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We started on the North end of the trail. We parked at the Rev Ernest D. Butler Park. Use the parking lot off of Fairview St on the east side of the park; this is by the playground/swings. There are about 7-8 parking spaces. From there it is a very short ride north to enter the trail (like, coast down the hill and there it is).
From there we rode the three miles of the B-Line. We went on a Sunday and the trail was relatively busy. Along the way we rode through part of downtown but traffic was very light. Vehicles were respectful of the crossings and would stop if they were paying attention.
Along the B-Line we saw a bike repair shop, bike/skate board park, splash pad, playground, dog park, and more. Bloomington has really developed this trail and the amenities on it. Due to COVID the water fountains were covered.
The trail is paved and mostly flat. There was one large incline overpass but nothing too hard. The B-Line section ends at W Country Club Dr where there is another area to park if you wanted to start on the South end and travel north. There are approximately 17 or so parking spaces there with Handicapped parking.
We continued south onto the gravel Bloomington Rail Trail. We actually rode straight south from the B-line and realized we were on a motor path that runs parallel to the Bloomington Rail Trail; to get on the Rail Trail there is a slight jog to the west (by the parking lot). We were not the only ones who did this; but the actual trail is better in that it has tree coverage and it was a really sunny day. We eventually cut over to the proper trail when the motor path ended as we continued south.
We stopped at a large creek bridge that is just south of the roundabout for the Clear Creek Trail. We rested, took some pictures, and headed back North. We had a 9-year old and 12-year old with us and they were worn out at the end of what turned out to be a 10-mile round trip bike ride. It was a great time, though!
We pedaled from Indy to Shelbyville to get some ice cream at the local Cow Palace. As the Palace is essentially at the center of this cute little trail we decided to check it out. The 'eastern reach' is very nice and much more what we expect for a paved bike trail with smooth pavement and some wooded areas. Great idea to connect city parks and the trail even goes through a portion of the county fair grounds. There are an impressive number of restrooms, air pumps and bicycle maintenance stations - a nice touch! A very attractive new "trail head" parking area with clean restrooms, etc. but it was not connected to the trail? Not a destination trail but if you find yourself in the area...
My wife and I are wanting to be outside and get some exercise. Riding this trail does the trick. Not to hilly but enough of a challenge for us. You ride through some nice woods and several fields. I think we saw about 25 rabbits on the trail last night. We also saw a turkey earlier this week. I should add that we are starting around 7pm so the trail is not to busy but it is still being used by lots of people. It is very clean and as I said a good ride.
This trail has a lot of potential so for the life of me I can't understand why the city of Columbus doesn't take advantage of it more by making tweaks that seem so simple to me. There are probably some restaurants along the way but I couldn't look for them I was so busy trying to figure out where the h*** I was supposed to go without getting hit by a car. Parts of this trail are very nice but it's disconnected at numerous points along the way and there is no signage whatsoever for guidance. Absolutely NO SIGNAGE AT ALL. ANYWHERE. You can wind up taking a wrong turn because this trail intersects with others, as we did, and take your $2000 bike into a mudslide area, as we did. And if it's rained at all before your visit, plan on a swampy ride. If you are a local it might be okay, but if you aren't and are looking for a nice ride, I'd go somewhere else. Not impressed. We won't be back.
There are presently trees down on the trail following a storm (Probably July 11 or 12, 2020). The route is very blocked by bridge number 8, though walkers have moved around one side. This looked too difficult for us to navigate with bicycles. There is a large tree down over the path just east of bridge 16, approx. mile 4.7. It is possible to walk a bicycle under this tree. I do not know where or how to report these. Love the trail, good shade and good condition and beautiful.
Great tree canopy for majority of trail, the bait shop and Williams Dam are must sees. First few miles from Bedford start need attention, stone should be crushed and packed down and many wash outs need to be addressed
Short tree lined trail, great for a walk or bike ride. Hopefully they will continue to extend this trail over time. Does connect to Clear Creek trail. Great parking areas on Church.
Great peaceful ride around Columbus. When not on trail, the path is on quiet city streets. The only small issue is on the south end of trail because you need to cross some busy city streets.
With some steady uphills at both ends, this is a walk that shouldn’t be too difficult. The approaches are asphalt, all the bridge surfaces are concrete so it’s not forgiving at all. Obviously there is no real shade, so choose your time wisely. Bring hydration and sunscreen! From parking area to parking area is about 2.5 miles so you can get a 5 mile round trip. Busy at times with bikes, runners and walkers, but it’s wide enough you don’t feel crowded. Traffic noise is very loud unfortunately given the amount of truck traffic.
My dog and I have completed every bit of this loop that has been completed. We have a picture of every mile marker I will never forget doing this with my dog. I don’t thank he will get to see it be completed nor will l
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