This is Mooresville's main public park and home to many sporting fields, athletic facilities and…read moreactivities. There are a multitude of hiking and walking paths; some paved others more rustic trails. There is a large public pool and splash pad, with restrooms, showers and changing facilities. The pool area has a large multi story water slide as well as two smaller straight slides for younger children. Next door to the pool is a Zip line with a chair for two people to ride together for only five dollars. It is only open during the warmer seasons. There are seven shelters of various sizes and well as playground equipment near some of them. There are two full size basketball courts or four half courts depending on how you visualize them. There are four complete and fenced in baseball diamonds each equipped with full size backstops to protect spectators and they are well maintained. There are at least five, probably more, soccer fields with goals for community practicing and leagues. Shelter No. 1 is located just to the right of the main entrance and has a permanent volleyball net plus horseshoe pits and some swings. The basketball courts are nearest this shelter and a short walk. Shelter No. 2 is the largest with a large parking lot and is located just to the left of the main entrance. It features the largest and main playground. Shelter No. 4 is on the other side of this huge playground and is located very near the equipment. Shelter No. 3 is also located towards the front of the park, but smaller and has a small single piece of playground equipment with a slide next to the shelter. Shelter No. 6 has its own playground equipment but is within a short walk to the main playground visible across an internal road. There is parking for a half dozen vehicles. Shelter No. 5 looks like a gazebo and is the smallest of the seven but a bit more secluded from all the shelters towards the front of the park. There is parking here for a half dozen vehicles. Shelter No. 7 is double the size of an ordinary shelter and located in the back next to the soccer fields. You can see the wooden bridge leading to the rustic hiking trails in the woods. There are permanent restroom facilities located adjacent to this shelter. There is plenty of marked parking spaces here along the road as well as a small parking lot in front of the wooden bridge. If you like to walk or hike, I recommend parking in the lot by the bridge in the back and starting from there. There is also another open soccer field beyond the trails I have used for kite flying.

I have been to this park a few times and it is a mega-park. It is massive, spanning 150 acres. I…read morelove this park It has everything you could want in a park. There is tons of parking available here spread out between a few different lots depending on what area of the park you are visiting. In the front of the park you will find a 4 shelters that are spaced out. Each shelter has picnic tables under them and grills next to them. The largest of the shelters is by the biggest of the parks playgrounds that has nice equipment that includes a huge jungle gym with slides, animals to climb on, and swings. The ground is lined with rubber matting. Also in the front of the park, you will find two decent full basketballs court that are in good repair. Of in the distance, in the corner close to the main road, you will find three horseshoe pits. The pits are not the best, but will do. You will find a gazebo off by itself and a restroom facility up there in the front of the park too. a little deeper into the park, is another playground area by one of the 4 shelters. It consists of a traditional bank os swings and a jungle gym with climbing equipment and slides. You can take the road further to the back and you will pass a gazebo with seating, picnic tables, and a small shelter on your way to the soccer fields. This is a huge green space that has some small bleacher seating and in addition to soccer can be used for other stuff like playing catch, football or frisbees. Back there you will find another shelter with picnic tables under it and grills nearby and a restroom facility. A little further past that you will find a picturesque bridge. If you cross the bridge, it will lead you to another area of muliti-use soccer fields. The bread and butter of this park is its trails. It has miles of very nice paved trails that go all through the park. There is also a storybook trail and a fitness trail that is just to the side of the bridge. The parks has some very nice trails and are very peaceful as well. I love walking the trails and have done a couple of 5K races there. The park has about 4 baseball fields that are decent. They could use some maintenance though. It is primary used by the Mooresville Baseball League. They have a batting cage, and a snack bar over there as well. There is a zip-line in the park somewhere, but it was closed for the season when I was there. The waterpark look decent, but was also closed. In front of the waterpark and right by the park's maintenance office is another small playground area with a medium jungle gym with slides and another shelter with picnic tables under it. This is a first class park that has everything including horse shoes, shelters that you can rent, green space for days, trails for miles, a water park, zip line, multiple playgrounds, a fitness trail, gazebos, and tons of parking. It is well maintained and very clean. This is one of the best parks in the area and it has something for everyone. I highly recommend this park.

This park is named after William Willard, founder of the Indiana School for the Deaf, who the state…read morebuilt a school for in 1850. The park is the site of that school. Willard park is an accessible park. It has one of the largest covered pavilions I have seen at a neighborhood park. There is a free private lot, a playground, a walking/running trail, a full basketball court, a half basket court, and an aquatic center. It is not very quiet as it is right by a firehouse and located off of a busy street. The playground is accessible to children with disabilities. There is a long ram that leads up to the top of the jungle gym equipment. It is some older looking equipment that could use some TLC. Kids will still find it entertaining. The pavilion is massive and has picnic tables. The basketball courts are nice for the most part. The full court has a few cracks, tons of trash, some graffiti. It needs a resurfacing. The half court was a bit lower than the standard height (not complaining) and was in better shape than the full court. It also has 2 4-square courts on the end opposite the hoop. The trail is unpaved but pretty wide. Not sure how far it is, but it looked like a quarter to a half mile or so. The park has a lot of space. It spans over 11 acres. It also has lots of trash. I even saw a spot where someone dumped burned charcoal from their grill. There was a city worker there picking up trash when I was there, but they needed a team to tackle that job. The park has a memorial for Sylvia Likens in the back near the fence, a young girl that was tortured and murdered by her caregiver. This is a decent park, even though it is slipping a bit. It has lots of potential and can easily be a five star spot.

My son and I have been going to all the local skateparks since moving Indiana. This park has a…read morelittle bit of everything a skater could want. A great mix between vert and street. My son just recently got a scooter and he really likes carving in the bowl. If you want to bring the whole family the playground is pretty unique as well so it really has something for everybody. We will definitely be coming back.

Yesterday, I took a walk along the scenic Central Canal Towpath. The history of the failed canal…read moresystem in Indianapolis is interesting. The canal network was designed in the 1830's to provide transportation and promote commerce across the State. Mismanagement during construction caused bankruptcy of the project and, subsequently, the partially finished canal was sold. The canal was never used for transportation nor was maintained until modern times. A towpath would have run along the canal and used to pull (tow) vessels through the narrow waterway. Today, the Central Canal Towpath is part of a seven mile trail system that runs through Broad Ripple and past Butler University campus. The Towpath crosses the Monon Trail in Broad Ripple. I walked the stretch through Broad Ripple which is lined with cafes and gardens. Several interesting traffic bridges cross the canal. The trail is picturesque. I saw kids fishing in the canal. Bikes and runners also passed me during my walk. The Towpath is worth a visit, hike or run. I paid for public parking, but you can probably find free parking along the route.

I saw this and was like we must go see it! I feel like maybe we didn't go to the best part of it…read morebut it was still nice. It was a perfect after dinner stroll. Only bad thing was the ice cream place right there was closed! How do you close for the season in October? Ugh lol. But hey lead to us going to a good chocolate place. Not from the area and just from seeing some pictures I wish we had explored some more.

While I was pleased to see the October 20, 2025 re-opening of Hazel Landing Park in Carmel, I was…read moreeven more excited with the debut of the new Bur Oak Bridge. While I've had my issues with Carmel, the truth is this is a city that does its landmarks well and that includes bridges. The Bur Oak Bridge spans 500 feet across the White River. It's 14-feet wide and is designed for both pedestrians and cyclists (or, in my case, wheelchairs). What's cool here? The Bur Oak Bridge connects Carmel and Fishers by also connecting Hazel Landing Park (Carmel) and Heritage Park (Fishers). It also serves as a connector for Monon, Nickel Plate, and Big 4 Trails. This thing is honestly beautiful to look at, constructed very nicely, and super friendly to users. The Bur Oak Bridge was reportedly named after input from Native American tribes and reflects the nearby presence of several bur oak trees. The bridge was an $11 million project. It was a collaborative effort between Clay Township, Carmel Clay Parks & Recreation, Hamilton County, Delaware Township, and the City of Fishers. While I'd seen it a couple times before the recent snowy weather hit, I had the chance to stop by this week and check it out even in the snow (and people were still using it). Beautiful bridge and I can't wait to use it again once the weather improves.

I've lived in Indianapolis my entire life with the weird exception of a few hours spent being born…read morein a Lebanon, Indiana hospital. While Lebanon is my birthplace, Indy is my home. Yet, I have to admit that I've not always ventured out and explored my Indianapolis home as much as I should have and as much as I'd have liked. Lately, I've been trying to really change this and explore Indy. I've been driving down streets I've never been down. I've been looking at neighborhoods. I've been going to museums and I've been checking out Indy's more unique spots. One such spot entered my review yesterday as I joined friends for dinner at the nearby The Iron Skillet. I nearly always arrive early places - partly because I get a little disoriented at times and am afraid I'll get lost and partly because of the unpredictability with my body. The good part of this is that it often affords me the chance to explore. While I won't say this part of town was foreign to me since I grew up in Pike Township, it had been years since I'd really explored it I really enjoyed myself. In fact, I'd never been to this site - the Wilbur Shaw Soap Box Derby Hill. I fell in love with it the minute I saw it. It's May and I love racing anyway. There's something awesome about soap box derby and there's something way awesome about this site. The Wilbur Shaw Soap Box Derby Hill is the longest track in the country at a full-on 1000 feet. It was built in 1953 and has a laser timer, digital weighing system, new scorer's bridge, and a pit area. USA Today has recognized the track as one of the top Soap Box Derby facilities in the country. All racing here is sanctioned either by All-American Soap Box Derby or National Derby Rallies and there is an actual Indianapolis Soap Box Derby Association. While I'd thought I might just check out the place yesterday, they were actually racing. It was honestly thrilling and I loved watching the kids race in the cars. It was one of those times in life when you tap into the innocence and wonder of childhood and I absolutely loved it. I'd have been thrilled if my fun evening had stopped right there. The track is named after Wilbur Shaw, an Indy 500 veteran who also served as IMS president from 1945-54 when he passed away. He was also the automotive test evaluator for Popular Science magazine. Shaw was a Hoosier who was born in Shelbyville in 1902. He won the Indy 500 3 times - the 2nd driver to do so and the first to do so in consecutive years (1939, 1940). In many ways, he was responsible for saving the track shortly after World War II when it was nearly closed to make way for post-war housing. It was Shaw who drew in Tony Hulman to ultimately buy the track and rejuvenate it! This is a magnificent place to visit. It's actually under the umbrella of Indy Parks and if you've never watched Soap Box Derby I highly recommend it.

Wilbur Shaw is the namesake of the longest soap box derby track…read more in the country at 1000 ft. He was born in Shelbyville, Indiana on October 31, 1902 and took an early interest in cars and racing. By 1919, Shaw decided to build race cars for a living, and vowed he would win the Indianapolis 500 someday. He drove in his first Indianapolis 500 in 1927 at the age of 24 and came in fourth. Not one to give up, Shaw won the Indianapolis 500 race three times--in 1937, 1939 and 1940.He was the second person to win the 500 three times and the first to win it twice in a row. During WW2, the INDY Speedway was padlocked and the property dilapidated and became a weed-strewn eyesore. After the war ended, Shaw found a wealthy businessman to bankroll a restoration of the Speedway. Soon, the Speedway was hosting exciting racing events and bringing in enormous crowds, due to the hard work of Wilbur Shaw and financial backing of Indiana businessman Tony Hulman. These two men managed to bring the Indy Speedway back to life after the dark war years and restored the luster of the 500 as the "Greatest Spectacle in Racing." This special Hill, which I visited on the Circle City Tour, was dedicated to Wilbur Shaw as a Memorial Soap Box Derby Hill, and is located at 30th Street and Cold Springs Road in Indianapolis, IN. The Wilbur Shaw Memorial Soap Box Derby Hill is a public park managed through Indy Parks. Yes, soap box derbies are something seen in Little Rascals movies but it is a fun, wholesome family activity. The Derby races are held here-at the longest derby track in the country-- starting in early summer and it is a big deal here in this mid-western Speedway town. And what a wonderful way to honor Speedway savior and race car aficionado Wilbur Shaw for all his many accomplishments. 5 YELP STARS.

Great coaches and facilities! Such a wonderful learning and family atmosphere. The Sampen family…read moretruly care about the kids/athletes.

This is a small pocket park located in Westfield. It was established in 1995 and is dedicated to…read morelifelong resident of the city, Roy Hadley. Hadley served as a town trustee from 1947 to 1954 and was selected as one of Westfield's Citizens of the Century at the Sesquicentennial Celebration in 1984. The park is less than two-tenths of an acre, but is in very good shape. You can tell that the city maintains it. It is pretty simple and is basically a place of relaxation and reflection. There are not amenities here. It is pretty basic and consists of brick paved walkways, some benches, a few planters/gardens, and a nice Pergola with a bench under it. If you look, you will also see a bronze plaque explaining the city's significance as part of the underground railroad. It is a nice park. Very well maintained. It is small and simple. There is free street parking nearby and there is a lot across the street that you can park in as well. This is not a destination park, but a decent stop if you are in the area with time to pass.

Beyond Monumental holds events centered around running every year…read more The event I attended was the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon. I first heard about this event through my friends who ran the marathon a couple of years ago (WOW!) This was their first marathon, both avid half marathon participants, and they both crossed that finish line! The medals for the half and full marathon have a letter each year that spells out "INDY" if you complete four years. This year, I joined them for a 5K. Just a tip: the medal for 5K is different from the half and full marathon and does not come with a letter. The event was well put together, especially considering it was my first big running event since pre-2020. My friends did say that the sponsors were a lot smaller and the pre-race packet pick up event was a lot less energetic compared to years before but that might just be the effects of the pandemic. Overall, would recommend for all you runners out there! Especially if you like the challenge of running all four years to complete the INDY medals. Also, the beanies they give out are SO CUTE and are colored depending on the race you run.

For some reason, the Monumental Marathon is marked permanently closed...I put in a note to say it…read morewas on again in 2021, but it was never re-activated on Yelp, so I'm adding a new review here. I've run the Monumental half every year since 2011 with the exception of 2020 when it was canceled due to Covid. It is consistently a favorite of mine because it is so well organized and the course goes through so many interesting parts of downtown and the northside. Distraction with good scenery helps me, as does the energy of the residents in the neighborhoods we run through. It's a great course for serious, fast runners and more fitness "trotters" like me. One other cool element is that in the last 3 miles the half and full courses rejoin so the fast marathoners are in the lane next to us slow half marathoners. These elite runners are amazing and the contrast is entertaining. A friend commented that we were all dressed like Christmas carolers in hats, gloves, tights, jackets, etc and these folks were gliding along gazelle-like in shorts and tanks. The weather can be dicey the first Saturday of November, but usually it's cold at the start but warn enough to lose some extra layers as the race progresses.