It's a little bit rare that I discover a spot previously unknown to me, however, this was the case…read moretoday when I visited Oliver's Woods Nature Preserve. I was between tasks near Castleton and decided to do a Yelp search to see if I could snag a review or two during my free time. As is often the case for me, I searched for "parks" and Oliver's Woods popped up along with a review from the always dependable Nicole S. It's amazing to me that I've driven by this preserve many times without realizing its existence. In fact, even while looking for it today I drove by it a couple of times before realizing the place where I needed to turn. It's not particularly well marked from River Road. As it turns out, this is part of its charm. Oliver's Woods Nature Preserve is a 56-acre preserve owned by the Central Indiana Land Trust. It includes 16 acres of woods, 37 acres of prairie-savanna restoration, and a mile of White River frontage. As is true for most preserves under Central Indiana Land Trust, Oliver's Woods is fairly light in development but a fairly nice effort toward some ADA accessibility is noteworthy. It's not perfectly accessible but, let's be honest, nature seldom is perfectly accessible. As Nicole S. notes, this is a rather sublime weaving together of urban and nature. In fact, I really expected this to be more like a pocket park considering it's situated so close to an office park, apartments, and a nearby shopping center along with the highway. Remarkably, this is simply a well preserved area of nature amidst it all. In terms of accessibility, the accessible parking is by the Daugherty house. Oliver Daugherty, who passed away in 2009, donated the property to Central Indiana Land Trust and some unexpected funding received allowed for increased development of it in 2017. The accessible parking spot allowed for access to a .6 mile trail made of crushed gravel. I'm a wheelchair user and had no issues with it. However, it's worth noting that parking in the usual parking lot is more difficult because the gravel isn't quite as crushed. While the preserve is open daily, there are specific times when a volunteer docent is available to give a tour of the preserve. There is a canoe launch available for any craft legally allowed on the water in the city of Indianapolis that you can carry to/from the river from the drop-off area in front of the Daugherty House. The southern half of the Town Run Trail Park also runs through this property with an agreement that was made between Indy Parks and Daugherty himself. Volunteers have helped plant native trees and plants and to remove invasive species. "This special care is allowing native species like wild ginger, Virginia bluebells, waterleaf, wild hyacinth and trillium to flourish," according to the CILT website. Because this is so wooded and you are along White River, seeing wildlife is also a strong possibility. This is not a "recreational" preserve other than the ability to launch a canoe. This is a wonderful preserve for enjoying nature, appreciating White River, and enjoying a short but nicely done trail. There are signs around the preserve explaining the preserve (including at the Daugherty House). Quite honestly, I'd have loved living here. I saw one other vehicle while I was here, though I never saw the person associated with that vehicle. I did hear traffic and the highway, though on a warm and sunny Fall day it all felt really perfect. Now that I know this is here, there's no doubt I'll return!

Oliver's Woods Nature Preserve is truly an urban oasis. You can see and hear the vehicles roar by…read morefrom I-465, just a short distance away. You walk through tall grasses as you walk past billboard signs. I love the city and I tolerate nature, so this place is a great combination of both for me. There are hiking trails here, but they're not clearly marked, so as we were walking and enjoying nature, we encountered several mountain bikers who raced past us. There must have been some sort of mountain biking thing going on, because there were a lot of bikers at the park. We must have been on the biking trail, because we didn't see any other walkers, just bikers. The path is super slim, so we had to duck into the brush whenever we saw a bicycler, which was every three to five minutes. Eventually, we headed back and found an actual walking path. All this to say: If you find a dirt path that is jutted, it's probably not the walking path -- it's the biking path. Once we found the walking path, it was very pretty and peaceful. The hiking / walking path will take you to the boat launch, where you can take your boat out onto the White River. It will also take you to the Daugherty House, which is a house that belonged to the original owner of the property, Oliver Daugherty. You can't go inside the house, but you can look at the outside, and there are signs and QR codes that give you more information about it. We found a lot of native plants here, including wild raspberries that were ripe and ready for picking. We also saw a beaver (!) and trekked across a stream that fed into the White River. This is such a cool place, and it's a true Indianapolis hidden gem.

Hidden sanctuary in Zionsville? You need to check out Carpenter Nature Preserve!…read more This former golf course has been transformed into a beautiful nature preserve that's quickly becoming one of my favorite hidden gems. Nature-inspired playscape with a slide Water pump and mud kitchen for messy play Outdoor classroom with a chalkboard Outdoor amphitheater Trails with paved, rock, and grass surfaces for every type of adventure Clean bathrooms, water fountain, and picnic tables One thing to know: There isn't a lot of shade yet because the trees are still young. The best part? This is just the beginning! Future phases will include additional trails, wetland boardwalks, a tree canopy walk, more playgrounds, public art, ecological restoration projects, and a regional nature center. This is one of those places that's worth visiting now--and then coming back year after year to watch it grow.

Zionsville has done a super job of adding nature parks to the community. Carpenter Nature Preserve…read moreis the most ambitious project yet. Phase I of the Preserve just opened recently on the grounds of the former historic Wolf Run Golf Club. The park covers 215 acres of rolling hills along Eagle Creek. I visited the Preserve this morning and walked several miles of paved, gravel and natural trails. Phase I includes a nice parking lot with Prairie Pavilion. The Pavilion is small but houses restrooms and covered picnic tables. Maps of the Preserve trails are posted. A small natural playground has been constructed adjacent to the Pavilion. The playground features a water sluice, a slide and a climbing tree structure. The trails are great for a peaceful walk, bird watching, dog walking, biking and running. Two picturesque overlooks provide great views of Eagle Creek and mature tree lines. I saw frogs, rabbits and many birds during my walk. A small amphitheater with firepit has been built Into a hillside on the south side of the park. A covered classroom was built near the center of the park. Many of the features were funded by various contributors and bear their names. The Preserve is open sunrise to sunset. Admission is free. Bring water, wear bug repellent and sunscreen.

Who knew these trails were tucked behind the Riverside schools? Judging by the fact we were the…read moreonly people there, apparently no one. But there are in fact several trails on the property with a variety of settings: woods and hills, flat open prairie, and canopied trees. Nice to get some nature in on a nice day where there aren't a ton of people -- or in this case, any.

Tucked behind Riverside Intermediate and Riverside Junior High School is a little trail, next to…read morethe school tennis courts, that opens up into a larger park that Fishers recently established. The two baseball fields might need a little work to meet the standards our kids are used to, but it's ready for play! Get your hiking shoes on and come on out. There are also adjacent trails around the perimeter that are available for hiking.

Found this little park and went for a walk. Has a paved trail (with an incline at the beginning)…read moreand tiny offshoot trails that loop thru the woods. Its a nice little spot for that area and would go again if convenient but probably wouldn't go out of my way to go back. Overall we did have a pleasant experience

What I like about this park is the variety of trails within a small area. The main trail is paved…read moreand has information signs along it about species in the area. But there's also wooded dirt trails off to the sides and a prairie trail to the north. The north part of the park is pretty flat while the south has a big elevation decrease. The other bonus of this park is that it connects to the Fall Creek trail. You can park at either trail head and enjoy the short connector trail between them.

We had never been to this park before, I was looking for a trail to walk and this was perfect!…read morePerfect location, has so much to offer. Playground, creek, bridges, basketball court and walking trail. It was beautiful!

Sarah T. Bolton Park is named after the woman largely considered the first lady of Hoosier poetry…read more(I bet you can guess what her name was!). Originally known as Beech Bank, the park was purchased by the city from the Bolton family 1930 and is a nearly 32-acre park that includes picnic areas, a one-acre dog park, play equipment, shelters, restroom facilities, athletic facilities/courts, a creek, and it has a sort of winding topography that makes it Beech Grove's most popular park. It is also recognized as a certified wildlife habitat. In 2012, the baseball diamond was named after Richard "Dick" Templin, a lifelong Beech Grove resident and longtime city council member who managed Beech Grove's American Legion Baseball Team for over 35 years and had scouted for the Philadelphia Phillies. He's a member of the Beech Grove Little League Hall of Fame. I bet you didn't even know that Beech Grove Little League has a Hall of Fame, did you? The park has ample parking and is paved throughout. Generally, it's wheelchair friendly. The paths/sidewalks do have gentle inclines, though I've never had any difficulty navigating. Bolton herself was a poet and women's rights activist whose most known poems were "Indiana" and "Paddle Your Own Canoe." She wasn't well known outside Indiana, though she was quite popular in Indiana. She is buried in Crown Hill Cemetery. There is also a veterans war memorial in Bolton Park that is also wheelchair friendly, though it also has a bit of an uneven surface. Geocachers should also note that Bolton Park has a couple of geocaches within its boundaries, though one, in particular, is definitely a bit tricky to access due to the park's popularity!

The Franciscan Trail is one of Central Indiana's newest trails having opened in April 2022 and the…read morefirst trail inside the Beech Grove city limits. Fully paved, the 2.2 mile trail has end points of S. 13th Avenue and S. Emerson Avenue/Hornet Avenue. There's free parking available at Sarah Bolton Park and Don Challis Park. If it's not obvious, the Franciscan Trail is a partnership between the city of Beech Grove and Franciscan Health. Franciscan Health is a longtime presence in the Beech Grove area. While St. Francis Hospital in Beech Grove is no more, Franciscan continues to have outpatient offices, IT offices, and home health offices in Beech Grove. As someone who is both a wheelchair user and an active trail user, the Franciscan Trail seemed like a great way for me to start off my 2023 Yelp reviews. The trail is 12' wide and considered wheelchair accessible. However, do note that there are some gentle inclines in places and those who don't handle inclines well may want to have a companion along. For those wheelchair users who are able to handle inclines and the usual trail terrain, the Franciscan Trail is an absolute delight. The trail winds along Lick Creek and Beech Creek and is quite scenic. I hesitate to use the word "urban" to describe the trail since Beech Grove is a smaller city, but it does go through the more urban parts of Beech Grove. A 1.1-mile second phase of the trail is already fully funded and expected to begin construction in 2024. It will pick up where the existing trail ends on Emerson Avenue. Because the trail is at times creek side, there is the risk of modest flooding during rainy periods. That said, the trail seems well designed and well cared for by the community. A trail has been a need in this area for quite some time and it's exciting to see it happen. Biking and walking are allowed on the trail. Wheelchairs are also encouraged. The usual trail rules apply. As Christina B. noted, this is not a looped trail and walkers should plan accordingly.

The Franciscan Trail just officially opened on April 15th and is the first greenway in Beech Grove…read more Part 2 is already in the works. The paved trail is 2.2 miles long and traverses between Sarah Bolton park and just past Don Challis park. It isn't a loop so be prepared to walk 2.2 miles back if you walk the full trail. We parked at Sarah Bolton park and walked just over 1/2 mile of the trail to check it out. The trailhead at the park features a map and the trail rules. The trail is freshly paved and boasts that it is pet friendly and handicap accessible. There are pet waste stations located every so often along the trail. Parts of the trail were a little hilly so I don't know just how accessible it would be but would probably vary by person. We didn't see them on this trip but I read that two officers patrol the trail on electric bicycles for safety. Even though it was in the city, it was super peaceful. We quickly entered into a woodsy area full of wildlife like birds and bunnies. The trail also runs along Lick Creek. We were there the morning after a thunderstorm so there was some flooding on parts of the trail, but it looked like some sort of drainage system was in the works. I'm looking forward to coming back to walk the full trail soon.

Very short trail. If you're going for walking I don't recommend but if you just want to be outdoors…read morein the shade and near the creek it would be fine. I went with my dog hoping to get a decent walk in and I was disappointed.

I'll openly admit that I'd never heard of Hague Road Nature Haven until I decided to do some…read moreHamilton County exploring today following church. Hague Road Nature Haven is a relatively small spot at 43 acres. It's located at the Southeast corner of Hague Road and SR 38. The master plan calls for an outdoor education center, though for the most part the current status of Hague Road Nature Haven is as a fairly rough, immersive, and absolutely peaceful place that makes up for its accessibility issues with being a bit of natural wonder right here in Central Indiana. Hague Road Nature Haven is surrounded by Cicero Creek. There's a small parking lot. It's cleared but still natural in presentation. Plans eventually call for campsites, a natural playground, a nature center, study areas, and I believe I even saw plans for a small, natural amphitheatre. There are no plans, necessarily, to turn this into anything resembling a recreation area and we should be grateful for that. For now, you've got lots of greenery, hiking trails, creekside spots for stomping or wheeling or just watching. There's one absolutely delightful spot with a sort of swing bench. It's an inspired touch for an inspiring location in Noblesville. You can fish here, of course, and I was honestly surprised at just how much of this nature haven I could handle by wheelchair (though certainly not all). The creek itself stays relatively shallow. However, obviously, children should be supervised and care should be taken to ensure safety. This is nature, after all, and things can happen easily. Animals may very well be here, as well. This haven is still relatively light in terms of attendance and in one afternoon I saw fish, tadpoles, lots of birds and, yes, even deer. I wouldn't be surprised if turtles are around here and maybe even a snake or two (I like snakes...for me, that's a good thing). There's a relatively light "nature walk" trail here. It runs just under a mile. The path is natural, though I found it cleared enough that I could manage it. In adverse weather, I probably could not. It's not technically "accessible," but it's wide enough, mostly smooth ground/crushed stone, and almost completely flat. Plus, it's right by the creek. This also means mosquitoes in season, but that's easily handled. Absolutely heaven. This is a relatively secluded area - this can be an amazing thing, but it's also worth noting in terms of taking appropriate precautions. You're really not that far from residential areas here, though this truly is a set-apart haven and a magnificent slice of nature almost smack dab where you least expect it. There's no question I'll be back.

I took my dog here for a trail walk. Unfortunately, there was construction going on so we mostly…read moreended up on the Nickel Plate trail instead. Despite the unforeseen detour we enjoyed visiting the creek and the parts of the trail we could. There are lots of bugs in the woods near the creek but other than this I recommend visiting. It's very peaceful.

Cheeney Creek is a nice nature area just south of downtown Fishers. This area features paved and…read morenature trails with tall trees to keep things cool in the summer. If you prefer to walk/hike in the shade, Cheeney Creek is a good place to visit. The trails aren't particularly long, clocking in at around two miles. There is more to see with the nature trails since they run adjacent to a large pond. There are several spots and a dock that are ideal for fishing. Cheeney Creek was moderately busy during a weekend visit. I ran into a few folks here or there and some bikers, but that's about it. Afterwards you can take a short walk or drive to 116th street for some refreshments.