The Chesapeake and Ohio Greenway (also referred to as the C&O Trail) offers a short, paved route through Merrillville, a town just a few miles south of Gary and the southern tip of Lake Michigan. The trail is on a diagonal; its northwest end begins at the Innsbrook Country Club, then the trail dives into the trees, where it stays for most of its journey. It pops out at John A. Stefek Park in a residential area and continues to Broadway, a busy commercial street. Along the way, there's a quaint pedestrian bridge over Turkey Creek.
The second phase of the trail will extend it farther southeast, under I-65, to Mississippi Street, which will connect the trail to a popular shopping area. Construction is expected to begin in spring 2015. Long-range plans also include extending the trail at its other (northwest) end to the town of Griffith, which would link it to the Oak Savannah Trail and Erie Lackawanna Trail.
Parking is available in John A. Stefek Park (70th Place and Harrison Street) on the southeast side of the trail. On the trail's northwest end, trail parking is located behind the Innsbrook Country Club parking lot at 6701 Taft Street.
For now...this trail provides a quick escape from life in Merrillville. It begins along the hap-happening street of Broadway as the landscape transforms to a pleasant wooded canopy. The bridge, the school, the many backyards rolls away to the dead-end just past the golf course. The escape may be short lived but that only adds to the excitement of "what's ahead" once the project is completed. I for one, can't wait!
C&O Greenway is a very well-maintained and beautiful trail. I was surprised, though, to see no one using it on a gorgeous day, until I found the explanation: it's a dead end. The golf course that straddles part of the old RR just east of Taft St., had blocked the north-east end of the Greenway.
This trail does not have any events yet.
Be the first to add one!
Bike and beer for a cause! Friends of the Forest Preserves (FOTFP) is hosting its Third Annual Beer in the Woods on Saturday, September 28. Join us in...
First-time visitors to the Oak Savannah Trail might be surprised at the profusion of natural areas they’ll encounter as they travel the 9.5 miles...
The Erie Lackawanna Trail connects Crown Point and Hammond, two former rail junctions whose early fortunes were tied to the tracks carrying people and...
Turkey Creek Trail is a short but sweet walk or ride through the beautiful Ivan Gatlin Nature Preserve in the northwestern Indiana community of...
The Pennsy Greenway is currently open in three segments between Calumet City, Illinois, and Schererville, Indiana. The northern portion begins at the...
Little Calumet River Levee Trail stretches from Munster to Gary, Indiana. The trail zigs and zags through a number of local parks including Riverside...
Prairies and dunes are just two of the natural features you’ll experience on the Prairie Duneland Trail, located just a few miles south of the Lake...
The Marquette Trail offers picturesque views of Lake Michigan as it travels through the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. This scenic route follows an...
_132697_nb.jpg)
The Monon Trail in Lake County, Indiana—not to be confused with the trail of the same name in Indianapolis—links the two Chicago suburbs of Hammond...
The Iron Horse Heritage Trail in Portage, Indiana, runs for over 2 miles between Max Mochal Road (SR 149) at the east end and Hamstrom Rd. at the west...
The Thorn Creek Trail offers a paved route traversing woodlands abundant with wildlife through several communities on the southern outskirts of...
The Burnham Greenway is composed of two distinct portions that both run along a former railroad corridor between Chicago and Lansing, Illinois. There...
As the name suggests, the Lake George trail travels along the north shore of Lake George, turning north at Calumet Ave/US 41 to skirt the east shore...
Download the TrailLink mobile app and take TrailLink with you!
Build trails nationwide + pick your FREE 2019 RTC member t-shirt!
Get a FREE guidebook when you join Rails-to-Trails Conservancy!
TrailLink is a free service provided by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (a non-profit) and we need your support!
