An incredible treasure tucked away in beautiful Madison, Indiana! The scenery alone makes it worth…read morethe trip--the rolling hills, peaceful woods, and well-kept paths make you feel like you've discovered a little slice of nature's magic. The hikes are very approachable, even for families with young kids. The trails are well-marked, not overly strenuous, and give you just the right mix of exercise and relaxation. My kids loved exploring the paths, spotting wildlife, and getting the chance to just run and play in a safe outdoor space. It's a wonderful way to introduce children to hiking without overwhelming them. For families, this place is ideal. The trails are wide enough in many areas for strollers, and there are plenty of spots to pause, take in the view, or enjoy a quick snack break together. It's the kind of place where you can spend an hour or the whole afternoon and leave feeling refreshed and reconnected. What I really love is how accessible and welcoming it feels--perfect for both locals and visitors to Madison. Whether you're looking for a short nature walk, a family outing, or a peaceful hike to clear your head, these trails are a gem. Highly recommend to anyone visiting Madison, Indiana--this spot is a true treasure for families, nature lovers, and anyone who just needs a little dose of outdoor beauty.

Beautiful state park with plenty of trails, parking and sights to see! Parks, picnic tables, and…read moreaffordable to get in, especially if you're a resident.

This was a great little hike! There are about 5-8 parking spots at the trailhead right off the…read moreroad. It's about a 20 min walk to get to the waterfall area. There's a nice stream you can walk along and walk above the waterfall or walk a little further along and then access the pool below the waterfall. There's some descent down to the creek but it's never steep and the trail is pretty smooth. Supposedly there's a loop trail, but we only did the out and back. It's a nice little add on if you've been to Charlestown State Park and are already in the area. It's about 15 min from there.

A great little park and a good place to launch a kayak from without paying a launch fee…read more I haven't done any hiking or anything else here except for start an afternoon of kayaking. My friend made the suggestion when we were looking for spot to launch that wouldn't cost $15/boat. The convenience of this cost savings makes up for the downsides. The two downsides are the small, tight parking lot and the long trail from the parking lot to the place where you can put your kayak in to the water. That second problem could be mitigated by the use of a hand wagon...we just need to get one. Ha ha! I am eager to explore more of the park on foot, but I can certainly guarantee I will be back here for more kayaking adventures.

Really cool park that is hidden in a neighborhood of Prospect!…read more I came with a few friends and we hiked the trails. It's not a difficult hike, but there are some hills, rocks, creeks. There are benches to rest on and swings too. I got a bit out of breath sometimes because it was a bit more strenuous than I anticipated. We saw lots of people walking their dogs, kayaking/canoeing. There used to be a waterfall you could check out, but it's not closed off since it's private property. You can park down in here in the small lot.

We did a walk in a portion of Cherokee Park on a very windy Sunday morning. We noted that cars…read morestill travel too fast for comfort when near pedestrians. Plenty of walkers, runners, bikers, dog walkers, recreational users (frisbees and kites), tailgaters, and drivers today. We stopped to catch a break near the top of the hill at Hogan's Fountain. The water fountains and faucets (to fill up dog bowls) were all operational today in mid-March. Restroom facilities were also open.

I had not been to the area in Cherokee park off of Alexander Riad fir years and ended uphiking…read morethere two days in a row. Easy access from Cherokee Road with plenty if oarilking and wady access to trails . There were some hills, steps but mostly flat. We did a combination of paved and unpaved trails. Lots of benches, people about and a couple of beautiful hiking days.

This botanical garden was absolutely beautiful. I took my mother and a mother daughter day. They…read moreseem to offer a lot of different events. And I plan to attend some in the future. Lots of plants for sale. I loved being able to go all over. Even into their greenhouses to see how they operate. The variety of plants is amazing. And they even have things to do for children. This is not a free garden. There is a fee when you enter. Totally worth it.

Although it's not a large botanical garden it has recently undergone some renovations that have…read moreadded to its beauty. Seeing the lovely flowers and plants is a joy. The staff is very friendly and helpful. Even as Covid has changed things and the membership fees have increased it's still a good value especially if you take advantage of the reciprocal privileges(free entry) at other member botanical gardens.

I haven't been to McNeely in a while, probably since I was a kid but we have recently started going…read moreagain and it's definitely been enhanced! There are plenty of spots for fishing but some of them you will need to take a short hike down a gravel road. If you bring a wagon make sure it has bigger wheels but probably best to carry everything to make it easier. There is a fishing dock as well that's pretty big and most definitely is shareable with a few groups. The hiking trail that extends around to the dam is a fun walk since it goes in and out of wooded covering. Makes it great for sunny days as well. The playground is nice and maybe small to moderate size. There are BBQ stands to use and picnic tables. There are bathrooms but not very quick to get to from most parts of the park so keep that in mind. Great place to kayak as well! Great views and since the lake is narrow it makes it feel more like a river to go through. Super fun place! Glad to see them doing more work on it Only criticism is that there is lots of trash and even though it's the patrons fault, the park could do a better job at cleaning it up. Watch your little ones so they don't pick up pokey fish hooks or broken bottles.

Tiny park located off cedar creek road. You pull into a the parking lot and the road way is gated…read moreoff. So you park to the immediate left. The park itself features a small playground, a full court basketball court and lots of soccer fields. If you follow the concrete path near the parking lot towards the patio area and soccer fields you can follow that path around a short trail that eventually takes you through a gravel paved wooded area that runs along side the soccer fields. It leads back out to the road where it circles back to the blocked off road at the entrance. It's a giant circle. But it's a peaceful and easy trail. Overall solid little park and it's pretty close to my home. So I'll come up here and let the girls play on the playground. It's very rarely crowded. Most of the crowd heads to the larger McNeely Lake Park about 3 miles down the road as it has several massive playgrounds. So a lot of time when we don't want to deal with bit crowds I'll make the short trip here and let the girls run wild and blow off energy.

Large tall play area. My kids loved it and we went early enough we were the only people around. We…read moredid not make it to the creek due to it being too far away to walk with a 2 year old and 5 year old considering it would be uphill walk on the way back.

I almost didn't want to write this review ... because this truly is a hidden gem and I don't want…read moreit to get too crowded! But, I think I've kept this awesome Burlington trail a secret for long enough. Let me start by saying that there is a park area with a playground and covered shelter and grill that looks nice and clean! On our most recent visit, there was a big cookout going on, and all of the parking spaces in the small lot were full. Don't be concerned if that's the case when you arrive ... there's plenty of street parking available in the surrounding neighborhood. And - even if the play area is full of people, we've never seen another person on the actual trail beneath the park. This trail is not for hiking amateurs. You can except a VERY steep climb back uphill at the end of your visit. There is a side path that's a little less steep - but it's very rocky with lots of switchbacks. I definitely recommend this trail for more experienced hikers. If you are a beginner and still want to check it out, just be sure you know what you're getting into. It's definitely worth the climb! My husband and I often bring our dogs for a quick spin around this trail, on both weekday and weekend mornings. When you get down to the actual river, there's plenty of wildlife to check out. Most recently, we enjoyed the blooming Honeysuckle plants, but steered clear of a few snakes in the water. Be sure to watch where you step. Check out Gunpowder Creek the next time you're looking for a unique nature hike with a bit of a challenge. You won't be disappointed.

Great place! Iconic, historic, and fun. Chances are that your parents, and maybe grandparents,…read morejumped off this rock into the cool water below. Be advised it is only maybe 3ft at deepest, rocks on bottom, and occasional waters naked. You know, nature stuff. Crawdads abound, and are fun to hunt. Only caveat is during dry spells the water can become less than savory. Toxic even. So be advised.​

Big Rico park is a very cool and beautiful park located in the Cherokee park system that's created…read moreby Olmsted the same person who made New York's Central Park. Located in the highlands/Cherokee portion of the city of Louisville. I stopped by this park the other day with my wife and 4th horn daughter who is 18 months old. We had planned to play on there small playground but she fell asleep so we Chelsea out the scenery instead. They have lots of water that's ankle high and lots of rock that allows you to walk out in and get in the water. It also a few small trails that surround the park that lets you see yeh park from several angles. The park includes seven benches on the banks of the water for viewing pleasure. They also have a giant pavilion that can be rented out. Which looks like at one point was very impressive. Now it's not upkept and filled with graffiti. It's honestly the only eye sore here. Hopefully they clean it up. Overall cool place that looks like it has 3 different parking lots for different entry points. Although the water is low enough and there is a bough rocks to easily walk this small park and get to any entrance. We had a nice visit here and I look for art to coming back with my other kids and enjoying the exploring and playground.