I'm a definite fan of Carmel Parks, however, I'd also definitely place Hazel Landing Park on the…read morelow-end of the Carmel Parks system. Hazel Landing Park was reopened on October 20, 2025 with the debut of the new, and quite wonderful, Bur Oak Bridge. The bridge connects directly from the park, though if you're parking on the paved area you'll have a little bit of a walk and a gravel path you'll have to use to access the bridge. The bridge, easily my favorite thing about this park, spans 500 feet across the White River. It's 14-feet wide and is great for pedestrians, bikers, or wheelers like me. It connects Hazel Landing Park to Heritage Park in Fishers. Heritage Park is definitely a more traditional park with a quality restroom and more traditional amenities. Hazel Landing Park was originally developed in 2003. It's a 41-acre park with its only other main feature being an 18-hole disc golf course. It's set against the river - kind of cool. There's also a canoe and kayak launch, picnic tables, a grill, and lots of green space. That said, it also has a bit of an industrial feeling as it's backed by parts of Carmel's utilities and the concrete companies and a gravel pit. If you know Hazel Dell Parkway, you will know what I'm talking about. The other major negative is that the driving path is significantly rough with major potholes. It's definitely not a park you want to pull into quickly. This isn't a bad park by any means. The Bur Oak Bridge is exceptional. While there's an incline to get on the bridge, it's a gradual incline and I had no issues handling it in my wheelchair. I do know this is a park that tends to flood in poor weather (it is next to White River), though it wasn't particularly bad today. I wouldn't recommend this park for wheelchair users, though someone with assistance or someone particularly able to handle gravel could at least enjoy the bridge. With so many other park options in Carmel, this would probably be one I'd mostly pass on other than those days when I want to take in the beautiful White River.

Summer 2020 was the season of exploring new-to-me parks in Hamilton County, and Hazel Landing Park…read morewas on the list. It's oddly located at 106th and Hazel Dell Parkway and doesn't really seem like a park entrance -- after all, it's just south of a sand and gravel pit. There's not much here beyond a few picnic tables and a full disc golf course. When I visited, the parking lot was full but I couldn't see anyone, because they were all in the woods playing disc golf. There are rugged but flat trails to walk, but the signs say "danger: watch for flying discs" which made me leery to go too far into the wooded area. There is a nice stretch of bank along the White River, though. My opinion: unless you're here to play disc golf, there are better parks in Carmel and HamCo to explore. One of my favorites is just up the road: River Road Park!

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.

Don't forget to bring your Frisbee, as there is a fabulous 18 disc golf course that winds through…read morenative prairie, past a butterfly garden and along a lovely pond. Catch and release fishing is allowed in the pond and no fishing license is required. (Swimming is not allowed in the pond). The mulch covered paths and gardens along the pond are nicely maintained, though may be difficult for wheelchair access. The playground has multiple climbing structures, slides and play areas. The ground is covered in mulch. Covered seating is available. The playground is fenced so that kids don't wonder. A large covered pavilion near the parking lot with picnic tables offers seating. The pavilion is available on a first come basis, unless there is a church activity. A baseball diamond and soccer fields are also available on a first come basis. The land for the park was donated to the community by Parkside Bible Church, so it is not surprising that there is a Christian vibe throughout the park. The playground was built by local volunteers. The graveled parking lot holds dozens of cars. Portable potties are available at the park. The park is a great place to connect with nature, walk the dog or let the kids play.

We have another awesome park in Brownsburg!…read more This park has everything and more of what I'm looking for on a day out with my kids: a toddler section with age appropriate equipment for my small kids, musical equipment like a large xylophone and drums, swings, and a big playground for bigger kids. And! It is completely enclosed - which is perfect cause my two year old is a runner. I only got to enjoy the playground but, looking around, I noticed there is also a disc golf course, a walking trail, and a fishing pond. There was even a garden area a ways off from the playground - I made a mental note that it would be a perfect place to come for some time by myself, maybe with a book. Some nearby parks are too secluded so I don't feel comfortable going alone - but this garden looked close enough to the playground to make me feel not totally alone but far enough away for some quiet privacy. In short, I am definitely adding this to our park circulation.

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.

Zionsville, Indiana has about 20 miles of interconnected paths and trails. This includes the…read moreofficial Zionsville Rail Trail (which I've also heard referred to as the Big 4 Rail Trail). This is a 5+ mile paved trail that goes through the heart of Zionsville, a small suburb on the northwest side of Indy. Trail parking is available at American Legion Trail Crossing, Heritage Trail Park, Carter Station, Zionsville Town Hall and the Nancy Burton Corridor Parking, and just off of Starkey Road. Currently, the trail is being extended north toward Whitestown and south to Zionsville Road. The Zionsville Road trailhead is also currently being constructed. Thus, you will likely encounter some unfinished areas and some construction along the way. While the trail can get busy during good weather, it's a much quieter trail than Monon or Nickel Plate. Because it also weaves through Zionsville, there's also places to stop and it's typically pretty easy to find a public restroom. I know there's at least one on the trail that is clearly marked. Some of the entryways don't look like they would be wheelchair friendly, however, Zionsville has actually done really well to create accessibility along the path. I haven't down this trail during the winter - so I can't speak to maintenance during adverse weather. The paved trail is wide. The most significant inclines are at access points and all those that I experienced met ADA requirements. The trail feels safe and I've seen quite a few parents with strollers on the trail. While you get runners, everyone is considerate on this trail. The plan for the trail is that it will stretch 50+ miles across Boone County and will go from northern Indy to Lafayette. The Big 4 Railroad operated along this corridor from 1889-1930. Zionsville established this trail in the 1990s. The trail is a paved 12-foot wide path with a 3-foot soft shoulder on both sides for runners. It offers restrooms, water fountains, trail markers, picnic benches, and trash receptacles. Pets are to be leashed. If you turn right onto a short path when the trail intersects with Starkley Avenue, you can go directly into downtown Zionsville. Zionsville has a brick-paved Main Street that is quite cool. The trail utilizes nearly all underpasses to go through town. You don't really experience an at-grade crossing until you hit Zionsville's north side. I find this to be much nicer and safer. The trail passes by Mulberry Fields, Jennings Field, Carter Station, Heritage Trail Park, and Rail Trail Gardens Event Center. The trail's a definite winner and only getting better in the coming years!

I walked the Zionsville Rail Trail with a friend in September '23 and it appears it was either…read morestill undergoing construction (or some enhancements). We parked at Zionsville town hall since the map online indicated an access point here. There was one, but it was a gravel path for about a half mile until we realized we were walking through an unfinished part of the trail. The Rail Trail is a straight path through residential areas of Zionsville. It wasn't very busy on a fall afternoon, and I'm not sure if it will have commercial development like the Monon Trail in Carmel and the Nickel Plate Trail in Fishers, since it does back up to houses/neighborhoods.

I love all of the great parks and public nature spaces in Fishers. Bee Camp Creek Trailhead is one…read moreof those places, and it is located in a residential neighborhood, just off of Olio Road. You'd almost miss it if you weren't looking for it. There's a playground here, which is important to mention if you have children like mine who might not want to go for a hike or walk anywhere outdoors if it doesn't also include visiting a playground. The playground is located right next to the parking lot, and there are lots of things to climb and jump on. There's also a slide and monkey bars and things, and benches to sit on. As the name of this place suggests, there is a paved trail that winds through the back of a neighborhood, around a retention pond, that supposedly meets up with Geist Reservoir. We didn't make it too far along the trail, but I'd like to come back to explore it a little more.

I've secretly held off on reviewing this place to not make it as known to keep it quiet and less…read morecrowded like most of the other parks are around Indy nowadays. As of April 21, 2025, they'll be charging for entrance, so might as well review it! I've been coming here for years now. It's an amazing spot with one major trail (2.85 miles) and then a shorter out-and-back trail that leads to the water overlook. I frequented this place cause it's not as known, which means less people! One of my go-to places to hike in the city given its ease of access off of the interstate and free admission. Womp. Thanks for providing the free space while it lasted!

The Starling Nature Sanctuary is an 11-acre nature sanctuary within the boundaries of Eagle Creek…read morePark. The sanctuary is named after Scott Starling and is located at the north end of Eagle Creek Reservoir (Pike Township). Starling passed away at the age of 29 after being struck by lightning during a storm. He was a 1977 Pike High School graduate and a Purdue University graduate. At the time of his death, he was working toward a doctorate in marine aquaculture and had served in the Peace Corps. The area was purchased by Indianapolis in 1966 and was officially designated the Scott Starling Nature Sanctuary in 1992. It's managed by Indy Parks. The sanctuary is the setting for a wetlands restoration project led by the Center for Earth and Environmental Science along with Indy Parks, wetland restoration professionals from Spence Restoration Nursery, and IUPUI (now IU-I) students and faculty. The sanctuary has done a great job of maintaining its natural state while also becoming more accessible. The core of the sanctuary is a 2.4-mile trail that is moderately challenging. Initially not very accessible (and trails that branch off can be far less accessible), there's been much done to improve it. The boardwalk section, in particular, is kid-friendly and is a popular yet fairly isolated spot for hiking, walking, and running. In terms of wheelchair users, this is really only a trail for more experienced, independent wheelchair users. I grew up in Pike Township and visited this area a lot in my young adult years, however, now that I live in Lawrence Township I don't get over here as much as I should. Today's visit was a reminder of how much I enjoy it even though there were a couple spots that were pretty difficult to pass in the wheelchair. It's worth the extra effort for sure.

I don't know how this park started out, but I can tell you were it is now. This park is very…read moredirty. Some of the picnics tables are falling apart, there is trash everywhere, the parking lot has huge pot holes, and one pavilion looks like it was the set of one of the Hangover movies. This park is one of the worst maintained that I have seen. The grass is cut, but that is about it. The park has a huge parking area, divided between a couple of lots. There are some basket ball goals in an area, but are set up in an odd arrangement that do not allow full court. There is a playground area there. It is lined with wood chips and has the older style swings, and some toddler swings. There is also two jungle gyms and a couple of slides. The playground is accesible, but the equipment is aged. The park also has a decent restroom facility, a disc golf course, and a fitness area. There are also 3 covered pavilions with picnic tables and grills that you can rent. The pavilions, however, are trashed. They are full of garbage and just plain nasty. The bright spots of the park are the aquatic center, the huge grassy fields, and the walking/jogging trail. The fields can be used for soccer, playing catch, flag football, flying a kite, or just throwing a blanket down and relaxing. There was a lot of people walking on the trail while I was there. The trail is pretty long and goes around the park in a circle. This park was in bad shape and in need of some serious help. Outside of the trail and field I do not see much utility for the park. This park has a lot of potential and if the park's issues are corrected then it would be a great place to visit. As it is now, the park is mehhhh, and I would probably visit another park, even if it was a bit further.

It's a very nice park with plenty of space and walking trail also features playground basketball…read morecourts and pool. It's a nice Indianapolis Park overall.