Explore the best rated trails in Franklin, IN. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the 106th Street Path and Polly Grimshaw Trail. With more than 41 trails covering 203 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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The Columbus People Trail offers an easy and convenient way for residents in this small Indiana city to get around by bike or on foot. The network comprises more than 15 miles of sidewalks, on-road...
The B-Line Trail in Bloomington runs for 3 miles between Adams Street (near the railroad tracks) and West Country Club Drive. The trail passes through downtown Bloomington and by a railroad...
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 P&E Trail begins at the corner of Main Street, 16th Street and Crawfordsville Road in Speedway, Indiana, an enclave of Indianapolis. This eastern endpoint of the trail is just a stone’s throw away...
Railroads helped Indianapolis grow into a transportation hub and manufacturing center beginning in the 1850s. One of those early railways that shaped the city’s future is remembered today along 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...
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The Big 4 Rail Trail is a developing trail route across Boone County that will one day span 50 miles. Currently, two disconnected segments of the rail-trail are open. The name is a reference to the...
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Providing a slice of scenic beauty in an urban setting, the Fall Creek Trail follows the titular creek along a quiet, forested corridor in northern Indianapolis. Offering a variety of recreation...
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...
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 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...
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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 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 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 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...
Wilbur Wright Trail will one day extend from New Castle (in Henry County) to Losantville (in Randolph County), where it will connect to the Cardinal Greenway, the longest rail-trail in Indiana. The...
The Bloomington Rail Trail is a 2-mile segment of crushed stone that runs through a suburban wooded corridor. The trail extends between W. Country Club Drive in the north and Church Lane in the...
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 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...
The Bridgewater Club Trail surrounds an upscale neighborhood of the same name, providing residents with easy access to the community's many amenities, including a golf course, fitness center and spa....
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The Big 4 Rail Trail will one day stretch 50-plus miles across Boone County, from the northern suburbs of Indianapolis to Lafayette. The Big 4 in the trail name refers to the old Cleveland,...
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...
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 Bloomington Rail Trail is a 2-mile segment of crushed stone that runs through a suburban wooded corridor. The trail extends between W. Country Club Drive in the north and Church Lane in the...
Providing a slice of scenic beauty in an urban setting, the Fall Creek Trail follows the titular creek along a quiet, forested corridor in northern Indianapolis. Offering a variety of recreation...
White Lick Creek Trail is the north-south spine of the Plainfield trail system, connecting several parks and the Plainfield Recreation and Aquatics Center. On its northern end, the trail meets the...
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The Big 4 Rail 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 trail is already complete....
The Columbus People Trail offers an easy and convenient way for residents in this small Indiana city to get around by bike or on foot. The network comprises more than 15 miles of sidewalks, on-road...
The P&E Trail begins at the corner of Main Street, 16th Street and Crawfordsville Road in Speedway, Indiana, an enclave of Indianapolis. This eastern endpoint of the trail is just a stone’s throw away...
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 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...
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...
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 Bridgewater Club Trail surrounds an upscale neighborhood of the same name, providing residents with easy access to the community's many amenities, including a golf course, fitness center and spa....
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...
Located in the heart of vibrant downtown Indianapolis, the Indianapolis Cultural Trail is an ideal way to experience all the city has to offer. The trail links five cultural districts flush with...
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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...
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...
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 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...
Railroads helped Indianapolis grow into a transportation hub and manufacturing center beginning in the 1850s. One of those early railways that shaped the city’s future is remembered today along the...
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...
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...
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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...
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 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 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...
Wilbur Wright Trail will one day extend from New Castle (in Henry County) to Losantville (in Randolph County), where it will connect to the Cardinal Greenway, the longest rail-trail in Indiana. The...
The Big 4 Rail 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 trail is already complete....
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...
The White River Greenway in Anderson, IN is approximately 4.89 miles paved (with a small section of boardwalk) along the White River and continues approximately 1.7 miles unpaved. It links multiple...
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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 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...
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 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 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 Milwaukee Road Transportation Trailway will one day stretch 20 miles through southwestern Indiana from Bedford to Indian Springs. The region’s rural beauty will be showcased along the way with...
The Big 4 Rail Trail is a developing trail route across Boone County that will one day span 50 miles. Currently, two disconnected segments of the rail-trail are open. The name is a reference to 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...
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...
Beautiful trail, lots of wildlife.
Beautiful trail - plenty of access points. We were impressed by how well thought out the trails extras were. Porch swings, super clean bathrooms, even a bike repair station. There are quite a few required stops for busy roads but 9 out of 10 times the traffic stops for you.
We ride this trail quite often. The portion which passes the Art Museum and Butler are very nice. Once you get closer to Broadripple, the trail starts to get narrow and crosses many busy intersections. The really narrow section is the portion right before Broadripple where it is barely wide enough for a bike. Beware if there is someone coming towards you. Portions of the trail are currently closed due to construction of a flood wall. You have to ride the road from the Rocky Ripple area towards 56th and Illinois. Don't ride this trail after a rain unless you want to be covered in limestone grit and muck.
Pros:
This trail is well-tended and clean with even pavement over most of it. There is a small portion where the trail crosses E County Rd 300 N that is gravel, but it is otherwise very clean. The trail is shielded from traffic by trees on both sides. The sides only open up a few times along its length. The trail is relatively flat and wide making it an easy path to walk and bike. This path is very quiet.
Cons:
The trail is only 6 miles which is short if you want to run a long distance. The entrance to the trail at Raceway Rd is difficult to get to as there are no sidewalks leading to it, and it ends very close to a road that has no shoulder. I usually have to access the trail by parking in a local business and walking across grass to get to it. Another con is that, while the trail is well-groomed and trees are plenty, there are very few turns or hills that provide interest to the trail.
All-in-all, it's a fantastic,quiet path to run, walk, or bike, although it could use a little more interesting scenery and the east entrance is difficult to access.
Without a doubt, this trail is the location of some of the most scenic vantages of the Indianapolis skyline. From the Zoo at Washington to the bridge at 10 St is the most well kept portion of the trail. South of the Zoo at Washington, things can get sketchy real quick due to the White River basin and some blind turns causing hazard. Northbound @ 10th, you either hang a left over the bridge and loop back South (nice loop) or, you head right on the sidewalk in front of Eskinazi. This portion is unmarked and not intuitive, because the trail actually picks up again North of 10th on a suspension bridge just before the light at St Margaret’s drive. Go left (west) at the end of the bridge, (the right leg ends quickly at Indiana) and there is.a paved trail that continues north. Once you hit 16th, this path is adequately titled t”the nutcracker because it is very uneven all the way to where it connects to the towpath @
I have ridden the entire Pennsey, with the Eastern most Portion being the best with signage, mileage and sights. Perhaps someday the segments will be connected, but at least we have the opportunity to ride the preserved miles.
I have been going to Garfield park for years with my kids cuz there are always others for them to play with here. This is the Southern end of the Pleasant run trail. It is a little older and not what it once was but still a nice urban nature park atmosphere most days with a view of the downtown skyline. Now, once you leave the park going north, the “trail” is not only covered in piles of dirt, debris, and broken glass, but there is NO lighting for early morning or evening exercise which really contributes to the very sketchy and unsafe feeling of this decayed area by the creek. My recommendation, leave the (UN)Pleasant run trail off your list of places to see in Indy.
It now ends in Sheridan Indiana about 10 miles north of Westfield. All paved. Great scenery. Trail head in Sheridan is across from the American Legion.
The Indianapolis Cultural Trail is another fine trail and is well thought out and executed. It certainly is an important piece of infrastructure for the city. The trail is clearly identifiable with tinted concrete pavers, providing easy identification for users. It connects Indianapolis residents to cultural, social, artistic, and recreational venues and provides an alternative transportation network for the city. I definitely would like to come back to town and explore more of these amenities. The roughly square Cultural Trail connects to the Monon, the Pleasant Run, and the White River Wapahani Trails. There is an additional spur that leads to the Indianapolis Convention Center and Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the NFL Indianpolis Colts. This is the start of quite a regional trail network. One that I'm sure that will be expanded in the future.
I can't say enough about this trail. My opinion is that this is what most urban rail trails aspire to be. We started in Westfield and rode south toward Indy. On this day we rode down to 49th Street to the Upland Broad Ripple Tasting Room and back. There were a number of things that impressed me about this trail. It crossed a combination of urban and suburban landscapes with just enough surrounding trees and greenery to make one feel that you were riding in a more rural setting. Lots of care has been taken with this trail as there are many quite a few bathrooms and water stations along the trail. Beautiful bridges and underpasses have been created at almost all intersections with a major thoroughfare which maintains the flow of your ride. The route is well signed, though some of map signs are starting to show their age. There are plenty of people biking and walking along the route, though on this Friday morning the trail did not feel crowded. It is also obvious that this trail is an economic engine for the communities along the trail as there were many restaurants, galleries, breweries, and shops. There is great community pride in this trail as evidenced by an abundance of local art works that can be seen and enjoyed along the trail.
Our scout troop completed a 20 miler (Thorntown to lebanon and back). It was a great time! Trail is in decent shape and has a lot better upkeep closer to Lebanon. With a little love and attention it will be a great trail! We can't wait someday to see this connected to Lafayette (Prophetstown trails) and scout to Whitestown/Indianapolis! Our Local Troop will be conducting several more hikes and try Bicycling MB on the trail. I see many opportunities for Eagle projects along the trail.
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