This is a nice nature park with a vast amount of green space. It is located well off of the main road which gives it a bit of calmness. It spans 82 acres and dates back to 1970. The park has a shelter with picnic tables under it and a few tables and a grill just outside of it. A large portion of the park is a dog park area. They have 2 large fenced in areas with benches and dog ramps and jump bars. It is a nice dog park and requires a permit where dog owners can purchase a day or annual pass. There is a decent sized parking lot to park in and just off of the parking lot is the entrance to the park's nature trail. It is a very nice trail that is well defined and wide. You are never too deep in the woods being that it borders a neighborhood. The green space is vast and well maintained. You can do just about any field activity here including flying a kite, playing soccer, playing football, throwing a frisbee, having a picnic, batting practice or playing catch. There is a huge hill in the midst of all the green space that would be awesome for hanging out, working out and sledding after a snow. Some people use the green space, instead of paying to use the dog park to walk their dogs. I think that is acceptable by the park, as long as you clean up after it and keep it on a leash. The park's playground is ok. It has a bank of traditional swings, a bank of toddler swings, a geo dome, a see-saw, a spiral slide, and a large accesible jungle gym with a bunch of slides, monkey rings, pull up bars, and track ride. The area is on a bed of saw dust and the equipment is in fair condition and you can see signs of weather and wear. I know that money does not grow on trees, but it would be nice to upgrade this area. I will caution you that the park can get muddy after some precipitation, so dress your feet accordingly. This is a nice nature park that has a dog park, hiking trails, green space, a playground, and picnic area. There is no restroom facility, but they do have a porta-potty available by the parking lot near the dog park area. Definitely worth a visit if you are looking for a park and are in the area. I enjoyed my time there. read more

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Paul Ruster Park is an 82-acre park that sort of rides the South and East corridors of Indy. It's a little gem, though not particularly a wheelchair friendly one given it maintains a lot of its natural setting rather than having a lot of actual "features." The park was acquired in 1970 and is part of Indy Parks. It has beautiful, winding trails, a small fishing pond, and a playground that has some nice equipment but I sure wouldn't consider it to be top-notch in that area. I sort of stumbled by Paul Ruster Park. I was on a therapeutic drive after work and happened to make a turn and instantly saw the park sign. As I knew this was not a park I'd ever visited before, I had to stop and check it out. As I was driving in on a winding road, I saw one guy pulling out his fishing equipment. I love that. Paul Ruster Park does feature a bark park. You can buy a pass for it at the Post Road park. There's also a 1.5 mile trail in the park that I tried out - it's relatively gentle with some inclines and has some lakeside features. Dogs can go on the trail, though they must be leashed. The trail is pretty good for wheelchairs and is certainly paved. Paul Ruster has a really good sledding hill, though that's obviously not wheelchair friendly. It might be interesting, though! There is a path that leads to the playground equipment, though I certainly would not call the playground area an accessible area. I'm always curious about how parks get their names. So, I did some research since Paul Ruster doesn't really ring a bell. Ruster was a 1964 graduate of Warren Central High School who died on December 10, 1978 of Hodgkin's Disease. He was a longtime Eastside presence and had a brother who had been a Warren Central baseball star and would become a P.E. teacher. Paul Ruster himself went to Ball State and returned to Warren Township where he taught for 10 years before his death. He was a beloved child advocate and the park was named after him in 1979. Another fun fact about the park - it's reportedly haunted by the ghost of John Kitley, a 12-year-old harmonica playing boy who was killed along train tracks in 1864. The park is close to the Washington Square area and yet is nicely set apart from both the retail and residential areas that are within minutes. read more

Paul Ruster Park - One of the Paul Ruster sledding hills - perfect for winter snow. - Parks Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

Wonderful park with a good amount of things to do! They have a very scenic hiking trail, a fishing pond, dog park, a pretty old school playground, a massive hill I bet would be a blast sledding down, and plenty of great spots for picnics. However, it does flood and get muddy if it's been raining a bit. The tails are not paved, so if you do visit when it's rained recently, prepare to get wet. The more I explore this park, the more things I discover. I found a very small trail (almost completely unnoticeable) leading straight to a hidden cemetery! So cool! read more

Paul Ruster Park - Old pathway leading to the playground. - Parks Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

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This park does not get the love it deserves. It is a photographer's paradise with dozens of unique photogenic locations throughout the landscape. During the winter it's the best hill in Indy to sled on. Also, looking at stars, go to the hill, want to watch the sunset, go to the hill. Lots of larping events happen here. There is a pond for fishing, prairie area, large dog park, hilly wooded trails. read more

I've never heard of Paul Ruster park, and I was pleasantly surprised. There is a giant dog park, a few wooded hiking trails, and a giant field. We had fun walking through the autumn leaves and enjoying the sounds of the little creek that runs through the park. Since it was out of the way from central Indy, I don't know if I would visit it again, but if you have dogs and children and are looking for a nice place to spend an afternoon then this is worth a stop! read more

I found several broken condoms in the woods near the entrance of the park, as well as I found several syringes which were dirty and used. I feel this is an attack on my children as they could've touched all of these things, and gotten many different sicknesses. read more

Paul Ruster Park - Parks Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

We come to this park every single day of the year. Not kidding! This park is very well kept and the views are beautiful. The people I have met here are very friendly especially if they have dogs. The hiking trails are awesome and I see a lot of people enjoying the pond to fish. There are always families in the playground area having a good time and probably to wear the kiddos out. Lol! The only downfalls to this park is that there are no drinking fountains and only one port a potty. read more

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Nice park on the Far Eastside. Easily accessible and I've never had an issue with parking. Trails are well maintained and lots of playground equipment. However the playground areas seem to always be messy with trash when we're there, but it's not overwhelming. Overall very versatile and pleasant park! read more

Driving cross country and stopping at dog parks in so many states has been an amazing way to experience our country. We were so disappointed to find that this was the first dog park that required a passcode and/or badge to enter. Fortunately there is a lot of green open space in the park itself where we could run our dog, but we couldn't use the dog park itself. read more

Paul Ruster Park - Dog entrance area - Parks Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

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This huge park (82 acres) has so many amenities that I am already looking forward to my next return. The appeal of the park is more as a nature and activity site than as a standard park. Sure, there is a dog park and a playground, but the park is divided by a creek and has lots of trails that you can hike if you bring the right footwear or wait until the trails are a little more dry. There are a two shelters on site and a paved parking lot well into the park so that you aren't stuck at the south end. There is a lot of lawn space on the higher ground so visitors can engage in activities they may not have room for at home. And one of the coolest features is the steep (!) hill that is next to the parking lot. After a heavy snow, this becomes a great hill for sledding. It has a nice level are at the top so that everyone can line up where they want to launch from. I guarantee your can get a great workout from climbing the hill a half dozen times! I like that you don't have to worry about hitting anything at the bottom or worry about traffic like when I was a kid and we used the streets to sled. Review #632 read more

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This park is beautiful! Plenty of open fields for activities, a trail, shelter, and even a dog park make this particular Indy Park multi-faceted relative to use. I like to come here and work the hill - it's perfect for resistance cardio. Police often patrol the area however, I've never felt unsafe. The people who frequent the park are always friendly. The shelter is a nice size as well. Very nice park! read more

Paul Ruster Park - Parks Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

My favorite place to take my dogs, or even just by myself when I want to take a walk. The park includes a fishing pond, a playground, benches, tables and shaded areas as well as a huge hill (sometimes athletic teams use the hill for running exercises) and plenty of walking trails. The park closes at dusk everyday and ideal for birthday parties, reunions, etc. The best part of it is, even when events like this are going on, you can still pick a trail and be alone if you want to. My dogs love to play in the creeks! Love love love this park. The only reason I didn't give 5 stars is because there aren't any water fountains, which sucked the couple of times that I forgot to bring water. read more

Paul Ruster Park - Plenty of space! - Parks Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

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This park is pretty nice compared to others around. He has a nice little pond in the back and there is a soccer field close.

Nice mid-sized park on the east side. The large wooded area offers a couple of trails for casual hiking. Enclosed dog areas that may require a fee. There is a lovely pond surrounded by trees and a sledding mound near the parking lot. read more

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Very nice park during the summer and spring, but the best park on the East Side for sledding and snowboarding! My family goes every year and everyone has a blast! read more