One of the newest parks (2011) for the area is a 25 acre nature park with a lake in the middle…read more For enthusiasts, there is a boat launch for boats using a trolling motor. Fishing is allowed for those having the proper licences. For everyone else, the park has a shelter and covered picnic tables, a great paved hiking path that loops around the lake, and a small playground on the west side of the park. Everything seems to be well maintained and there is plenty of parking on the south side of the park (Maple Street). Review #908

Very nice area with the exception of a large amount of broken glass along the perimeter of the lake…read moreclosest to parking area. Definitely needs remediation!

This is a nice nature park. It has a couple of ample sized parking areas, three to be exact. There…read moreis a nice calm 3 acre lake in the park with picnic tables and picnic shelters with tables under them and grills just outside of them. Fishing is allowed in the lake, but with limits. You will definitely need a fishing license to fish here. With every nature park, there is some green space to play filed activities such as soccer, football, catch, kite flying or other activities. This park is no exception. There is a decent amount of green space by the playground area. Some of the shelters are in desperate need of repair though. A couple has sections of the roof collapsing in. There is a small playground at this park with older traditional equipment laid on a wood chip bed. Some of the playground equipment includes a some traditional and toddler swings, A tall spiral slide, a decent sized jungle gym with slides, a see-saw, and a large truck tire. It has benches and picnic tables on the perimeter of the area where parents can sit and watch their littles. There are a couple of small accessible piers on the lake that you can walk out on. They do not go too deep into the lake. I would say about 10 to 15 feet from shore. You will find a nature center and Native American Museum here at the park, along with some awesome wooded trails. It you are not feeling adventurous and are intimidated by the wood trail, you can just walk around the lake. I saw a bunch of people doing that while I was there. Additionally, there is a nice bike/running trail that goes past the front of the park. All in all, there are approximately 3 miles of trails which will take you past restored wetlands, through pine woods, old growth and second growth forest as well as a 25 acre State Nature Preserve. With visits to the Nature Center, native American Museum, Lake, playground and trails, you could easily spend a half a day or more here. I wish that the playground area was a little bit more robust, but it will do. This park has a peaceful vibe and is very relaxing. It is a destination park and hopefully you will get to visit it in the near future.

We are retired. Nice place to bring your lunch, watch the Canadian geese, and dads trying to teach…read moretheir kids to fish!!

While visiting Terre Haute, the first park I visited was Deming Park, and I knew I would return…read more The park has multiple amenities, including a full disc golf course, a swimming pool (during season), horse shoes, tennis, the Clark-Landsbaum Holly Arboretum, several art installations, a mini train "the Spirit of Terre Haute", and, oh yeah, a very cool playground. There are 177 acres at this park and that allows visitors to find quiet places as well as the hustle/bustle of the playground area. Shelters are available throughout the park and with many paved roads winding through the park, access to the shelters is easy. The playground was busy with families playing on the multiple pieces of equipment. I liked that there was plenty of shade close to the playground and that the picnic tables have roofs on them. During the season, a mini-train ride is available for a small fee. Just look for the colorful mural by Becky Hochhalter painted on the train shelter to know where to board. (Tickets are available at the nearby Torner Center during the season). There is also a nice garden near the playground entrance called "Jackie's Garden". It features a bronze sculpture of a seated little girl who is watching butterflies. The arboretum is a plant garden dedicated to preserving the varieties of holly. The entire hillside is covered with mature plants and each has been identified with markers to assist visitors. Nearby, a 14' tall stainless steel sculpture called "On the Wings of Flight" by Simonis (2015) can be found too! The park is a great place to spend some time if you are wanting to get outdoors and play. Review #892

Huge playground for the kids. One area is for the bigger kids and another area for 2-5 year olds…read more Tons of shade for the parents to watch the kids at play. There is a train that goes around a small track for $1.25 each passenger close to the playground. Haven't checked out the restrooms for cleanliness but they have them here and a water fountain in case you forgot to pack drinks. Lots of covered picnic benches great for a family picnic. There Is a community pool open in the summer close to the playground too. It's $2.75 for kids and $3 for adults. They have a diving board and water splash area for the younger ones. I wasn't able to see if the pool has a baby pool as it's not open until noon.

Great park. Love taking the dogs to walk around the lake on a nice day! Area around the lake is…read moreflat and easy, but the trail through the woods is challenging so you can get anything you want. Views are amazing, especially at sunset!

Note: Review is for the park only, not the campground…read more This east side park is lush and green with several shelters, playgrounds, and Burns Lake. The lake has numerous fishing docks. An Amphitheater with stone seating faces the lake and has a small "stage" area at the base. The rest of the park has a paved path on the east side and other trails that wander around the lake. One of the key points of interest along the path is the Kenneth E Smith Memorial Labyrinth which is a recreation of the one "in the floor of the Chartres Cathedral in France in 1220." There are 34 changes of direction before you reach the center. If you stay on path, it totals 0.58 miles if completed. Of course, since it is simply inlaid without barriers, you can walk off anytime you choose. Most of the areas I walked were clean, but some natural debris, like fallen limbs, was around. A large tree had fallen into Burns Lake near one of the fishing docks. Shelters seemed clean and came with numerous picnic tables and some grills. Overall, a nice place to hike and play on a day trip. Review #2691

"On the Banks of the Wabash" seems like a perfect pairing of the park and its history. Located…read moredirectly overlooking the river, the park has the home of the composer Paul Dresser who wrote the State Anthem. A historical marker provides visitors the information about the home. A nearby statue, "A Song for Indiana" by Teresa Clark (2014), captures in bronze the image of the composer, the most famous line of the song, the home, musical notes, and wave images. Beyond the home, the park has lots of room to explore (a carnival was being set up on the north end of the park). A large architectural crossing arch stretches over the garden and bisecting pathway. Farther north, there is a playground, restrooms, and shelters. Over by the water, more art installations and a pier extends over the bank. The park looks to be well maintained and good for gatherings. Located next to the park is a baseball park and another small playground. Seems like a nice perk for the folks of Terre Haute. Review #903

Sharing the location with the Vigo County Schools' Aquatic Center, this location has some…read moregreenspace, a playground, a basketball court, and the main feature: A large skate park! Unlike most skate parks I have visited, this location has the dedicated bowl with ramps and also has an extended terraced area that allows skaters/bikers to build some speed. On the day I went, the mix of bikes and skateboards seemed to be getting along well, so I assume as long as the crowd is relatively small, the problems of different methods of mobility are too. If you like skating, this is the place to be! Review #902

I'm a lover of labyrinths and working to develop a memorial labyrinth here in my home city of…read moreIndianapolis. I've long been an activist and I've frequently visited Terre Haute on my travels allowing me to visit the Kenneth E. Smith Memorial Labyrinth, an 80-foot in diameter labyrinth with 34 turns located in Hawthorn Park adjacent to the Dogwood Shelter. It is patterned after France's Chartres Cathedral Labyrinth, an early design that continues to inspire many of today's labyrinths. This labyrinth is one of the few in Indiana to make a conscious effort to be wheelchair accessible. The path is 30" wide with 6" in-between in an effort to allow room for wheelchairs and strollers. My guess is that this would actually work well for most manual wheelchairs. This labyrinth was completed in 2003 and is constructed of aggregate mix concrete. As it's in a park setting, it's surrounded by much greenery. I wouldn't say this is one of Terre Haute's premiere parks, though most times I've visited it's been fairly well kept. This is especially true of the labyrinth itself as it has a garden maintained by the Wabash Valley Master Gardeners. A meditation garden surrounds the labyrinth. It features a swing, benches, rose bushes, a fountain, trees, and other greenery. Much of the funding for the labyrinth was donated by Mrs. Lavern Smith in memory of her husband who had passed in 2000. It is intended to be a family friendly labyrinth and is open to children during the dawn to dusk park hours. Because of the meditative atmosphere here, it's an ideal location for a small wedding or more serene, spiritual type of event. The J.I. Case Wetland Refuge is also located within the park's grounds. The entire park is just over 256 acres and includes camping options. It's on the border of Rose-Hulman and also accessible from the Heritage Road National Trail.

On the road that runs just north of Rose-Hulman (Old Maple Ave), a stretch of land has been set…read moreaside by the Parks Department as a wetlands. The wetlands are ideal for Rose-Hulman biology students to collect data and do studies on the local wildlife. The park does have adequate parking and a trail that works its way around the ponds. However, be aware that because it is a wetland, the trails flood out so the amount of trail you can actually walk is limited by your footwear and safety. My walk was a short one due to the recent rains in the area. What I did see is that it's hard to tell this is a man-made wetland since it looks very natural. A smaller pond near the parking lot had grown over with aquatic vegetation (referred to as pond scum). A wooded area to the west was also flooded and you could hear the continuous chirping of small frogs. Wildflowers bloom along the trail as well. The small pond actually is connected to the larger lake which is frequented by birds and also has some fish, but I didn't see anyone fishing during my visit. The park also has a trail that starts by the parking lot and heads west to the neighboring Hawthorn Park & Campground. Maybe if I could have walked farther around the trails, I would have gained a greater appreciation for the variety of wildlife. But with the success of the growing trees and shrubs, it was hard to see the main wetland area from the open trail. Review #2690

Anaconda Park is a fenced park with a basketball court and a small, old school playground. The…read moreplayground has swings and a climbing structure that has a center piece that "snakes" through the center. I'm not sure if the park gets its name from the equipment or not, but either way, the name is much cooler than the actual park. There is no lot for parking and there aren't any benches or picnic tables around. Review #911

The good rating on this park is due to the conversion of tennis courts into Pickleball courts…read more During my visit, a group of friends were engaged in several games (there are numerous courts) while other friends gathered under the nearby shade tree to converse and watch. Everyone seemed to really enjoy being able to gather with other pickleball enthusiasts while taking a break from the action. The rest of the park has a basketball court, an open area for soccer, a shelter and a small playground. Nice for the neighborhood, but not much to attract visitors other than those previously mentioned. There is a parking lot next to the courts for further convenience. I did not notice any restrooms or water fountains nearby though. Review #894