If you're connecting to White River Trail, there's a paved bit that runs behind River's Edge apartments. Cross 30th St with care as visibility is not great. At 38th St the Towpath passes Indianapolis Museum of Art and you can bike through the 100 Acres or the museum grounds. Butler University is adjacent to the towpath from 42nd to 52nd St. Near 56th and Illinois the towpath crosses a bridge to the east side of the canal parallel to Westfield Blvd. There's about 1/2 mile of paved trail here, which is really a little used road. From Illinois to College the trail narrows quite a bit just leaving space for two bikes to pass for about 1 mile. At times the trail here is right next to busy Westfield Blvd, which might make you nervous with young children. The last part of the trail is paved and concrete through Broadripple connecting to the Monon Trail.

    CN D.

    This was a very nice path right along the canal. There are bikers, joggers, walkers, dogs, kids, ducks, anything and everything along the path. The tree lined path is mostly paved but there are some gravel areas and some areas where you have trees on one side and a road on the other of course being separated by the canal. Along Rocky Ripple a nice home owner has placed out their garden hose for water use (THANK YOU DEAR FRIEND!). The path is a bit jagged and there are sections where you have to use a cross walk to pass the street which for me is always a drag. I also think that there could be some water placed upon the path since I didn't see a public water fountain. That said, the trail was very nice but the lack of water and inconsistent flow of the trail makes it A-OK and not great. Walking it may be better, biking for fun it might be ok, but jogging or serious biking I would imagine would not be stellar experiences.

    Wish you were here
    Bobby N.

    There are a lot of great bike trails here in Indianapolis. The tow path is great. It runs from Broadripple to the White River Greenway at 30th street. One of my favorite rides starts downtown on the Cultural Trail, up to the Monon, then hit the tow path, loop around to the Greenway to arrive back at White River Park. The tow path is secluded, passing through Butler and behind the IMA. There is a lot of shade and wildlife. It goes through diverse neighborhoods. And as a bonus, there is always a turtle to see! The wood ducks are really pretty. And occasionally even a Muskrat. There are no water fountains and the trail is screed (which is a find gravel) that is well packed and I don't mind riding on my street bike.

    Carlos S.

    The Canal Towpath is a trail that is part of the Indianapolis Greenway System. The trail is a little over 5 miles and stretches from Broad Ripple to close to the areas near Marian University. While utilizing the trail, you can actually connect to the White River Greenway, which makes it possible to essentially commute from Broad Ripple to Victory Field, only crossing the road a hand full of time. This is simply a very nice trail.

    Beautiful fall day along towpath.
    Kelly M.

    Wonderful walk on towpath . Beautiful, what a gem. Beautiful fall day, We felt like we were a million miles away. Love it! Connects to Ima 100 acres and that makes it even cooler.

    Wood Ducks along the canal towpath

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    Ask the Community - Central Canal Towpath

    When will the path be open again?

    New answer...updated citizens energy said August 6th… Read more

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    Review Highlights - Central Canal Towpath

    The canal towpath connects the White River trail to the South and T's into the Monon in Broadripple.

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    Lady Spray Fountain

    Lady Spray Fountain

    4.5(2 reviews)
    8.3 miFountain Square

    You may think that the fountain has some historical value or is an antique. Nope, not even close…read more This fountain was built in 2009 and installed in 2010. The only thing historical about this fountain is the location that it is in. It is the fourth fountain to be installed here, with the first being installed in 1889. The fountain is made of cast iron and is cast from the same mold as a historic one in New York. On the top of the fountain you will see Goddess Hebe, who is nick named Lady Spray (hence the fountains name). Hebe is the goddess of is the goddess of youth or the prime of life. As I mentioned the fountain is pretty weathered and it was not operating while I was there. I am not sure if it is functional or if it was just shut down for the season. Parking to get a closer look is somewhat simple. There is metered street parking within a very reasonable walking distance. There is no real easy way to cross the street to get to the fountain no matter what side you approach it from. It is on an island. I am sure you know it already, but I would be remiss if I did not say it, please be careful. There is no fountain square without a fountain. Even though this fountain is relatively new, they did a great job maintaining its antique look and nostalgia feel. Definitely worth a peek if you are in the area.

    Okay, I get that this current version of the fountain was installed as recently as 2009 and is a…read morecopy of a statue in New York that features "Lady Spray" or more commonly known as the goddess Hebe. But what makes this latest version so great is that an entire neighborhood is named because a fountain was put at this intersection in 1889. The original also featured Lady Spray. I love that the neighborhood wanted to capture some of the original statue/fountain by returning to the first theme even though the original was destroyed. This is the fourth version of the fountain to exist on this spot and it still features the goddess on top a series of supports that have different types of ornamentation (including geese). The water sprays and is collected in several dish shaped layers. Although not everyone in the neighborhood wanted to go with this version, a compromise of sorts was reached when the sculpture that topped the second version was saved and put on display to the southwest of the fountain. Review #1888

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    Lady Spray Fountain
    Lady Spray Fountain
    Lady Spray Fountain

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    Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument - Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument, Bridgeport

    Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument

    5.0(2 reviews)
    685.7 mi

    Bridgeport honors the local men who served in the Civil War with this elaborate monument in Seaside…read morePark https://www.yelp.com/biz/seaside-park-bridgeport?hrid=VuI9YRr0wFJzrDzQoIr4BA. The monument features a large, granite base with several decorative elements that narrows into a shaft topped by a bronze allegorical figure representing the United States. The monument's side feature bronze statues depicting an infantry soldier and a sailor. The plaque on the southeast face reads, "Dedicated to the memory of the heroic men of Bridgeport who fell in the late war for the preservation of the Union. July 1876." The plaque also features the conclusion of the Gettysburg Address. Plaques on the other faces list approximately 180 local residents killed in the war, along with their unit, as well as their date and place of death. [Review 15155 overall, 657 of 2021, number 12 in Connecticut.]

    With my family and I were doing on North East trip we stopped in Bridgeport Connecticut and we saw…read morethis wonderful monument for soldiers and sailors. I've noticed that a lot of cities that I've visited have the same soldiers and sailors monument on this trip. It looks a little different but it's always titled soldiers and sailors so curious might look that up. But anyway there's a nice looking Memorial monument and it just really represents the respect and love for soldiers and sailors and people that have fought for our country and have passed away it's just a nice tribute

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    Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument - Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument, Bridgeport

    Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument, Bridgeport

    Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument - Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument, Bridgeport

    Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument, Bridgeport

    Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument

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    Indiana Law Enforcement & Firefighters Memorial - Circle of names

    Indiana Law Enforcement & Firefighters Memorial

    4.3(3 reviews)
    7.2 miMile Square

    The Indiana Law Enforcement & Firefighter Memorial is somewhat hidden in a courtyard within one of…read morethe State's office buildings west of the Indiana Statehouse. I happened upon the monument quite by accident walking to the library. The memorial pays tribute to police and firefighters that lost their lives in the line duty. The monument itself is composed of two semicircles of granite pillars with the names of the fallen heroes etched in the stone. There are two larger limestone structures with plaques for firefights and police. Tree covered benches encircle the pillars and offer a peaceful place to reflect about the people that have served. Flags fly over the monument. The memorial was dedicated in June 0f 2001. Today, the 20 year old limestone is in need of a good cleaning and I had the urge to climb up and remove the mold. Street parking is hit or miss, but there is some outside the Statehouse that is inexpensive and available early in the day.

    Indiana law enforcement and fire fighter memorial is a massive rock figure sculpture along with…read moresome pieces with names of fallen first responders. My family and I were in town for the weekend my daughter cheer Competition held inside the Convention center. Over the two days while waiting between performances and awards ceremonies me and sometimes my family walked the surrounding areas and explored as the public art scene here is plentiful and creative. We found this massive piece while Checking out all the awesome sculptures on the state lawn in downtown Indianapolis. Kinda off to the side near a building entrance this is a very nice memorial and very well done . Overall it is always great seeing honors and tributes to first responders who have risked and lost there lives protecting there communities.

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    Indiana Law Enforcement & Firefighters Memorial
    Indiana Law Enforcement & Firefighters Memorial
    Indiana Law Enforcement & Firefighters Memorial

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    Urban Wall

    Urban Wall

    4.0(2 reviews)
    7.2 miMile Square

    This mural is an abstract piece that seems to have its best years way behind it. It is located…read moreacross from the City/County building and is painted on a parking garage that overlooks a commercial parking lot. It was painted by Roland Hobart, with assistance from Naegele Outdoor Advertising, in 1973 as part of the Indianapolis Urban Walls Project and was founded by American Fletcher National Bank. It was the first installment of the project. I would call it old, but we are close to the same age, so I will just call it a mural with seniority. The mural was also originally on two walls. The white wall perpendicular to where the mural is now was part of the mural in 1973, but severe deterioration forced it to be repainted and all they could come up with was white. The mural has been receiving increasing calls for restoration and people are starting the raise funds. The walls being located on private businesses with different landlords presents a little bit of an obstacle because they have to have them agree to have their walls painted. It is a simple piece that consists of geometric shapes, Consisting of mostly red, yellow, and orange circles, pie shaped wedges and triangles. I believe the mural has not been painted or maintenanced since it was originally painted. It is severely faded, peeling and chipped, but I guess considering that it is almost 50 years old it almost has some historical significance. It is old school. I think the mural has more value as a historical piece than the actual art work. Anyway, there is a lot of metered street parking available near the mural, so you can park, get out and take a closer look. There are also a few garages within a reasonable walking distance too. You could also get a decent look from the windshield of your car doing a strategic slow-rolling drive by. As with most murals that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a very long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. You may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other wonderful downtown attractions.

    Having spent more than 40 years in the metro area, I am continuously amazed at how the downtown…read morearea has transformed from the well earned "Naptown" label into a destination. And for as much as sports, construction, and the canal have done for the area, I believe that public art has to be considered as another great success. Think about it: Colorless limestone building with no imaginative decoration filled the area (with just a few exceptions). But in 1973, the City took a chance and created an "Urban Wall" Project that set things rolling. Back in '73, the original mural selected for the project was a Shelbyville artist named Roland Hobart who oversaw the installation of a two-wall mural. The colors were vibrant! The impact was amazing! Indianapolis with a multi-story mural? And an abstract at that? Really? It got people around here to think about art beyond what was in the IMA. It got people to remember that there were older pieces of art around town that should be maintained. But sadly, when murals are painted on private property, it is difficult to control the maintenance of the piece. Heavy water damage on the south facing wall led to a decision to whitewash the entire half of the mural. It was assumed that the empty lot would eventually be built on and so, go ahead and paint over it. Sad. And what is left of the east facing wall is faded and has damage to it as well. It is just a shadow of itself today of what it once was. The good news is that there is movement towards restoring the mural to its vibrant origins. Now that the near east side of downtown is finally getting some development with the Cummins Building and others, maybe someone will generously contribute to the project to restore this landmark piece. For more information about the history of the wall, check out the Arts Council of Indianapolis website for an excellent write-up. (see website on the business page of this review.) Review #1323

    Photos
    Urban Wall - Untitled Urban Wall by Roland Hobart (1973).  Only half the mural remains and it needs restoration

    Untitled Urban Wall by Roland Hobart (1973). Only half the mural remains and it needs restoration

    Urban Wall
    Urban Wall

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    Ayres Clock

    Ayres Clock

    4.0(1 review)
    7.3 miMile Square

    This clock is an Indiana historical landmark. It was installed by L.S. Ayres Department Store in…read more1936 on what was their building at the time. The clock is at the corner of Washington and Meridian streets, weighs 10,000-pound, and stand 8-foot-tall. The clock served as a visual landmark back in the day. Legend has it that there was a popular saying, "meet me under the Ayres Clock." The clock currently belongs to the city of Indianapolis and is maintained by Indiana Landmarks. As with anything of that age, repairs are desperately needed. This clock is no exception. It has been through multiple repairs, most recently in 2020, when its frame and structure were serviced. Since 1947, there has been a small sculpted cherub that randomly appears perched on the clock every Thanksgiving, and remains there until New Year's Day. I visited during that time and saw it tucked in between the clock and the building. It was kind of hard to see. I am glad though that the tradition continued in spite of the volunteer that had been placing the cherub for decades, passing away. His family just carried on the tradition for him. There is metered street parking available near the clock and there is also a few paid parking lots in the vicinity to park at and take a closer look. It definitely not a very long stop. I was there less than 3 minutes. You may want to consider making this trip as part of a larger itineraray of downtown things to do.

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    Ayres Clock
    Ayres Clock

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    Central Canal Towpath - parks - Updated May 2026

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