Indiana\u00a0has a number of trails with minimal obstacles. \u00a0Some are very easy and others are wheelchair accessible. \u00a0Here are just a few of them.
\nThese\u00a0links were found through Internet search. \u00a0I would love to have some first-hand recommendations. \u00a0With your help, we can share our knowledge with disabled people everywhere and also increase awareness of the need for more accessibility. Please e-mail me with your suggestions using the form in the sidebar.<\/p>\n

<\/a>Federal<\/a>
\nState<\/a>
\nLocal<\/a>
\nPrivate<\/a>
\nMiscellaneous<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a>Federal<\/h2>\n

• Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore
  \n<\/strong>Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore follows 15 miles of the southern shore of Lake Michigan and offers “50 miles of trails over rugged dunes, mysterious wetlands, sunny prairies, meandering rivers and peaceful forests.”
  \nAccessibility\u00a0 \u00a0Maps and Trails<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0Phone\u00a0\u00a0219-395-1882\u00a0 Here is their website.<\/a>
  \n<\/span>Here is a description of the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore\u00a0from\u00a0The Disabled Traveler’s Companion\u00a0 \u00a0<\/a>
  \n<\/a>Portage Lakefront & Riverwalk Trail Systems<\/a>\u00a0 0.9 mile paved “access to the lakefront and beach, trails that highlight dune succession, an accessible fishing pier and a restored 900-foot breakwater. ”\u00a0 Trail Map<\/a><\/p>\n

  <\/div>\n<\/div><\/li><\/ul>Back to top<\/a><\/p>\n

  <\/a>State<\/h2>\n

  • Indiana Recreation Guidebook
    \n<\/strong>This guide to recreation<\/a> in Indiana has a short entry for each of the many parks.\u00a0 There is a location map, phone number, and a set of icons for the different amenities.\u00a0 Seventeen of them have a dotted line indicating accessibility around the hiking icon.\u00a0 It will take me a while to learn about these, but if you have a favorite, please let me know and I will add it to this site.<\/p>\n

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  • Brown County State Park
    \n<\/strong>Brown County State Park is Indiana’s largest park at almost 16,000 acres of “rugged hills, ridges and fog-shrouded ravines. Glaciers from the most recent ice ages stopped short of the ‘hills o\u2019 Brown,’ but their meltwaters helped create the narrow ridges, steep slopes and deep gullies of Brown County State Park. ”
    \nHere is their website<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Phone 812-988-6406
    \n<\/a>Friends Trail “Short, easy, paved trail, with benches and vista on flat terrain.”<\/p>\n

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  • Fort Harrison State Park
    \n<\/strong>Ft. Harrison State Park, on the NE of Indianapolis,\u00a0 is a 1,700 acre park with a blend of landscape and history.\u00a0 It includes four nature preserves.
    \nMap and Brochure<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0 Phone\u00a0317-591-0904.\u00a0 \u00a0Here is their website<\/a>.
    \n<\/a>? <\/strong>Harrison Trace Trail\u00a0 3.2 miles asphalt surface trail for “walkers, bicyclists and joggers.”\u00a0 It is described as easy, but there are some hills.\u00a0 Call ahead to see if it really would work for you with your kind of wheelchair.
    \n<\/a>? <\/strong>Tree ID Trail\u00a01 mile mowed and said to be easy.<\/p>\n

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  • Harmonie State Park\u00a0<\/strong>
    \nHarmonie State Park, lies on the banks of the Wabash River near New Harmony.\u00a0 There are two ADA cabins.
    \nPhone\u00a0812-682-4821\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>Map<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0 Here is their website<\/a>.
    \n<\/a>? <\/strong>Trails #5 and #6 are both 0.75 mile long and described as easy.\u00a0 Better call first to learn more.<\/p>\n

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  • Indiana Dunes State Park
    \n<\/strong>Indiana Dunes State Park’s 2,182 acres lie at the north end of State Road 49 in Porter County, and includes more than three miles of beautiful beach along Lake Michigan\u2019s southern shore. Sand dunes tower nearly 200 feet above the lake.\u00a0 A wide range of habitats provides homes for many types of plants and animals.
    \nMap<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0Phone\u00a0(219) 926-1952\u00a0 Here is their website.<\/a>
    \n<\/a>The only trail with an accessible icon on the map is to the beach and described as “moderate.”
    \n<\/a>Trail #2 is 3 “easy” miles and good for\u00a0early spring flowers and ferns. Best to call to be sure it is easy for you.<\/p>\n

    <\/div>\n<\/div><\/li>

  • A\u00a0list of Indiana’s State Forests<\/a>, also with links.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>

  • A\u00a0list of Indiana’s State Parks<\/a>\u00a0with links to information about each.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>

  • McCormick’s Creek State Park
    \n<\/strong>\u00a0McCormick’s Creek State Park, Spencer, has a limestone canyon, flowing creek, and scenic waterfalls.\u00a0 Hiking trails feature diverse forest trees, spicebush, and native wildflowers, including a trail through Wolf Cave Nature Preserve.
    \nPhone\u00a0812-829-2235 \u00a0 Map and Brochure<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Here is the DNR’s website<\/a>.\u00a0 Here is another, commercial website<\/a>.
    \n<\/a>Trail #8 0.7mile paved<\/p>\n

    <\/a>?<\/strong> Trails #6\u00a0 0.6 mile, and #9\u00a0 1.2 miles are described as easy, but that doesn’t mean they are barrier-free.\u00a0 Call ahead.<\/p>\n

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  • Ouabache State Park
    \n<\/strong>Ouabache (pronouced Wabash) State Park, Blufton,\u00a0 runs along the north side of the Wabash River.\u00a0 Although the Indiana Recreation Guidebook shows accessible hiking for this park, I don’t see that on their map.
    \nMap<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0Phone 260-824-0926\u00a0 \u00a0Here is their website<\/a>.
    \n<\/a>?<\/strong> Trails #1 (1 mile), #2 (1.5 miles) and #3 (1.5 miles) are all described as “easy”.\u00a0 Call to learn just how easy.
    \n<\/a>?<\/strong>\u00a0 There is a paved bicycle path more or less parallel to the river.\u00a0 Call to see if it would work for a wheelchair.<\/p>\n

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  • Pokagon State Park\/ Trine State Recreation Area<\/strong>
    \nPokagon State Park, Angola,\u00a0 “…is framed by Lake James and Snow Lake, which offer abundant opportunities for boating, swimming, fishing and scenic sunsets.”
    \nMap and Brochure<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0Here is their website<\/a>.\u00a0 \u00a0 Phone\u00a0 260-833-2012
    \n<\/a>Bike Trail 1.6 miles “Connects campgrounds, Nature Center, saddle barn, Inn and park entrances.”
    \n<\/a>? <\/strong>Trails #4 (1.4 miles) and # 5 (0.7 miles) are said to be easy.\u00a0 Call ahead to be sure.<\/p>\n

    <\/div>\n<\/div><\/li><\/ul>Back to top<\/a><\/p>\n

    <\/a>Local<\/h2>\n

    • City of Indianapolis
      \n<\/strong>Eagle Creek Park
      \nThis city park, on the Eagle Creek Reservoir, encompasses 1400 acres of water and 3900 acres of forest.\u00a0 “Eagle Creek Park is one of the largest city parks in the nation, offering unmatched opportunities for recreation, enjoyment,\u00a0and discovery of\u00a0nature only minutes from downtown Indianapolis.\u00a0 This is their website<\/a>.\u00a0 \u00a0Call the park\u00a0317-327-7110 or the Earth Discovery Center\u00a0317-327-7148 to learn more about their trails.\u00a0 \u00a0Trail map<\/a>.
      \n<\/a>They sent this helpful response to my inquiry via facebook<\/a>:\u00a0 “There is an old paved road that is now an accessible pedestrian trail that runs north of the Ornithology Center – on the map it’s the dotted line that goes from the Ornithology Center to the Blue Trail. It’s along a high bluff, so you get a nice view of the reservoir in a few spots, and it goes through some nice, shady older forest. It does have one section that can get some standing water after heavy spring rains, but is usually dry the rest of the year. The section of the Blue Trail that it connects to is a gravel road that is closed to vehicle traffic – probably pretty bumpy for most wheelchairs, but might be accessible to some. There is also an accessible access to the overlook\/fishing area at the Marina.
      \nMost of the other hiking trails are compacted gravel and rock trail mix – some smaller or all-terrain type wheelchairs might do ok on flatter portions of them, but larger or motorized wheelchairs would probably have difficulty. Most of the park roads also have a paved pedestrian strip along the side, but it is right next to park traffic.”<\/p>\n

      <\/div>\n<\/div><\/li><\/ul>Back to top<\/a><\/p>\n

      <\/a>Private<\/h2>\n

      Back to top<\/a><\/p>\n

      <\/a>Miscellaneous<\/h2>\n

      • The\u00a0Rails-to-Trails Conservancy<\/a>\u00a0lists wheelchair accessible trails in Indiana.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>

      • The Indiana Trails Inventory<\/a> – This map\u00a0allows you to zoom in on an area and see where there are wheelchair accessible trails. \u00a0Click on these to learn more and get contact information where available.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li><\/ul> Back to top<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

        Indiana\u00a0has a number of trails with minimal obstacles. \u00a0Some are very easy and others are wheelchair accessible. \u00a0Here are just a few of them. These\u00a0links were found through Internet search. \u00a0I would love to have some first-hand recommendations. \u00a0With your help, we can share our knowledge with disabled people everywhere and also increase awareness of … Continue reading The Indiana Trails Inventory<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-194","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.accessiblenature.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/194","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.accessiblenature.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.accessiblenature.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.accessiblenature.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.accessiblenature.info\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=194"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/www.accessiblenature.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/194\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5855,"href":"https:\/\/www.accessiblenature.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/194\/revisions\/5855"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.accessiblenature.info\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=194"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}