Starkey Park is one of the oldest parks in Zionsville. The park is mostly natural forest that is…read morebordered by Eagle Creek on the southeast and housing developments on the west. The park is managed by the Zionsville Parks & Recreation center. There are seven short trails running through hills and dense forest within the park. The trails are less than one mile long each. The trails are ideal for nature lovers, birdwatching, hiking and dog walking. The forest offers cover for many interesting species of birds. In some parts, the trails are rugged and not easily navigated. Many native wild flowers bloom within the park. Unfortunately, the trails are not suitable for strollers or wheels chairs (except for a few short segments) because they are dirt paths. But the Rail Trail that runs adjacent to the park is totally accessible and overlooks the park on the eastern side. There is a parking area on the northwest corner or other parking areas along the rail trail.

Stopped here in early March before things have started to bloom, but I liked it! It wasn't too…read morecrowded, the trees were interesting. Liked the path near the creek. As the weather gets nicer outside will definitely be back. It's really close to a residential area and high voltage power lines at first. So when we parked, I did not have high hopes.. but after you hike down the 5 story staircase and walk a bit, it feels like you are the middle of nowhere.

The City of Carmel has injected a bunch of fun activities and art along the Monon Trail in area…read moreknow as Midtown. The trail splits in this area with bike/running paths and pedestrian paths. In the medians between, there is a artsy splash pad/fountain, good for a quick cool down on a hot day. One area has a fun climbing structure for kids. There is even a colorful ping pong table, complete with paddles and balls. I even saw a bocce ball and shuffle ball courts - completely equipped! The setup is perfect for a date night or family fun. There was a temporary photo backdrop of splashing water commemorating the local swimmers going to the US finals and Olympics. Along the trail are several sculptures and murals that keep the trail interesting. There are benches and tables periodically to sit and enjoy a cup of coffee or socialize. The landscaping is lovely. The area is kept immaculate. The maintenance staff is super friendly. There is some street and garage parking nearby. The pedestrian traffic gets congested during peak times. Pro tip: Early morning walks are quiet and there is plenty of parking.

Beautiful trail that leads to a cake shop. It was so pretty during the fall season. You can see all…read morethe foliage. Great way to get your steps in.

I was a little bit nervous about signing up to do a 3k event in November, however, the opportunity…read morepresented itself and I knew I'd be able to visit a park I'd never been to before. Flat Fork Creek Park is part of Fishers Parks. Located at 101st and Cyntheanne Road, Flat Fork Creek Park offers just over 60 acres of relaxing fun for just about everyone in the family including a good amount of ADA accessibility. First off, you'll get a 60-foot sledding hill here. That's good to know as we inch toward winter. It's the tallest point in Hamilton County. There's also a 1.25 mile progressive mountain bike course that offers features for both mountain biking newbies and those with more experience. There's a beautiful fishing pond - state license required except for those 17 and under. Nearly 20 acres in the park are reforestation areas and there's a shelter with picnic tables that can be rented. Okay, that accessibility I mentioned? The 3k I did was a relatively small group, though it was centered around disability and had several disabled participants. The park includes an ADA accessible treehouse, a paved multi-use trail, and a boardwalk (I would note that while the boardwalk is, indeed, accessible, you do want to be a tad careful due to the side of the boardwalk that do offer a bit of a drop-off). You know what I think is really cool? They've created a ramp here so that even those with mobility issues can get to the top of the sledding hill - in most parks, that's an afterthought. As a side note, Fishers has won awards for their inclusion work and this park really shows it. This is really just a lovely park. You're not going to find a playground or other frequent park features, however, this beautiful park does a nice job of including everyone and weaving together nature with fun park adventures. This was my first time here. It won't be my last.

I recently discovered this park and have gone back a few times now. It's a beautiful park with a…read moregreat walking path, trail and hill. I love taking my dog here for a walk or going alone just to watch the sun set. The park is spacious and clean and overall a great experience. If it were closer to me I'd probably go daily.

Beautiful trail with mature trees surrounding it at parts, then some bridges, a park and…read moreplaygrounds, a trickling winding creek to the side of your walking or running or biking experience. , through a bit of farmland and you can even rent motorized bikes to ride on the trail at a near by bike rental shop. Great day activity to share or to spend on your own. This adventure paradise is tucked away just barely outside the city, it's so pristine and calming, you won't believe that this little gem of a place has been existing in plain sight!!! I love it so much, so I just thought I'd share!!! Happy trailing!!!!

The Buck Creek Trail is a 3-mile multi-purpose trail running along Buck Creek. It connects most…read moreCumberland neighborhoods, the Cumberland portion of the Pennsy Trail, Buck Creek Road, US 40, and 21st Street. This is a relatively new trail for Central Indiana having only been completed in 2018. Under an overpass that formerly had heavy graffiti, Cumberland commissioned a mural featuring the work of Koda Witsken called "Light Your Pathway." As has been noted, under normal circumstances this is a wonderful trail. During heavy rains, it's definitely prone to some flooding. As a town rather than a city, resources for upkeep are a little more limited and in a few spots I'd say that's a bit obvious. However, overall, it's a nicely maintained trail and a nice little place to go that is just outside Indy proper. The trail was funded by federal grants. The key trailhead is at Lions Park, though you can also find places to catch the trail in the residential areas (recognizing, of course, that these are residential areas with limited parking and regulations). While this trails pales in comparison to the Pennsy, it's a nice addition to the far-eastside and adds a nice feature for Cumberland residents. Other than the flooding risks, it's a fairly wide trail that remains fairly level and I'd consider to be pretty wheelchair friendly. It would also be friendly to strollers and families. It's definitely used, though it's a primarily local trail and fairly easy to avoid the traffic of some Central Indiana trails. I'll definitely be returning in the near future.

This is one of my new favorite places to go for a walk/ hike. There are so many trails to choose…read morefrom and when you enter the park on a sunny day, most of the trails to your right are shaded by the umbrella of trees. The trails to the left, on the other hand, are well- lit and sunny. On our most recent visit, my husband and I stumbled upon a very small cemetery. I thought that it might have been a pet cemetery due to its size, but after some quick research, my husband was able to find information regarding the family that it is believed to have belonged to. It was both creepy and cool at the same time. We walked a loop that was surprisingly dense at points and I was amazed at the fact that we didn't pop back out onto the main trail as quickly as I'd thought we would. There were some very steep slopes at points that were marked with cones that I found to be quite dangerous, but it's nature, so what are you going to do?! I love the preservation of this natural/ wild space. The sound of the birds in the forest canopy is calming and there are several places to stop, have s seat and just listen. There is also at least one of those tiny community libraries located there, as well as many other interesting features.

Growing up in the city of Danville, Illinois, there were always parks to enjoy nature. I would…read morenever expect that in the middle of Indianapolis, you could get lost in the wilderness. When me and my wife went hiking on these trails, I forgot we were in the city. It was so peaceful and pleasant and relaxing. This is definitely a place to go for a nice walk and tranquility. Even the squirrels, birds, dragonflies, and all of nature's creatures seem to enjoy the area. I can't wait for us to go back again.

I live approximately 3 miles from Pogue's Run Art & Nature Park, though I've never made it by until…read morethis evening as I was driving home from work and realizing I was in the need for a bit of nature. Pogue's Run Art & Nature Park is, quite obviously, a park that also includes a few pieces of public art lacking any sense of identity or formality. They are certainly pleasant enough - it just seems like if you're going to the trouble of creating a public park with art in it that you'd want to actually identify the art. This park is a part of Indy Parks and is at 2300 N. DeQuincy at the end of a street with an older business park directly across from it. It's in a residential area, though it's kind of set apart from it. I'm not sure if this is considered Little Flower or Community Heights - I think it's a bit too far north to be considered Little Flower. Pogue's Run is named after George Pogue, a blacksmith who was one of the early settlers in the area. He settled in the area round 1819, though even before that the area was known as a path for Native Americans. Pogue is one of Indy's great mysteries - he disappeared in 1821 and was never found. The park contains 1.5 miles of the 2.3 mile Pogue's Run Trail, a trail that was developed as part of a flood control project for Pogue's Run. The park is considered the northern trailhead for the trail. The south trailhead is at Brookside Park. The trail is really the park - though the art is scattered around the trail. There's not a whole lot else to do here and while the pond here is quite beautiful, it's obviously quite murky and I'm pretty sure I wouldn't eat a fish that was caught in it. Pogue's Run the creek runs from right about Arlington High School (which is even closer to my house) to the downtown area where it stops being a creek and flows under Banker's Life Fieldhouse and Lucas Oil Stadium. It empties into White River. There's lots of wildlife here, especially if you visit toward the evening. It's an Indy Park, so it's not open late but I'd imagine there's lots of wildlife then. In fact, it's one of the few Indy parks I've seen that actually has a gate. Signage is poor to get to the park, though there's a sign off East 16th Street (I've heard there's not one off East 21st). You basically have to know the park is there. The park has a wetlands that hosts geese, ducks, egrets, turtles, an occasional snake, and even a beaver lodge. I did a little research and found out that the art work was created in conjunction with Herron School of Art. Much of the art work is functional and gives you a place to sit while at the pond or watching wildlife. The park is, however, also very urban and you'll also see the interstate and nearby homes. There is a bit of a barrier to keep the older and, well, dumpy business park from being easily in view. One of my favorite aspects of the park was that it has a wooden trestle bridge that is just awesome. The trail itself is a mixture of paved and crushed stone. It's got some modest inclines. It's not what I'd call wheelchair friendly, though I was able to make it work and do the entire trail. I doubt it would be passable in a wheelchair after a rain or in snow. There's also a decent-sized parking lot. There's a single portable toilet located in the parking lot. I'm sometimes troubled by Indy's lack of devotion to its parks. This is a decent enough park, but it could be so much more with some creative vision and commitment. However, it's a bit of a working class gem in a working class area of Indy's eastside.

Not much of an art park because I'm most of the pieces are for sitting. There is pretty water by…read morethe part with graffiti, but currently the homeless is sleeping their with their tent. The art should be replaced every year or at least every couple of years to be called an "art and nature park". I'd also like to add that it is right next to a highway. So you will hear nothing but traffic and smell it as well. I always see pretty birds and geese though. The trail is still nice and it's very close to where I live so I do frequently visit.

Red Maple Path is one of three paths located inside the 205-acre Hummel Park. Red Maple is…read moreprimarily known for its wooden bridge pathway. It's a narrow path, though I had no issues crossing it in my wheelchair. I can never turn down a good bridge. The entire path is around 1.2 miles around the eastern portion of Hummel Park. You'll experience several of the park's amenities. This is a very wooded park and quite beautiful. The path itself is paved and super wheelchair friendly with barely an incline to be found. It's worth noting that the bridge goes over the White Lick Creek. This is a pedestrian bridge and no fishing is allowed. You're really not supposed to stop on the bridge, though it'll take a stronger person than me to not stop and gaze at the beauty. Because this is located inside Hummel Park, parking itself is solid and there are accessible spots, including van accessible, quite close to the trail. This was one of my stops on a work trip to Plainfield and I already find myself wanting to return in the near future.

Red Maple Path is the Hummel Park Wooden Bridge path intended primarily for pedestrian use to…read moresafely cross White Lick Creek. The bridge is narrow so walking your bike across is a must. Nice location for pictures or an easy to find meeting spot in the park.

Excellent quick hike getaway in Avon. - no entrance fee or…read moremembership needed - easy to find right in heart of Avon no long trek - on-site free parking - deep forest & streams - secluded, no crowds - connect with nature - flat easy to navigate trail, short distances

This nature preserve has a lot of undeveloped potential. The land (83 acres) is forest with a…read moresmall creek running through it. The park has little information (no kiosk) but does have a sign asking visitors to wipe the soles of their shoes BEFORE entering so that they don't bring in seeds from invasive plants. The park entrance is at the southwest corner of the preserve (near the highway). From there, a trail leads back to the first loop (Blue) that covers roughly the middle third of the park. On the north end of the loop, there is a sign that directs you back to the entrance or north to the second loop (red) which covers the northern third of the park. Basically, the red loop covers the area on the other side of the creek. Both loops and the connector trails consist of moderate size trees with foot worn paths between them. A few wooden bridges rest on the ground to get visitors through the wettest areas of the park. The loops have very little elevation change so I would rate the hikes as easy to moderate. Although the preserve does not have its own parking, the neighboring church (to the west) allows park visitors to use the church lot any time other than Sunday morning. I can see not wanting to develop the land for visitors, but information about the parks plants and animals would be useful. Trail lengths and a map of the layout would also be helpful for first time visitors to plan their treks. Review #806