Find the top rated bike trails in Carmel, whether you're looking for an easy short bike trail or a long bike trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a bike trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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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...
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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,...
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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...
Indiana’s Nickel Plate Trail runs along the former corridor of the Peru & Indianapolis Railroad chartered in 1846. The line offered passenger and freight service under various names, including the...
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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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...
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 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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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....
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 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...
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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 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....
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 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 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 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...
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 Cardinal Greenway, the longest rail-trail in Indiana, stretches just over 61 miles from Marion to Richmond along a former CSX railroad corridor. In 2018, the trail became an inductee into the...
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 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....
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...
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The White River Greenway in Muncie 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...
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 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 Cardinal Greenway, the longest rail-trail in Indiana, stretches just over 61 miles from Marion to Richmond along a former CSX railroad corridor. In 2018, the trail became an inductee into 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...
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...
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 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,...
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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...
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...
Completed in late 2015, the Converse Junction Trail provides around two miles of smooth asphalt along a former Penn Central railroad line, linking the small Indiana communities of Converse and Mier....
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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...
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...
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 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...
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,...
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...
Indiana’s Nickel Plate Trail runs along the former corridor of the Peru & Indianapolis Railroad chartered in 1846. The line offered passenger and freight service under various names, including 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 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 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 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...
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...
Indiana’s Nickel Plate Trail runs along the former corridor of the Peru & Indianapolis Railroad chartered in 1846. The line offered passenger and freight service under various names, including 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...
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...
Completed in late 2015, the Converse Junction Trail provides around two miles of smooth asphalt along a former Penn Central railroad line, linking the small Indiana communities of Converse and Mier....
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 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...
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...
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...
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 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 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 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...
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 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 Sugar Creek Trail meanders on the southwestern outskirts of Crawfordsville through suburban back yards, wooded parks and cultivated fields. It follows part of an old Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago...
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.
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.
it was our first Trail and it spear heads into 2 other trails. very nice area and paved
This is a long post to give details for those who want to use the trail in Richmond. I live in Richmond and have walked this trail with my dog regularly for about five years. It’s very well maintained but there are some tricks to accessing and using it. It’s not the trail terminus, but Union Pike is the simplest trailhead to get to if you’re driving in, especially from I-70. Directions there are at the bottom of the post. This is the only trailhead in Richmond that has water. There’s a water fountain that’s turned on except during the winter. This is also the only trailhead in Richmond where I remember seeing porta-potties. My biggest request would be for more bathrooms and water fountains along the way. These access points run south to north. NUMBER 1 TIP: The Whitewater River runs north to south and divides Richmond in half. The Cardinal Greenway follows the river the whole way through Richmond. Find the river on the map and you can find the Greenway right alongside. On the south end of town, the Greenway is on the west side of the river. It crosses the river at several points along the way. NUMBER 2 TIP: Make sure you double check the names of streets. There are N, S, NW, and SW (but not NE or SE). if you’re trying to navigate through town just make sure you’re where you need to be. WHITEWATER GORGE TRAIL This is the oldest and southern-most part of the Cardinal Greenway. It’s been around for a few decades, built by a local trail group. I’m not sure if the Cardinal Greenway oversees it, but I consider it part of the Greenway. It’s a paved trail that goes through a gorge that’s mostly wooded parkland along the river. This has a couple hills and some unpaved side trails that can be fun to explore if you’re into off-road biking, hiking, or fishing. This is not counted as part of the Greenway on the TrailLinks map, but still has about 2 miles of nice trail with interesting views and even some wildlife occasionally. It’s not flat the whole way so if you want less challenging landscape, skip ahead to the D Street Trailhead. That being said, it’s not real rugged either. TEST ROAD The best way to access this trailhead is from Abington Pike. From National Road/Route 40, go south on Southwest 2nd Street (this becomes Abington Pike). You’ll take this for about 2 miles, then turn left onto Test Road. In about a quarter mile, the trailhead parking will be on your left. They just added a gate here and the sign says it’s closed dusk to dawn, so if you park your car there be sure to be out of there by nightfall so you don’t get locked in. RICHMOND HIGH SCHOOL - HUB ETCHISON PARKWAY You can access the trail from a long staircase at the parking lot across the street from Richmond High School on Hub Etchison Parkway. Coming from the north, the school is on the right and the parking lot is on the left side of the street. It’s a school parking lot, but even if you go when school is in session you should be okay. I always park right next to the staircase and I’ve never had trouble. The staircase is in the tree line. There should be a big green sign at the top of the stairs. You could haul a bike down it if you wanted, but it’s probably not the best place. It’s fine if you’re on foot. At the bottom of the stairs, turn right to go south to Test Road and through the more natural (though still paved) part of the trail, or turn left to go north toward downtown Richmond. VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK From East Main Street, at the railroad bridge that has a big “RICHMOND” sign, turn north. You’ll drive down a hill and toward the memorials. You can park there and take the trail south. There is a building with bathrooms and water fountains, but they’re usually not open. They’re supposed to connect this to the rest of the Cardinal Greenway to the north with a staircase, but that’s not finished yet. (An unofficial trail tip: If you’re on foot, you can keep walking north of the parking lot through a grass field. To the right is a big hill. If you walk up that very steep hill where there’s a worn path, you can get to the D Street trailhead parking lot.) STAR-GENNETT BUILDING If you turn south on South 1st Street by the bridge that has the big “RICHMOND” sign, you’ll wind up at a parking lot for the Star-Gennett building where pianos were manufactured 100 years ago. There was also a music recording studio that made jazz and country records. You can’t go inside the building except for special events, but you can use the parking lot any time. Head south on the Greenway to go to Test Road. You can see nice markers commemorating musicians who recorded there, including Louis Armstrong. If you go north on the Greenway you’ll end up at the the Veterans Memorial Park. Along the way you’ll go under some large bridges and you can read some historical markers. It’s a pretty nice part of the trail. You definitely know you’re in a town, but you’re below it all in a partly wooded area. It’s great for a nice short walk with a good flavor of local history. If you’re looking for more quiet and solitude, you may want to go farther north or south. If you’re on foot, you can access the Star-Garnett building area via a stairwell on the bridge on the south side of South A Street/Route 40. D STREET TRAILHEAD This is considered downtown, but it’s on a small side street. The best way to get there is on North 5th Street. Near the intersection with Richmond Avenue, find North D Street, a little side street a block and a half long (NOT the big North D Street that exentends from Richmond Ave. I have no idea why there are two North D Streets a block apart!) The trailhead is straight ahead at the end of this short street. This is the easiest access point if you have a bike trailer. There’s a bike shop very close to the trail here as well. They have a cafe here, but I don’t use it enough to be able to review it. They may have water, I just don’t know for sure. You can access this trailhead by taking North A Street around the front of the post office then turning north on North 3rd Street, but this way can be more confusing. SPRINGWOOD PARK You can park your car here and go up a steep switchback to get to the Greenway. From Waterfall Road, enter the park and drive past the entire lake and to the large parking lot near the closed-in pavilion. The paved trail to the Greenway is on the south end of the parking lot. UNION PIKE From Industries Road (just south of I-70 Exits 151 and 149A), turn south on Union Pike. Drive until you come to a crosswalk with flashing yellow lights. This is the trailhead. You can park there and get right on the trail. INDUSTRIES ROAD This is an old trailhead and is closed off to traffic with barriers. DO NOT PARK HERE. There is some exercise equipment where the parking lot used to be.
Always bring my bicycle along on business trips, to ride at the end of the day. Found this trail on the trail link app. Beautiful trail, very pleasantly surprised. Stopped at the train station and had a nice chat with the folks who run the place. Plenty of places to stop for breaks, nice surface.
There is no where to park at the trail head. Really? What a waste
Easy, flat grade trail. Narrow so passing can be made difficult at times. Enjoyable scenery along the canal with turn offs to explore the Newfields campus and Butler University. Utility construction has the southern portion of the trail closed after I-65. Construction is expected completed Spring 2019
We rode the trail from down-town Indianapolis north to Westfield. You have to piece together the path from the intersection with Midland Trace up to the soccer fields (it is basically an oversized sidewalk that follows the roadway). We jumped on lightly traveled country roads at the soccer fields and picked up the trail into Sheridan. The portion into Sheridan was lovely and shaded. Can't wait for them to finish the portion that connects the two sections. It will be a great ride.
Follows a very busy road and crosses many crossroads and highway entrances. Just stay on the Monon unless you need to get to a store that is off 146th.
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