A nice paved path and pretty wooded views make this an enjoyable trail. We saw a group of folks…read morewith a few people in wheel chairs and we were encouraged that many people can enjoy this beautiful walk.

The Monon High Bridge Trail is part of Delphi, Indiana's 10+ mile system of historic trails that…read morerun throughout the city that rests alongside the Wabash and Erie Canal. The trail became an infamous part of Indiana's crime history on Valentine's Day in 2017 when teenagers Abigail Williams and Liberty German were murdered on the trail after having gone there for an afternoon of hiking on an unseasonably warm February day in Indiana. I must admit that I hesitated to add the trail, a previously popular trail on Delphi's Eastside that seems to be mostly used at this point by those seeking some sort of closure in dealing with the crime and by other curious Hoosiers. For a smaller city, Delphi has a rather nicely developed trail system. Since the tragedy occurred in 2017, Delphi has been making tremendous strides in raising funds and working toward further enhancing the safety of its trails. As a longtime activist in the area of violence prevention, I've long been outspoken about violence involving children and the Delphi killings struck me particularly hard as it was right around the time I was doing one of my Tenderness Tour events. Over the past year, I'd wanted to try to wheel this trail, knowing that it wasn't quite as developed as I usually try to stick to, but it has never felt quite right given the tragedy and my overwhelming desire to not exploit those involved. Having done a recent event, however, I had the opportunity to visit Delphi and to wheel this trail without any publicity and with no commercial attachments. While I am not connected to Delphi, Abby, or Liberty, like many it felt very personal. The trail is a 1.5 mile trail accessible by the abandoned Monon Railroad and from County Road 300. There is some parking available, though I should say up front that neither the parking area not the actual trail would likely be considered wheelchair friendly. The parking area isn't paved - it's more natural dirt/gravel road with a gravel pathway to the actual trail that is actual gravel and not crushed stone. It's not an easy wheel. You can tell you're in the right place if you see a Centennial Stone dedicated to General Samuel Milroy There's a very clear Delphi Historic Trails sign also present. The trail features Indiana's second highest railroad creek crossing, a crossing that is currently blocked off largely related to the crime and issues with private property and planned renovations. When you visit the trail, you are immediately overwhelmed with the fact that the trail is relatively close to a highway and also a property that is on the National Register of Historic Places. While I was able to make my way up to the closed area in a wheelchair, it's pretty clear that the pending renovations and lack of utilization have allowed for some wear to exist on the trail that would likely be addressed more fully if the trail was more actively utilized. We ran into an elderly area couple on the trail while out there - they acknowledged it was their first time on the trail since the killings and they shared their insights about the town's ongoing inability to use the trail. It appears this is magnified because no one has been arrested for the killings. The trail itself is mostly natural, somewhat cleared yet definitely one that requires full attention to ensure safe passage. While the bridge itself was blocked off, it is well known the railroad crossing would not be wheelchair friendly even for a pretty extreme adventure guy like myself. The trail also offers access to the Mary I. Gerrard Nature Preserve, a 6-acre nature park that is right near the end of the trail where the kilings occurred. There's also a memorial to Abby and Liberty that is still presence, a simple yet powerful reminder of the tragedy. It feels weird to "rate" the Monon High Bridge Trail "as is." Yet, it's a trail that remains open to the public and is due to be renovated and upgraded with enhanced safety features. While it remains to be seen if the public will return to the trail, one hopes that the beautiful setting will once again be visited even if it must wait until someone is held accountable for the tragedy that occurred on the trail. The trail is open dusk to dawn. The trail itself does not wind around - once you reach the end, you'll turn around and return the same way. It should be obvious, but if you choose to visit the trail do so respectfully. Delphi is a city with very little crime and the tragedy that occurred on the Monon High Bridge Trail has truly shaken its soul. Please be respectful of anyone you see and the memorial markers that continue to be present toward the end of the trail. Ultimately, the trail is best for hikers and those without mobility concerns. Those in wheelchairs and those with other gait or walking concerns may want to stick to the paved trails closer to town.

WORST CANOE TRIP EVER!!! 85% of our trip was dragging the canoes over rocks! This was an awful…read moretrip!! It felt as if we were on a creek, rather than a river. If you are trying to show someone a fun time on a canoe trip, DO NOT GO HERE!! We got stuck many times and called the office to get help, but they could not help us. They told us we needed to continue dragging our canoes until the very end. Ugh! Nightmare! The rocks were very slippery and my son cut his leg when he slipped trying the drag one of the canoes. It took us FOUR hours to complete the trip and they advertise it as a two hour trip.

Love coming here every season! The family that owes this is incredibly nice and helpful. They are…read morealways able to accommodate our parties. Incredibly hard working staff. Never have a bad time on the creek!

Davis Ferry Park is the site of an 1800s ferry crossing and an early 1900s bridge. The park offers…read moreaccess to Wabash Heritage Trail in both directions, a great place for short or long hiking, with or without your dog. No bikes or camping. A boat launch and some river bank areas provide access for fishing. No toilet or fresh water service.

Unless you are planning on launching your boat into the Wabash, there is no reason to visit here…read more I thought when it said there was a link to the trail system, it is obscure. The rest of the area is surrounded by corn fields and private property. No visible trails can be seen, but google maps indicates you may be able to cross the river via the western bridge. I couldn't see the trail from the boat launch, so I hope you have better luck than I did. Review #1145

Took us awhile to get in the kayaks, but that was due to high water levels. The owner kept us in…read morethe loop about the water levels and when they would be better for us to hit the river. They stayed on top of everything and was very helpful. When we got there check-in was super easy, they drove us to the drop-off spot, and the river was in great condition. A great experience overall and well operated small business. Definitely would go again!

I wasn't sure what I'd find at this park on the northwest side of Delphi. When I pulled into the…read moreparking lot on the south end, I was immediately aware of a high ridge with a fence on it that I couldn't see over. There was a small plaza with benches and a sculpture and a dedication plaque to George Obear. Beyond the plaza, there was a grove of mature trees with a picnic table in the center. And then I noticed the structure that is the overlook part of the park's name. I climbed the structure and saw a plaque describing the man-made lake that was in front of me. Apparently, the area beyond the ridge had been a limestone quarry that stopped producing in 1994 and was allowed to fill with water. Wow! I went on a sunny day and I can honestly say that I have never seen water so sparkling blue in my 60+ years. Even though the water is about 100 feet deep, I can only imagine the white limestone helps reflect light back to the surface to make the water appear so light in color. It's a shame that the fencing around the overlook takes away from the view (I had to get my camera up against the fence to shoot through it.) I never made it to the north end of the park since it was extremely hot on my visit and I didn't try to walk to the north end. Note that there are some private lots along the road that takes you up to the north end of the park, so it isn't so easily recognizable. Not sure what else there is to see on that end. Even if you don't make it to that end, pick a sunny day and check out the view. The view of the lake is worth the trip! Review #2793

The canal boat ride and interpretive talk were outstanding. The museum was great with several…read moreinteractive areas for kids. A place drenched in history!

When I arrived at the park, I was surprised that there was so much to look at. It's not like most…read moreparks. This one has a pioneer village with log cabins, a museum (which was closed for a private event during my visit), and canal boat rides. The village is open to walk through and includes the Case Reed House which was moved from downtown to this site around 1986. The house was converted to a hotel for travelers after being a private residence. The canal boats are colorful and provide guided tours for those who wish to take the trip. I didn't have time to go on the ride, so I can't say how much it costs or how often the rides leave the dock. There is also a trail that runs through the park along the canal. This is a nice piece of local history from an era when Indiana thought it could be a navigable transportation area with the help of canals. Review #2792

Southwest of Lafayette is the new town of Shadeland (it still has a Lafayette mailing address…read morethough). The folks who live there have a fairly new park that has a combination of sports and playground equipment for kids to use. There is a nice parking lot on the southwest corner. To the east is a fair sized shelter with a picnic table and a grill. Down the hill to the north are a basketball court and a baseball field. Between the basketball and the parking lot is a bright and unique playground. There are lots of large animal shapes and even a few dinosaurs for kids to climb on. The rest of the equipment serves the same function of lots of other playground equipment in other parks, but these pieces look unique and might make for a little bit more excitement from kids given the chance to play here. The negative is that there is very limited shade outside of the shelter probably due to the park being so new. Maybe they should plant a few trees around the playground to solve that problem down the road. Review #1070

This is a very nice man-made island located on a lagoon in Colombian park. You could not tell by…read moreits amazing features and renovated spaces, but the island was dedicated back in 1949. It's development was led by Veterans of Foreign War Post 1154 and the area is also known as Memorial Plaza, which is the front part of it. This is the location that the city decided to centralize their memorial and several memorials from around the city were relocated here. The island is very picturesque and scenic with some nice landscaping and brick pavers. Being that it is a subsection of a park, parking is not an issue. There are a few lots to park. You do have to walk a bit to get here though, no matter where you park because of the way the park is laid out. The entry walkway leading into the island is called the memorial plaza and has flags of all the branches of service waving tall and proud from flagpoles. The next thing that you will come across is Tippecanoe County Veterans Memorial. It is the oldest of the memorials (1949) and honors those residents that made the supreme sacrifice in the defense of our Country. Outside of the memorials, the centerpiece of this island is its awesome amphitheater, which has fixed and lawn seating. It can be rented for special events.There is also a promenade area with seating along the water. As far as memorial go, this area is packed as would be expected. They have the United Spanish War Memorial, Gold Star Family Memorial, Medal of Honor Memorial, Purple Heart Memorial, and the Vietnam Memorial. There is also a bunch of flag waving from flags poles over there and a Howitzer gun on display. They are all nicely done. I cannot stress enough how beautiful this place is. It is a fitting tribute to the brave men and women of the armed forces. It is well done and is placed in a prominent spot and not in the some back corner. It is definitely worth a visit.