Oak Savannah Trail:
Indiana
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Description:
The Oak Savannah Trail takes its name from the unique ecosystem that it runs through. Once pervasive throughout northern Indiana, the oak savannah is a transitional zone between forest and prairie, with grassland marked by a smattering of oak trees. Unfortunately, development, drought and the suppression of natural fire cycles (which allow other species to dominate) have all contributed to the massive decline of the oak savannah ecosystem. The fact that this prairie environment is now endangered makes this an important trail to visit.

Built in 1893 this corridor served the Elgin, Joliet, and Eastern Railroad, whose track made a semicircle around Chicago to avoid the congestion of the city's rail yards. Because of this shape, it became known as the "J" line. In its prime, the trains carried grain, meat, fruit, vegetables and coal.

Beginning in Hobart, the well-maintained, asphalt trail very quickly takes you to the edge of Lake George—an excellent spot for fishing bass, crappie and other species. The lake is also home to a permanent population of geese, ducks and ring-billed gulls. From the trail bridge, you can walk onto platforms overlooking the lily-pad-covered neck of the lake between the lake's larger main bodies.

The next few miles of trail beyond the lake travel west through excellent representations of an oak savannah ecosystem. Shortly, you emerge along another lake at John Robinson Park (parking), where you may want to take a rest in the small field of grass along the lakefront.

At the tunnel beneath Interstate 65, the trail enters a more urban setting with a variety of road crossings; a new tunnel under busy Broadway in Gary makes this crossing much easier.

After Broadway, you soon return to the quiet forest and prairie that dominates the trail. After passing a large private fishing club, you will see the end of the county airport runway, just west of the corridor. Here, just past mile 5.5, a very dense forest marks the entrance of Oak Ridge Prairie Park. A wonderful yet short stretch of the trail winds through the woods to the Griffith trailhead in the park's parking lot. If you want to linger, explore Oak Ridge Prairie Park, where a trout-stocked fishing lake, picnic areas and a large playground provide activities for all ages.

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Parking & Trail Access:
In Hobart parking is available at a small city park (with ball field) off Lake Street (between 7th and 8th streets). You can also park at Robinson Park (has a lake) just east of I-65 at the elbow bend of Liverpool Road.

In Griffith park at Oak Ridge Prairie county Park. Take I-94 to the Burr Street Exit and head south for 1.5 miles. Turn right on US Route 6 (Ridge Road) and drive for 2.2 miles to the exit for Colfax Street. Look for the park's parking lot on the left.

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Reviews: [1 trail ratings]
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beginning and end are nice but the middle is terrible
By sweetwillie in March, 2012
We are new to trail biking and have spent the last few weekends exploring different paths. We started out in Griffith at the Oak Ridge Prarie County Park which is very nice. The trail winds nicely through the woods but as you get a few miles in and into Merrilville it turns very trashy. You have houses on both sides and the houses are very unsightly and there is trash EVERYWHERE. It gets very urban and there are a lot of people loitering . It made us uncomfortable to be honest. Halfway through we said forget it and headed back to Griffith. We drove to Hobart to find the Hobart to Chesterton trail but instead found the east end of this trail. We jumped back on the trail at Wisconsin and headed back west. This part was very nice also over Lake George and through some nice wooded areas. But then we went under I65 and once again it was horrible. So to summarize the first 2.5 miles and the last 2.5 miles is great but the middle is disgusting, smelly, and unsightly. Will not go back....
Better shape in 2011
By jcstark in September, 2011
Biked this trail today and was a bit worried based on the 2009 review I read. We started in Hobart, parked on the street and headed West. We didn't see any trash until about 2 miles into the ride and the 'trashy' section was only about a mile long. So, I'm guessing it is better maintained now than it was in 2009. The park at the end of the trail was quite a nice surprise for our kids - two very nice playscapes and bathrooms.

When we returned to Wisconsin St., we continued across the street and headed East. Probably less than a mile down the trail is a nice little park with a parking lot. It is at 8th and Water St. Would have been a better place to start - unloading kids and bikes. Not sure why this website directed us to part on the street when this park, directly on the trail, was so close.

The east end of this trail is supposedly a short distance from the west end of the Prairie-Duneland trail, but there are no signs and multiple bikers were trying to figure out how to get to it. Look it up on a map before attempting it, because 51 makes multiple turns on the local Hobart streets. Doesn't look too difficult now that I can see it on the map, but when you're there, there are no signs to help you!

Looking forward to hitting both trails and biking from Chesterton to Griffith someday.
A good trail spoiled.
By jtaylor673 in April, 2009
My wife and I biked this trail on 4-26-2009. We are from South Bend, Indiana and use TrailLink to find nearby trails to bike on. The beginning of the trail at Wisconsin Street is very nice and coutinues to be senic for a couple of miles. After passing through the tunnel we started to notice pieces of litter here and there. Upon reaching the urban section, we noticed that litter permeated the water ditches the run parallel on both sides of the trail. This continues until about the last mile of the trail. We are talking paper, plastic, bicycles, car tires, baby strollers, etc., everything you can think of. There was also some graffiti on the asphalt and wooden fence. There are bathrooms at the west end in the park. I don't recall there being a drinking fountain at the park. There were no billboards with a trail map. (a map showing how to connect to the trails nearby would have been nice.) All the litter and graffiti ruined this trail for us. We would not recommend this trail to others in its current state.

It was sad to see such lack of respect for the trail. Hopefully some people will start speaking up about this problem. Obviously the residents, landlords, and apartment complex owners along the trail are indifferent. If some other local residents would get their council representative, or local code enforcement involved, maybe the wheels could get turning.



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