I was test driving some new tires over the weekend and decided to go for a bit of a drive. This included some stops in Pendleton, Indiana in Madison County. This feels like it's going to be a long drive, however, it's pretty much a straight shot up US 36 and I really find it to be a pleasant drive.
Falls Park is really the crown jewel of Pendleton's park system. Falls Park began a transformation from being the area of the town dump into being a park area in 1920 on 284 acres. Over the years, it has been developed and redeveloped. It seems like every decade brings something new to Falls Park.
In case it's not obvious, Falls Park gets its name because it encompasses a section of the Fall Creek Waterway including a quite picturesque waterfall.
Falls Park has playgrounds, sports fields, golf, swimming, and it even comes with a small lighthouse that was renovated in the early 2000s. (It was originally built in 1928).
There are shelter houses, multiple trails, areas for fishing, and it's easy to find wildlife here. On my most recent visit, Falls Park was hosting the Pendleton Indiana Farmer's Market.
There's ample parking in the park. It's also super close to the downtown Pendleton area where you can easily do some dining and shopping. A good amount of Pendleton is on the National Register of Historic Places and this does include the park.
Falls Park has a memorial tree program and has also been known to use the fund for things like benches, trees, shrubs, flags, flowers, birdhouses and artwork.
There are areas of the park that are not fully accessible, however, it's also very easy to enjoy the park in a wheelchair. Because there's a lot of the park that's very much nature, inclement weather can create muddy situations or there may be brush along trails. The waterway can certainly rise, though I've never been there when it was flooded.
The Alvin D. Brown Memorial Pool has both single entry and season passes. Birthday parties start at just $100 for 15 kids! The pool offers swim lessons. Ages under 2 and over 65 have free entry.
The sports complex includes:
22 Acres
3 Youth Grass Baseball Diamonds
2 Softball Diamonds
2 Coaches Pitch Diamonds
1 HS/Babe Ruth Diamond
3 Youth Football Fields.
The park has several areas you can rent including multiple shelters, a log cabin, a red barn, a community building, and a gazebo. With the exception of the large shelter, the shelters are available free of charge on a first come/first serve basis.
This park was much bigger than I expected and MUCH nicer than I expected. There were a few spots where it seemed a little worn and I couldn't help but wish for a little better accessibility, but there's no doubt I'd return to this park when I'm in the area. It's not surprising that Pendleton is so proud of Falls Park. read more