It has been nine years since my original review of Indiana's longest rail-trail, the Cardinal…read moreGreenway. Despite the popularity of Central Indiana's Monon Trail, the Cardinal Greenway is a much longer trail at 62 miles of paved trail and another 15 miles of road that many bicyclists use (from Gaston to Jonesboro). I just finished the Cardinal Greenway yet again for one of my Tenderness Tour events, an annual long-distance wheelchair event that I use for fundraising and outreach. As is nearly always the case for me, I started at the Sweetser Switch Trail in Sweetser, Indiana, a smaller trail that leads right into the Cardinal Greenway. My review is based largely upon my experiences as a wheelchair user on the trail, though some of my insights will universally apply. As someone who enjoys long distances, the Cardinal Greenway is ideally suited for a 2-3 trek. It's a mostly wheelchair friendly trail, though some with upper body weakness may struggle on some of the inclines. I will also note that while the Cardinal Greenway tends to have a decent number of trailheads with portable toilets, some of these are surrounded by gravel and may be more difficult to navigate for wheelchair users. \Additionally, multiple parking areas had clearly marked accessible parking yet were either only gravel or had a surface that was so uneven you'd be a fool to try it in a wheelchair. So, a little advance planning is probably a good idea for wheelchair users. Fortunately, the Cardinal has a good team behind it and it's fairly easy to get accurate info. I'd originally given the Cardinal Greenway a 4-star review precisely because of some of my accessibility concerns. I'm increasing to a 5-star this time around because, quite honestly, accessibility has improved over the years and I've simply fallen in love with this trail. It's a fun mixture of city and rural sections. If starting in Sweetser, the lovely Sweetser Cafe is directly off the trailhead and a great place to stop for breakfast/brunch or a drink (before 2pm). In the rural areas, you can go for miles without seeing more than a few people. The Marion section, which goes directly through the more urban parts of Marion, still seems to be under-utilized but is honestly a lot of fun. It looks a little rough, however, I've never had a single issue wheeling through Marion. As you move out of Marion, you start to experience the country area and, of course, once you hit Gas City you either decide to try the bike trail (not advised for walkers...minimal shoulder and occasionally busy traffic) or pick up in Gaston. I loved the Gaston to Muncie stretch and it takes you through downtown Muncie. The trail's main office is at Wysor Street in Muncie, an area I was told isn't the greatest but looks deceptively calm. Again, I had no problems at all but staying aware is important. I will note that the Wysor Street Depot is a beautiful historic landmark that serves as the Cardinal office - yet, it appeared they've reduced their hours. After Muncie, you have a fairly significant period of a modest incline. It was an exhausting stretch for me that ended in Losantville. This is a particularly long stretch and those who want to do an overnight will probably leave the trail in Losantville and stay in Winchester. Losantville to Richmond is, with a couple of exceptions, a pretty nice downhill. Among the three major cities on the trail, I was most impressed with Richmond's care for the trail with the exception of the ending D Street Trailhead that is located in a hard to find and rather run down area a few blocks from City Hall. The trailhead itself is nice and I found several nice people upon my arrival, but the area itself just seems an odd place to end such a wonderful trail. I've always loved this trail and the people I meet along it. The Cardinal Greenway is in the Rail-Trail Hall of Fame (as is the Monon) and continues to get even better every time I ride it. The restroom situation, in particular, has really improved and over 20 trailheads now have a restroom option. If you're looking for a modestly challenging and scenic trail, the Cardinal Greenway is a tremendous option and easily within a couple hours of Indy even at its most distant point in Marion or Richmond.

My husband and I recently biked the cardinal greenway and had such a nice time. We parked at the…read morestop in gas city and it had a nice lot and bathrooms. We rode north 10 miles and back. The trail is Good despite a decent amount of bumps which can be rough in a road bike. The bridges and scenery were great though. Fun ride!

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.

What a lovely new-to-me Central Indiana adventure! One of the learnings I hope to keep from this…read morepast year is to stay hungry for visiting new parks and keep outdoor dining (specifically picnic-ing) a routine activity. My friend and fellow Yelper, Katie U, recommended we visit McGregor Park for a quick lunch time walk and picnic. I admittedly had never heard of it and was shocked to find how easily accessible it was off of US31. Upon arrival, the park has very clear directions of where you can find the trails covered spaces, etc. The bathrooms were very clean and located near a shelter with additional information about the park. I was most impressed by the hilly nature of the landscape which can be hard to find in central Indiana. It's also worth noting that the shelter spaces and landscaping were both impeccable and appeared to be new. My only regret is that I didn't have more time to explore the trails. Looking forward to future longer visits at this nature getaway a stone's throw from downtown Westfield.

I feel like the secret is out. There used to be no cars when I came to MacGregor park, and both…read moreparking lots were filled. The front lot is near a little story walk with a fairly small flat area you can walk around with kids. If you drive to the back lot you have a few different trail options, mostly around a mile. There were some hills, this is not a great park to go to after rain as it can get fairly muddy. But I think it's a nice little getaway.

My review isn't going to do this place justice, so just go visit for yourself and experience the…read morehidden gem that is the Taylor Center of Natural History. At this Hamilton County park, you'll learn about the indigenous people who lived in this area of Indiana before you did. There are recreations of their dwellings, and informative signs that tell you a bit about who they were and what they did, and lots of interactive outdoor exhibits for you to explore. And by you, I mean kids -- this is a great place to take kids to learn about Indiana history and archeology. There's lots of outdoor space to explore. When you're ready to explore indoors, inside the Taylor Nature Center there are displays with animal skeletons, replicas of indigenous tools, a replica of a canoe and more things to learn about. The nature center also has bathrooms and water fountains (and nice air conditioning on hot days!). This park has an easy walking trail that goes through the park. It's very wide and smooth, and seems good for strollers and wheelchairs. You'll see lots of native plants and trees on your hike around Taylor Nature Center of Natural History. Hamilton County Parks offers lots of different classes that meet here at the Taylor Center. I visited once for a class about food forests, and we walked around learning about all of the edible plants that lived on the property. It was very informative and enlightening. Check their website for other classes and activities, like seed collecting, festivals and more. This is a great park to visit to learn more about the indigenous people of Indiana. It's also a great park to bring kids -- especially kids who need to move around and discover things for themselves, because there are lots of opportunities for discovery here.

Such a very cool and random place! We were camping at White River so we thought we should come…read morecheck this out. Super friendly people, awesome artifacts and tidbits of history and some very nice trails to check out!

The owner of this company, Robbie, refused to honor vouchers that were bought from a radio station…read morebecause they had expired. They expired in October of 2021-clearly deep into the pandemic- He didn't offer any amount of anything for them. I told him we were uncomfortable going during the summer of 2021. He told me "The pandemic was over last summer" & I said "actually it's still going on"...He got super angry & through clenched teeth yelled to me "You shut your mouth!" Then turns to his staff & says "they're not going"

A couple Workers are extremely rude, this one older lady in particular is never kind. We always…read morehave an awesome time on the river but they do not give us a good jumpstart to our day

I really enjoyed my visit to this park. First, I don't think many people know about it and so I…read morehad the entire park to myself. I was able to grab one of the limited street parking sites on Bunch Blvd near the north entrance to the park. Second, there was a small plaza with informational signs describing the park, the folks involved with getting it built, and general wetland information that was brief, but helpful. Next, most of the pathway for visitors is slightly elevated on a boardwalk. Even though there was disturbance in the area during the construction, the wetlands have now recovered and the elevated trail makes for easy walking without damaging the surrounding wildlife. The rest of the trail is equally broad and hopefully gives good enough views that visitors won't wander off into the prairie area of the park. Note that during my visit, the wetlands appeared mostly dry but green. About half way through the trail, a large wooden shelter was constructed with a slightly elevated observation deck that offers great views over the lowlands of the park. There are more benches available there and lots of shade in an otherwise open area of the park. I really appreciate that the area has been preserved as a beautiful green area that can accommodate both humans and nature. Review #1053

This is a decent nature park. They have an adequate amount of parking available between its lot…read morenear the river inlet, the Pizza King lot, and parking along the park's long drives in the grass. You will find a restroom structure near the park's entrace, just off of the Pizza King parking lot, near the large playground. The first thing I notice about the park is its green space. There is tons of it and it is well maintained. there are a few metal square picnic tables scattered on the green space, as well as some benches that overlook the river. The park features a couple of decent playground areas. The one near the park's entrance is the largest and has a large jungle gym with monkey bars, bridges, slides, a pebble bridge, and a small canopy. There is also a bank of traditional swings, with an ADA swing over there as well. The second playground is by the parking lot and canoe launch. It has a smaller jungle gym with a slide, and a couple of traditional swings. Both playground areas are on a bed of wood chips. The equipment is not the most modern, but is well maintained. The park is home to a very nice, paved fitness trail. It is about a mile and has some very nice equipment stations along the circular route. The park has one very large shelter without any picnic tables under it. There are two smaller shelters at the park and they both have a few picnic tables under them. They are available to be rented. The most prominent feature of this park and probably the most used is its canoe launch. It has a very nice launch that feeds into the White River. In addition to launching some canoes, there are a few shallow spots near the launch that i saw some people splashing around in. It was like ankle deep water. All in all, this is a nice park. I will admit, there is not a lot to this park, but it is still a good option to spend a few hours.

They have free outdoor exercise equipment and a dog water fountain near the restroomsread more

I was out driving in Fishers yesterday as I needed a different view and wanted to grab a meal at a…read moredifferent restaurant than usual. After grabbing dinner at nearby Mashcraft Brewing, I was headed home and thought to myself "Hey, I've never actually driven down 106th Street." So, I did. When you get my age, that's about as close as you get to impulsive. Seriously, I have to admit that I'd never even heard of Heritage Park at White River before yesterday. I started to drive in and completely fell in love with it. As Ken N. notes, it's mostly a park for adults and/or adults with families. It's a calmer, more serene space geared toward more peaceful activities. There's nary a playground to be found and the entire 33 acres of the park scream out "event" rather than social gathering. The centerpiece of the park is the historic Ambassador House. The perfect description of this park is, indeed, "charming." Originally built in 1826 at the corner of 96th & Allisonville Road, the Ambassador House is a Greek Revival-style home that served as the summer home of Indianapolis attorney Addison Harris. Harris served as the U.S. Ambassador to Austria-Hungary from 1899-1901. The Ambassador House and Heritage Gardens can both be rented for special events - in fact, they were in use when I arrived yesterday. You can still visit the park during these times (there's a separate parking area), but access to the house itself is limited. The outdoor event area, complete with a European-style terrace, can accommodate up to 250 including in the Garden Tent. The outdoor area is only available from April - October. The indoor area, which can accommodate up to 60, is available year-round. Heritage Park offers greenways, multi-use trails, nature trails, picnic areas, a shelter, a nice-sized sledding hill, tables, and trails. There's also a public restroom. You will not, however, get a playground or sports equipment. For some, this is a negative but I'll confess I see it as a plus because even adults deserve a park and this is a nice, well kept one. Considering the use as an event space, the lack of "playing" is consistent with the charm and natural ambience of the setting. Heritage Park also hosts some of Fishers more powerful events such as Yappy Hour and Wine Down Wednesday. Because the natural setting has been largely maintained (though it's fair to say the residential surroundings are at times viewable even on the trails), it's not uncommon to see a variety of flower and animal life. Birdwatching is especially popular here. I noticed a wheelchair ramp into the Ambassador House, an obvious add-on to increase accessibility. Fishers has a strong history of addressing accessibility and this park is consistent with that vision. There's a half-mile paged loop that serves as the entryway to the larger White River Greenway. There are benches around it. You can also find benches at the more nature-centered trail. The park also hosts the Angel of Hope! I'm going 5 stars with this park - while it may not have all the features of traditional parks, it's a wonderful park for adults and families allowing for special events and an atmosphere that will make those events special. This was my first visit - it won't be my last.

Heritage Park is a 33 acre park that sits back hidden from the road. The entrance is located at the…read morecorner of 106th street and Eller road. It is known for its wooded trails, one of Fishers best sledding hills and the historic Ambassador House and Heritage Gardens. The Ambassador House and gardens can be rented year round for special events and weddings. In addition to the house and gardens, there are nature trails home to a variety of birds and plants making it ideal for birdwatching and nature study. There is also a paved half-mile loop trail that serves as the first segment of the White River Greenway. The park is open year round daily from dawn to dusk.