Explore the best rated trails in Carmel, IN. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Sweetser Switch Trail and Lafayette Linear Park. With more than 54 trails covering 4086 miles you’re bound to find a perfect trail for you. Click on any trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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Muncie's White River Greenway follows the course of its namesake river through the city between W. White River Boulevard at W. River Road and N. Gavin Street at Bunch Boulevard. The trail corridor...
The Cardinal Greenway, the longest rail-trail in Indiana, connects Marion, Muncie, Losantville, Richmond and a host of other small towns in rural northeastern Indiana. The trail takes its name from...
The B&O Trail, which is being developed along a former Baltimore and Ohio Railroad corridor in Indiana, is planned to one day stretch more than 60 miles from Indianapolis to Montezuma. The paved...
Much of the Midland Trace Trail is still in the planning and development stage; however, three short, disconnected segments totaling nearly 2.5 miles have been constructed as of 2013. When...
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The White River Greenway brings residents of Martinsville to the river, for rest, for relaxation and for education. The asphalt trail begins at Old Town Waverly Park, and follows the river's course...
The Lafayette Linear Park is a paved trail on the southern side of Lafayette, Indiana. The trail occupies a rail corridor once used by the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railway...
Planes, trains and automobiles: the Anderson Airport Trail in Madison County has it all. The asphalt trail begins at the perimeter of the Anderson Municipal Airport runway in Chesterfield and allows...
The Pleasant Run Trail travels along both the creek and road of the same name as it courses through eastern Indianapolis, although the trail is located on sidewalks in certain areas. In the north, the...
The 106th Street path is a smooth asphalt connector linking the communities of Zionsville and Carmel. The trail begins on Pennsylvania St. in Carmel, crosses US 31 and then continues alongside the...
This trail travels 3.2 miles atop an asphalt path beside the Ronald Reagan Parkway in Avon, Indiana. Starting at County Road 300 N, the trail heads south connecting to the B&O Trail via an underpass....
The straight, paved Pennsy Trail (not to be confused with the Pennsy Greenway located farther north in the Chicago suburbs) occupies a portion of the old right-of-way of the Pennsylvania Railroad...
The Tracy Trail is a short suburban greenway in the town of Greenwood. The trail runs northsouth between Summerfield Park and just north of Woodman Park near Southwest Elementary School. The open...
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The Big 4 Trail will eventually connect all of Boone County, from the Marion County line to the south, to the Clinton County line to the north. A large portion of the rail-trail is already...
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The Big 4 Trail is a developing rail-trail route across Boone County that will one day span 50 miles. Currently, three disconnected segments of the rail-trail are open. The name is a reference to the...
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The Henry County segment of the National Road Heritage Trail runs for nearly 5 miles over two segments. One runs from N. West Street in Raysville east to CR 425 W in Ogden (2 miles); the other between...
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A restored covered bridge that dates back to 1837 is the centerpiece of Noblesville’s White River Greenway, which opened in 1999. The level to gently rolling asphalt trail, which hugs the banks of the...
The Franklin Greenway Trail (also known as the Franklin Historic Trail) is 3.4 miles of paths threading through Franklin’s parks while connecting community amenities such as schools, community centers...
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One of a handful of trails following the White River in Indiana, Carmel’s White River Greenway parallels the scenic waterway for much of its journey through the eastern part of the city. Along the...
The Amos Road Trail contributes a mile to Shelbyville's growing trail network. The trail is located in the southern reaches of the city. It is a flat shared-use path on the side of Amos Road, taking...
Completed in late 2015, the Converse Junction Trail provides 2 miles of smooth asphalt along a former Penn Central railroad line, linking the small Indiana communities of Converse and Mier. The trail...
The Greyhound Trail is sandwiched between a residential community and the Carmel High School Stadium. A portion of the trail follows the former North Indianapolis Electric Interurban Railroad, and a...
The Central Canal Towpath, also known as the IWC Canal Greenway, features two 19th-century iron bridges that cross the waterway, designated an American Water Landmark. As you follow the tree-lined,...
Pogues Run gets its name from one of the earliest pioneers to the area, a blacksmith named George Pogue who settled on the banks of the creek now bearing his name in 1819. The corridor itself predates...
The B&O Trail, which is being developed along a former Baltimore and Ohio Railroad corridor in Indiana, is planned to one day stretch more than 60 miles from Indianapolis to Montezuma. The paved...
This trail travels 3.2 miles atop an asphalt path beside the Ronald Reagan Parkway in Avon, Indiana. Starting at County Road 300 N, the trail heads south connecting to the B&O Trail via an underpass....
The Big 4 Trail is a developing rail-trail route across Boone County that will one day span 50 miles. Currently, three disconnected segments of the rail-trail are open. The name is a reference to the...
The Lenape Trace Trail is a short connector path that links a newer residential development in Carmel, Indiana, with both the Sunrise Golf Course and the popular Monon Trail. Residents of the...
The Vandalia Trail is the longest open component of the National Road Heritage Trail (NRHT), a proposed border-to-border trail stretching between Terre Haute and Richmond, a span of more than 150...
The 146th Street Trail is a linear pathway that follows its namesake roadway across Westfield, which lies on the northern outskirts of Indianapolis. At Rohrer Road, the pathway connects to the Monon...
The Tracy Trail is a short suburban greenway in the town of Greenwood. The trail runs northsouth between Summerfield Park and just north of Woodman Park near Southwest Elementary School. The open...
Although less than 2 miles long, the Hagan-Burke Trail provides valuable connections to three other trails in the city of Carmel: the Monon Trail (an 18-mile RTC Hall-of-Famer that stretches to...
The Natalie Wheeler Trail provides a straight north-south route along Union Street/Westfield Boulevard in the Indianapolis metro area. Although it parallels the roadway, the trail's western side is...
Kokomo's nickname is the "City of Firsts" and the Industrial Heritage Trail celebrates its progressive and inventive past with public art and signage highlighting the historic significance of some of...
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Crossing from one end of Shelbyville to the other, the Blue River Trail provides a safe way for residents to walk or bike to a number of parks whilst enjoying the proximity to the city's beloved...
The Amos Road Trail contributes a mile to Shelbyville's growing trail network. The trail is located in the southern reaches of the city. It is a flat shared-use path on the side of Amos Road, taking...
The Big 4 Trail will eventually connect all of Boone County, from the Marion County line to the south, to the Clinton County line to the north. A large portion of the rail-trail is already...
This 7-mile Indianapolis trail is worth keeping an eye on: the vision for the Eagle Creek Trail is a 16-mile corridor reaching from the hills of Eagle Park to White River. The greenway will provide...
The Henry County segment of the National Road Heritage Trail runs for nearly 5 miles over two segments. One runs from N. West Street in Raysville east to CR 425 W in Ogden (2 miles); the other between...
The Pleasant Run Trail travels along both the creek and road of the same name as it courses through eastern Indianapolis, although the trail is located on sidewalks in certain areas. In the north, the...
The Carey Road Trail offers a straight north-south route through southeastern Westfield. It parallels the eastern side of the roadway through rural areas and residential communities, including the...
The Lenape Trace Trail is a short connector path that links a newer residential development in Carmel, Indiana, with both the Sunrise Golf Course and the popular Monon Trail. Residents of the...
The Natalie Wheeler Trail provides a straight north-south route along Union Street/Westfield Boulevard in the Indianapolis metro area. Although it parallels the roadway, the trail's western side is...
The Big 4 Trail is a developing rail-trail route across Boone County that will one day span 50 miles. Currently, three disconnected segments of the rail-trail are open. The name is a reference to the...
The Landersdale Trail is a 10-foot-wide, paved asphalt path that runs adjacent to and parallel to Landersdale Road in northern Morgan County. The western end of the path connects the fringe of the...
The Woolly Bear Parkway Trail is on the former Pennsylvania rail corridor that starts in Kennard and extends west for 1.4 miles. The rustic trail is mostly grass with a gravel base, and lined with...
The Tracy Trail is a short suburban greenway in the town of Greenwood. The trail runs northsouth between Summerfield Park and just north of Woodman Park near Southwest Elementary School. The open...
The Progress Parkway Trail is a flat, hardtop shared-use path running along the east edge of Shelbyville, Indiana. Despite its name, the trail actually starts along Lee Boulevard, on the east edge of...
The Sweetser Switch Trail is a “sweet” paved rail-trail and an important regional connector in spite of its short 4-mile length. The trail joins the 2-mile Converse Junction Trail in the west and a...
The Carey Road Trail offers a straight north-south route through southeastern Westfield. It parallels the eastern side of the roadway through rural areas and residential communities, including the...
Planes, trains and automobiles: the Anderson Airport Trail in Madison County has it all. The asphalt trail begins at the perimeter of the Anderson Municipal Airport runway in Chesterfield and allows...
The Central Canal Towpath, also known as the IWC Canal Greenway, features two 19th-century iron bridges that cross the waterway, designated an American Water Landmark. As you follow the tree-lined,...
The straight, paved Pennsy Trail (not to be confused with the Pennsy Greenway located farther north in the Chicago suburbs) occupies a portion of the old right-of-way of the Pennsylvania Railroad...
Crossing from one end of Shelbyville to the other, the Blue River Trail provides a safe way for residents to walk or bike to a number of parks whilst enjoying the proximity to the city's beloved...
The White River Wapahani Trail is nearly 7 miles long, stretching from 38th Street at Riverside Regional Park south to W. Raymond Street. Near downtown Indianapolis, the trail provides access to White...
This linear recreational trail allows residents of Avon to connect to the B&O Trail in neighboring Brownsburg without having to drive to it. The trail starts on Country Road 100 and takes a straight...
The Franklin Greenway Trail (also known as the Franklin Historic Trail) is 3.4 miles of paths threading through Franklin’s parks while connecting community amenities such as schools, community centers...
Kokomo's nickname is the "City of Firsts" and the Industrial Heritage Trail celebrates its progressive and inventive past with public art and signage highlighting the historic significance of some of...
The Greyhound Trail is sandwiched between a residential community and the Carmel High School Stadium. A portion of the trail follows the former North Indianapolis Electric Interurban Railroad, and a...
Pogues Run gets its name from one of the earliest pioneers to the area, a blacksmith named George Pogue who settled on the banks of the creek now bearing his name in 1819. The corridor itself predates...
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The Centennial Trail lies in a pleasant neighborhood of the same name in southwestern Westfield, about 15 miles north of Indianapolis. The trail crisscrosses a broad stretch of open space along...
I rode this trail through Muncie today, as an addition to my Cardinal Greenway ride. Much of this trail runs along the White River, giving some great river views that largely aren't part of the Cardinal Greenway. It also takes you by Minnetrista and some well-architected historic houses, and lets you see more of Muncie than just sticking to the Cardinal Greenway would - not to mention allowing a lot more people in Muncie to access the Cardinal Greenway without driving.
The trail has also been expanded since the TrailLink map was updated. It now goes under the railroad by North Gavin St, and continues along the river and some switchbacks before crossing a bridge known as Bridge #85 south of East Jackson Street, connecting back up with the Cardinal Greenway west of the river. This forms a loop option you can take with the Cardinal Greenway and the White River Greenway in Muncie. Technically the trail is closed under the railroad (perhaps they need to add protection for falling cargo from trains?), but with a very short segment on Bunch Boulevard, you can bypass the closure and get right back on the trail on the opposite side of the tracks.
I rode the section of the trail from Richmond to Gaston over two days - essentially, all except the part above the gap to the north. It's a really good trail, but there are just enough shortcomings that I hesitate to put it at 5 stars, particularly compared to trails I've been on in West Virginia and Pennsylvania earlier in the year.
First, I'll note that I didn't notice any pig farms, despite expecting to on the southern section, nor any Rottweilers. There were some cow farms and a horse farm, but the only hazard were the many walnuts on the trail. I did see two cats, a lot of chipmunks, and quite a few blue jays, though ironically not a single cardinal.
The scenery is mostly fairly narrow wooded areas, with farms on the other side, though there are a few areas of denser wooded areas, notably by the nature preserve south of Muncie. This can be pretty, but it's also only partially shaded, and the afternoon sun slices through the trees pretty effectively. If you're doing a longer section, I recommend going northwest in the morning, and southeast in the afternoon if possible. I was going northwest and west in the afternoon of the first day, and the sun was doing an admirable job of trying to blind my left eye.
Amenities are good, but just short of great. There are restrooms every 4-5 miles, most of them with hand sanitizer, which is quite good. There are a decent number of water fountains as well, but of the three I tried on the northern section, two smelled bad, and one (by the Hitching Post, technically off of the White River Greenway but close to the Cardinal Greenway) didn't work. The southern section was reliable in this area. Outside of Muncie, there aren't a lot of places to pick up water in the northern section either, so err on the side of packing more water than you'll need.
The trail condition is generally very good, though it can be a bit bumpy in spots in Muncie. McGalliard Road is a more highly trafficked road crossing than most trails have, but it has an island in the center so you only need half of it to be clear at a time. I recommend jogging the bike across halfway at a time if it's a busier time of day.
The elevation gain is not negligible. Including segments on the White River Greenway in Muncie, and the Whitewater Gorge Trail in Richmond, I logged over 2000 feet of elevation gain, and it was noticeable, especially on the southern section where there were moderate, but extended, hill climbs. By comparison, I logged less than 1200 feet of elevation gain on the Greenbrier Trail in West Virginia, which is also longer. So don't assume that because it's in Indiana, you won't have some decent climbs!
I also should note that it's worth going into town in Muncie, whether that's the White River Greenway, which intersects with the Cardinal Greenway in two places, or grabbing some food at some of the excellent restaurants or breweries downtown, which is easily accessible from the trail. I always try to find a cool town or city to serve as a base when exploring a new trail, and Muncie did a great job in that regard.
Rode the trail today on a beautiful October day tying it in with the white river trail from downtown Indy. Temperature was 60 degrees and the path was in great shape after overnight rain. Sun King brewery at the turnaround. Awesome trail
Today was my first rails to trails ride and this one was amazing. Love the scenery and I plan to add many more to my list and come back to this trail again.
The trail is much longer than shown on this map. It continues through Noblesville to the intersection of SR 32 and Hague Road where there are further options. However, those who oversee the Westfield segment of the trail decided it was a good idea to allow golf carts on the trail. The trail, especially over bridges, is not much wider than a golf cart which makes this decision dangerous for walkers, runners, bikers, and children. The Noblesville section does not allow ANY motorized vehicles and is, therefore, much safer and more enjoyable.
This trail is shaded, and enjoyable — goes past farmland. I recommend a hybrid or mountain bike because some parts are bumpy old asphalt with some pea gravel. There are some roads to cross that are larger gravel. We got past thorntown and about 3-4 miles left of the trail to colfax was closed due to construction on a trail bridge. The workers said it should be open in a week or so. And you paved miles
I rode the Pennsy today from Irvington to the trail end at Mt Comfort Rd, and back. It’s an excellent paved trail with only sparse usage making for a relaxed ride. Next time we may navigate the gap between Mt Comfort and Greenfield and check out the eastern section.
A new favorite! We rode from the Carmel trailhead north to Sheridan and back. The trail was beautifully, freshly blacktopped in the Carmel area - but also very heavily trafficked (granted, it was a beautiful day and Labor Day weekend). Once we got a bit further north, the trail was still smoothly paved, but we had it largely to ourselves. The trail is well-shaded for much but not all of the stretch north to Sheridan.
So to be clear, we loved the trail. From here on, I'll focus on providing info you might find useful.
Be advised, the Monon in this stretch is not always very well marked. It's especially sketchily marked in the Westfield area, where we ended up making an accidental detour west on 186th Street. The problem is compounded by the fact that there are sidewalks and paved trails all around you in that area that to all appearances could be the Monon.
FWIW, going north from 186th you should be starting at the intersection of 186th and Wheeler Rd, which changes names to Tomlinson Rd north of the intersection. From 186th north, it's basically a straight shot and there's really no question about whether you're on the Monon.
The trail becomes gradually less suburban and more rural the farther north you go from 186th, and you end by riding past barns and cornfields in the Sheridan area.
At Sheridan the trail ends at an American Legion hall at 236th St. There are two or three gas stations a short ways east on 236th where you can get drinks/food and use the restroom, but you'll have to ride on-road to get to them unless you backtrack a bit on the trail and cut through the adjacent Biddle Memorial Park.
We'd like to go back and run the stretch from Carmel to downtown Indy, but we'll probably wait for a weekday when we hopefully can avoid some of the traffic on the trail.
The two posts to stop motorized vehicles and to slow down u before streets are too close together. They should be staggered like at other Hendricks county parks. I ride a trike and had to pull in mirrors and slow to a crawl. Overall a very nice trail.
Park at Mayor's Garden. When you get to 38th Street turn right to stay on the trail. Mile markers are confusing because the Eagle Creek Trail and Eagle Creek Greenway are combined.
I started by the baseball field and it looked like a nice path but the trail ends and you just run thru the residential area.
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