B&O Trail

Indiana

15 Reviews

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B&O Trail Facts

States: Indiana
Counties: Hendricks
Length: 11.7 miles
Trail end points: N County Rd 250 E (Danville) to N Raceway Rd. (Indianapolis) and N High School Rd. (Indianapolis) to W Michigan St. (Indianapolis)
Trail surfaces: Asphalt
Trail category: Rail-Trail
ID: 6954124

B&O Trail Description

Overview

The B&O Trail follows a former Baltimore and Ohio Railroad corridor for 11.7 miles in Indiana, in two distinct segments. 

About the Route

On the western outskirts of the capital, the paved pathway stretches 8.3 miles through Brownsburg, offering tree-lined routes through residential communities and rural countryside. The trail s northern endpoint is located at N County Rd. 250 E and runs southeast from here until terminating at N Raceway Rd. This section of the trail includes a short tunnel under Ronald Reagan Parkway decorated with beautiful painted murals. Restrooms are available at Cardinal Bark Park (3432 Hornaday Rd), slightly north of the trail.

The eastern section of the trail stretches another 3.4 miles. Heading southeast from N High School Rd., the trail continues from the town of Speedway to Michigan Street in the city of Indianapolis.

Connections

The northern section of the trail intersects both the Ronald Reagan Parkway Trail and the Bicentennial Trail.

At the easternmost endpoint of the trail there are several bike lanes in construction, that while not part of the official trail, will connect the B&O Trail to the White River Wapahani Trail.

 

Parking and Trail Access

The B&O Trail runs between N County Rd 250 E (Danville) and N Raceway Rd. (Indianapolis) and N High School Rd. (Indianapolis) and W Michigan St. (Indianapolis).

Parking is available at:

  • 3575 IN-267 (Brownsburg)
  • 1312 N Lynhurst Dr (Indianapolis)
  • Olin Park, 702 Olin Ave (Indianapolis)

The public transportation system of Indianapolis, IndyGo, provides access to the trail at several points along the route. 

See TrailLink map for all parking options and detailed directions.

 

B&O Trail Reviews

Michigan St. End

I rode the shorter portion and found it very different from the west end. The maintenance was absent with bushes growing onto the trail. Trash was also on, and right next to trail. It was a bit disappointing to see the difference in how each section is cared for.

B&O Trail

2024 - we live 1 mile from the trail and can get to it pretty easy. The ride is great. All asphalt and in great shape. Several main roads have to be crossed but all have signal lights to help. Tilden is no longer the end of the trail. There is another ~ 3 miles of new asphalt west of Tilden. A new parking lot was added at 300/900. Enjoy. It’s or go to for weekly rides.

Great to see the added length in Hendricks county.

Great to see the added length in Hendricks county.

Rode the B&O for the first time recently; happy to share that a new extension has just opened, west of Tilden. Great ride!

Rode the B&O for the first time recently; happy to share that a new extension has just opened, west of Tilden. Great ride!

Accordion

Great Ride

This trail when totally completed will not disappoint the riders. Had a great time riding the trail and seeing the progress.

B&O Trail Extended

The B&O now runs from Speedway to downtown. Very nice. https://events.in.gov/event/bo_trail_opens_connects_town_of_speedway_to_indianapolis

Parking now at Tilden trailhead, plus 2.2 more miles!

I made it to B&O Trail today in time for the ribbon cutting as the B&O Trail Association opened another 2.2 miles from Tilden! There is limited gravel parking at the Tilden trailhead. This was my first experience on this trail, and it's lovely. Asphalt is in wonderful condition, I saw lots of wildlife including many chipmunks zipping back & forth across the trail, rabbits, squirrels, many birds I could recognize, others I couldn't. Trail is surrounded by lush, green vegetation, and the portion over the creek has places to stop and ponder the view. It was a great ride! Highly recommend! I can't wait to ride in the fall when all the leaves change.

B&O Blast!!

Today was my first time on the B&O trail. I have always wanted to ride it since I was a teenager, the section of the trail that goes from Raceway to Tansel was right down the street from my grandmas house but back then a mountain bike would have been required and I don't think Gravel bikes were a thing yet. Ended up doing two end to end trips today and had an absolute blast, the squirrels were not to pleased with me though.

Great riding trail. The paved portion is actually about 6.2 miles end-to-end.

Great riding trail. The paved portion is actually about 6.2 miles end-to-end.

great trail

This trail is quiet, smooth & mostly shaded. There’s a few spots to venture off the trail to clock a few extra miles. It smells like autumn with leaves beginning to fall. Several benches and a bridge also provide a nice place to stop and enjoy the scenery. There’s even a book box, a fairy garden and a beautiful mural to enjoy as well. Looking forward to it growing longer!

A Welcome Retreat

My wife and I moved to the area just three months ago, but this trail has quickly become one of my favorite places to get away, usually on my bicycle. As others have said, it's mostly quiet and well maintained. In fact, as I rode this morning a man was slowly riding his three-wheeler and blowing fallen leaves off the trail. Much appreciated!

nice ride

We rode the B&O for the first time. I enjoyed it. My wife didn't like all the road crossings. She does not like to ride her bike around any traffic. That's why we do trails. Any way The trail is very well maintained 12.3 miles was the total round trip. I do like all the lights for crossing the roads We did not try the Regan trail. (Getting tired.) My only negative is there was no place to park. We parked in the church lot across the street. The person who told us about the trail said we could. (he goes to that church)

Great, quiet path

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.

Great Trail

We rode this yesterday for the first time. Beautiful...lots of shade, nice scenery, well maintained. It is now almost completed to 6 miles, so you can make a good 12 mile ride. They have almost completed the two segments. We walked our biked across the road that divided the two halves, over some gravel, but just a very short distance. The only down side is that there are no restrooms, only 2 benches for a rest stop in Brownsburg, and the parking at the trail head in Brownsburg only accommodates a few cars. But it was a beautiful experience...so many trees, quiet, not too crowded, you cross over a small river and creek. Overall a very good ride.

Short but Sweet!

The B&O Trail will eventually cross the state of Indiana from Illinois to Ohio. For now, the trail consists of two short (roughly 2 miles each) paved sections separated by a little over a mile. The west section starts just south of Thornburg Parkway at SH 267 (N County Rd 700 E) in Brownsburg and travels southeast to E County Road 300 N. The eastern section starts at Ronald Reagan Parkway south of E Country Road 300 N and extends east to N. Raceway Road.

Volunteers recently cleared the link between the two open sections and it will be opening soon as an unpaved trail, perfect for walkers or folks on mountain bikes.

There are plans to connect the B&O Trail to the town of Speedway trail system and from there it will be possible to ride into downtown Indianapolis. When I-465 was recently rebuilt, a tunnel was placed under the road in anticipation of this expansion.

The paved sections of the trail are clean, safe and well-maintained. There are a lot of trees so you'll have to watch for fallen leaves and branches, especially in the fall or after summer storms.

Most users currently live in the Brownsburg area, where the trail is a nice local resource. If you go, there are no facilities or designated parking areas, but it's possible to park on O'Dell Street or Windham Court, just southeast of SH 267 and Thornburg.

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