Nice place for a walk and some bird watching. Some trails are paved and some are mowed grass and…read moresome are crushed gravel. You can stick with level trails but they have less shade or you can head in to the woods and get shade but more elevation shade. I was there on a Friday afternoon and I didn't see another person at all.

This secluded park has several types of hiking available. For those who like wooded hikes with…read moresteep terrain changes, Trail #2 is a half mile loop that will get your heart pounding. For someone who likes a level hike along a prairie, the park has a longer loop around the perimeter of the 83 acre park. For visitors with mobility challenges, a paved loop near the north end parking lot goes around the northern prairie while skirting along the north end of the woods. The park is located off SR 67, south of Martinsville, just passed the street sign for Hyndsdale on North Duckworth Road. Duckworth makes several zigzags west and north before you see the east parking lot (the north parking lot is farther north and then west on Gray Road.) At the east end parking lot, you can head straight west up the gravel path into the woods. At the crest of the hill, you will be able to head left, straight, or right. The right side path is for Trail 1 and leads north on a short loop back to the parking lot. The left side path and the straight path are the two ends of Trail 2 which wanders through the hilly forest until reaching the south/west edge of the forest. The stretch between these two exits is a gravel path along the prairie that connects the two. Unfortunately, there are no trail markers and only some of the kiosks at the north end parking lot have maps showing where the trails lead. Apparently, there is supposed to be a tree identification program along the trails, but I could not find any markers along the trail to tell which trees matched up to the photo I took of the map with the key. The north end parking area has access to a shelter (with a grill and tables) and a mini "playground". There are a couple additional picnic tables to the west of the lot that are shaded and overlook the creek. Port-o-lets are found at the north parking lot as well. While hiking, I also noticed lots of bird houses for different varieties of fowl in both the prairie and wooded areas. Near the north lot, there is also a utility pole with numerous bat houses mounted near the top. The houses are for the endangered Indiana Bat. Fortunately, the bats are nocturnal, so no need to be concerned about an encounter. Overall, I liked the variety of the hiking trails, but wish that the park system would make sure both parking lots had trail information and that the trails and trees were indicated more clearly. Review #869

Like Yelper M O, my review is of Clear Creek Trail. This is my six year old's favorite trail in all…read moreof Bloomington, and I've got to agree it's a keeper. It's a wide paved trail that's stroller & accessibility friendly. There are runners, bikers, little kids learning to be bikers, dogs, etc on the trail. We park in the small free lot near to BUGS gym. Although there are only a few spots, we've always been able to find one. I have seen some people park in the small semicircle near the start of the trail when parking is at max capacity. There's another small lot on the more southern side of the lot too, so keep that in mind if you happen to go during a super busy time. The path does cross the road at one point, but there's a cross walk and cars are careful there. They've almost always stopped and allowed us to cross first. But it's not a heavily travelled road so even on the rare occasion that a car goes first, there's plenty of time for us to go afterwards. Once you cross the road you'll run into a small farm that butts up against the trail. This is where the magic is at! You can feed and pet goats and sheep. There are chickens too, and a loud squawking silly goose. Go a little further and there are some small breakaway paths that allow you to access (and dip your feet into) the creek. There are trees. There's wide open field. Butterflies and flowers too. There aren't any bathrooms so plan accordingly for that, but otherwise this place is amazing.

I was looking for something fun to do on a sunny afternoon and came across this nice walking path…read more There is a nice sized parking lot at the trail head. There is a water fountain and a waste can where you first get to the path. One of the main things I loved about this trail is the fact that it is wheelchair friendly. I have a difficult time finding suitable trails to take my daughter on. This trail is not paved but it is very well packed and does have gravel in some spots. I would think that if it was wet from rains it may not be as suitable to walk on. We passed several runners, walkers and bikers. We did not make it the entire length of the trail but the length we did walk was so peaceful. There were no leaves on the trees yet and no green grass but hearing the running water in the creek along part of the trail was very relaxing. I can easily see how this would be a great place to come and get away from city life for a short time! I'll definitely be coming back when I'll be able to walk the entire path. And hopefully see some wildlife and maybe some wild flowers along the way!

This is a very nice park that is tucked away in Bloomington. There is limited parking available…read morespread across 2 lots and another lot with just handicap and 15 minute spots. I guess you can park along the road as well. This park runs along Old State Road 37, has a canal that runs parallel to it and has a lot to offer. They have a couple of very nice shelters with a bunch of picnic tables, a fireplace, and a grill outside of them. They are really nice and can be reserved. They also have a couple of playgrounds in the park. There is a small playground by the larger pavilion with a swing bank with toddler, traditional and ADA swings. The equipment sits on a bed of wood chips, has a large paved trail that runs through it, and picnic tables nearby. The second playground area is across the street and much larger. It has a large red play structure, a bank of saucer swings, a sit and spin, a small playhouse, a pyramid net climber, a bank of traditional and ADA swings and small play structure for little kids. The equipment is in great shape. The large play structure has a bunch of gnarly slides, some bridges, a pebble bridge, and can be accessed from a large bridge. The small play structure just has a couple of canopies, a bridge, and a slide. It is much less exciting than its larger counterpart. The area has picnic tables and a bunch of benches around for caregivers to sit while their little's play. It is lined mostly with wood chips, but has some patches of cement and rubber surfacing mixed in. There is a bathroom facility over in the area as well. You will also find a sand volleyball court here at the park. It is a decent court and I do not know how much use it gets. The park features paved hiking/walking nature trails that are pretty nice. It is a scenic park and has a peaceful feel about it (the further you get away from the main road, the better), and is very scenic and picturesque. Along the main road is a portion of the trail that also parallels the canal, where you will find a bunch of picnic tables that are visible from the road. The park is home to a couple of desolate baseball fields that look abandoned and is closed off. There is a modest parking lot attached to the fields, but it is gated and closed off like the fields. The fields have potential and appear to have been an awesome spot to play ball at one point. Anyway, this is a very nice, low key park that has a lot to offer. It is well maintained, picturesque and soothing. I can not think of many changes I would suggest for this park other than more parking. You could easily spend a half a day here and not even know it. I recommend spending some time here and checking this place out.

What an amazing park! Gigantic play structure with multiple slides, swings, climbing, balance…read morefeatures, fire pole, nice seating for parents, and bathrooms.

A good place to learn some mountain biking skills…read more Wapehani Mountain Bike Park is a 34 acre wooded park. Wapehani contains approximately 7-8 miles of singletrack trails. There are numerous short but steep uphill's as well as tight switchbacks. None of the trails are very flat, and obstacles (logs, roots etc.) are present on many trails.

I don't live too far from here, and I love that this is so close. In a perfect world, it would be a…read morelittle easier to get to by bike or scooter. When you have to cross Leonard Springs and Bloomfield road, you have to be careful. So even though we live close, I drive there. One playground was updated recently, and has been very popular. It's very fun, especially for the younger crowd. There is a nearby walking path that loops around the small valley. It's great for kids who want to ride their bike or some other vehicle around. The larger and also fairly new play area in the rear near the dog park is also a winner. It's next to the water park, which is a bit of fun in the summer! As of now, there is currently a very large project that has been going or a while and has made parking here more difficult. I don't know what it' supposed to be, but progress is slow. There is also a dog park and a basketball court nearby. Lots of places to walk, and sometimes few places to park if soccer is happening. There are a lot of fields, and it seems to be THE place to play. The bathrooms have been well maintained, and shelters are available to rent. There is also a building that can be rented out for parties and gatherings. This is great, especially if it involves kids and you don't know how the weather will be. I'm glad we have this park!

Have to walk all the way across the whole park because only one bathroom is unlocked. Very long…read morewalk when your game is over by the elementary school and a child has to use the restroom.

So glad the city of Bloomington decided to redo this marshland in 2003. They have renewed what was…read moreoriginally 29% of Indiana before the settlers came in the 1800s. This is important because wetlands help with pollution control, ease erosion, and storm runoff. It also provides a beautiful urban park view from local businesses like Heartwork brewing, and home 2 suites hotel. Quick 15 minute walk around the park with your dog would be ideal, which includes doggy bags and a water fountain for you and your furry friend.

This is a nice park. It dates back to 1929 and was originally named the Jacob & Loretta Miller…read moreHomestead. The land that the park sits on was purchased by the city for $1. The location could be better though. It is sandwiched between a highly trafficked main road and with cars zooming by. It has a small parking lot with a 3-hour limit and a very nice state-of-the-art stormwater retention facility that serves as a beautiful lake with a small water fall. Talk about taking lemons and making lemonade. There is a pier that goes out over the lake to give you a better view and it has benches for you to sit. There are also some benches and bike racks in the parking lot area and on the opposite side. I was very impressed by the .6 mile paved walking/jogging track that goes around the park's perimeter. You will find the Red, Blond, Black, and Olive sculpture on the end of the park opposite the parking lot. The sculpture is in a little plaza area that has bike racks, benches and a lake overlook. On one side of the park you will find another plaza area with a bridge, lake overlook and a bunch of benches. Here is where you will find the park's limestone sign near the street. On the other side of the park, opposite the limestone sign and across the bridge, you will find the Axis sculpture that sits right off the water. The park is home to numerous local plants and has information placards around explaining the sculptures the water retention lake, and the plants. As I mentioned, this park is a good park, but because it is smack dab in the middle of a high traffic area, it is not very peaceful. That is the main knock I have about this park. The park also does not have restroom facilities, or playground equipment, but it is not that type of park. The park has received numerous awards through the years including the the Bloomington Chamber of Commerce's Community Enhancement Award in 2004, and the Indiana Urban Forest Council's Outstanding Project Award in 2005. This is not a bad place to past time and the closet you will get to nature in downtown Bloomington. I would say that it is worth a visit.

This park is awesome. It is packed with amenities. It is huge, spanning over 110 acres. It has a…read morefew playground areas, a two and a half acre pond, eight rentable pavilions/shelter houses, a small paved fitness jogging/hiking trail (I believe it is about .25 miles) near the front of the park, a couple of natural hiking trails, a water park that has two large twisty slides, a diving board, zero depth entry, a children's play area with tippy bucket, zero depth entry baby pool and a splash pad. There are a couple of bathroom facilities on site. One near the front of the park and one in the back, right by the dog park area. The dog park, as I mentioned is in the back and is very spacious. It has a bench that you can sit on and watch your pooch play. The shelters that are for rent come in different styles. Some are the standard pavilion type shelters with picnic tables, power hook ups and a grill. Others are like a cabin. Most of them have nearby playground equipment. The largest pavilion, the Family Pavilion is located in the front of the park and is adjacent to the spaceship themed playground and the pool. There is also a dog park near the back of the park. There is no membership required that I know of, but your dog must have it shots and be registered at the office. The park has a nice lake, that was in the process of being renovated while I was there. It is available for fishing in the summer and has a nice gazebo overlooking it where you can relax and take in the scene. There is a space ship themed playground area in the front of the park is very modern and new aged. It is also very clean and has benches that you can sit and watch the kiddos. The playground near the back of the park is decent, but is not as modern as the area in the front. The equipment is well maintained, but more traditional or old school. This park has some awesome hills that would be great for sledding, most of which are marked with a no sledding sign. Morgan County definitely got it right with this park. It is a hidden treasure and should be the standard for which other parks are developed. This park is way off of the road and is very quiet, especially when the water park is not operating. Bottom line, this park is awesome and definitely worth a visit. It has everything you want in a park and can keep the little kids and big kids entertained for hours. I could spend a half to a whole day there.

Being someone who grew up here this park was a staple of my childhood. Its changed some but overall…read morenot much. They have pickleball courts, basketball courts, a city pool with splash pad, multiple shelters you can rent for get togethers, trails to hike, disc golf course, playground for the kids, and the greatest sledding hill in Indiana come winter time. For the 4th of July, they always shoot off fireworks off the top of the hill for the whole town to see. Arguably one of the best city parks in all of Indiana given the hilly terrain and all the activities.

This is a cute little pocket par spanning only a half an acre. It is more of a neighborhood park…read morethat does not have a designated parking lot. You can find a few places to park your vehicle in the little cul de sac that runs along the side of the park. The park is managed by the city and has a a couple of picnic tables on a cement slab, under a vinyl canopy and a grill just outside of it. The parks playground has some nice equipment that includes a bank of traditional/ADA/toddler swings, and a large playset. The playset is nice because it caters to big and little kids. One side of it is tall and has spiral slides, bridges and a rock climbing wall. The other side is much lower and has a small rock climbing wall and a small straight slide. They both a canopies to give a little protection from the sun. It is a very nice piece. The is also home to a decent full basketball court. You will find a short, paved trail that is a little over a half a mile, the Polly Grimshaw Trail, running along the northside of the park. The park does not have a restroom facility or water fountains, but it is still a nice park. It is well maintained. Someone was even servicing it while I was there. I would not call it a destination park, but a nice place to spend some time if you are in the area.