Top 10 Hendricks County Trails

Writer / Josh Duke Photography Provided by Visit Hendricks County

I don’t pretend to be a walker, hiker, biker or horseback rider. So I’m the last person in the world who should provide our visitors and residents insider advice on the top trails in Hendricks County, Indiana.

Lucky for you though, I know who to ask. After extensive research, picking the minds of our amazing Hendricks County park leaders, I have compiled a list of the top 10 most popular Hendricks County Trails to explore and become one with nature.

1. Arbuckle Acres Trail

This paved trail is located in the lower section of Arbuckle Acres Park, at 200 North Green Street in Brownsburg, where hikers can enjoy an easy hike that winds through a 16-acre parcel of woods. The trail parallels White Lick Creek before climbing uphill to a bend in the trail. The elevated bridge to cross the creek provides a picturesque perspective of the creek and lower area.

Length: Approximately one mile Difficulty: Easy to moderate

2. Avon Town Hall Park Trail

Featuring a 10-foot wide paved trail that loops through Town Hall Park at 6570 East U.S. Highway 36 in Avon, this trail offers a diverse mix of scenic and environmental views. Some highlights include a nine-acre lake, open space, woods, and native Indiana prairie and wetlands. The trail is handicap accessible, and fun for all age groups and skill levels. Length: 1.5 miles Difficulty: Easy

3. Beaver Ridge Trail

This scenic trail in Sodalis Nature Park, at 7700 South County Road 975 East in Plainfield, offers hikers amazing views in a pristine wildlife refuge. The trail meanders through mature woodlands, providing views of the 5.5-acre pond below, and offers a chance to observe the flora and fauna.

While beautiful, the trail is also flat, making it a favorite for hikers with limited mobility, and it features benches to rest, relax and take in nature. Length: 0.6 miles Difficulty: Easy

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4. Blanton Woods

This scenic path provides great opportunities for both the inexperienced and experienced hiker. This trail through Blanton Woods, at 894 North Washington Street in Danville, offers a tranquil and relaxing place for views of White Lick Creek, wildlife or even a little mushroom hunting. Follow any of a number of trails to experience creek crossings, hill climbs, bird-watching podiums, bat houses, wildflowers and more. You can find parking in a small lot at the corner of Sycamore Lane and East Columbia Street, just north of Ellis Park and the amphitheater. Length: More than 4 miles Difficulty: Moderate

5. Bluebird Trail

Washington Township Park, at 115 South County Road 575 East in Avon, is home to numerous trails ranging from easy to difficult. The Bluebird Trail provides a picturesque, leisurely stroll through the woods, and also offers easy access to some of the park’s intermediate trails as well as the historic Iron Whipple Truss Bridge, built circa 1876. Length: 0.13 miles Difficulty: Easy

6. B&O Trail

The former railroad-turned-trail provides an easy hiking or biking experience in Brownsburg for anyone. The B&O Trail currently extends from Raceway Road westward past the Ronald Reagan Parkway and State Road 267 to approximately County Road 500 East in Brownsburg. Parking can be found at the State Road 267 trailhead. The trail will eventually extend 16 miles through Hendricks County. Equestrian trails are planned for future expansion. Length: Approximately 9 miles Difficulty: Easy

7. Maple Ridge Trail

The main section of this crushed-stone trail in Williams Park, at 940 South Locust Lane in Brownsburg, isn’t rigorous, though a number of secondary trails that lead off of it are a bit more challenging. The natural trails sit on 45 acres, and provide a nice hike with elevation changes and ravines that lead to White Lick Creek. In the spring you may stumble across a morel mushroom, and in the fall the colors are beautifully sprinkled throughout the property. Length: 2 to 3 miles including secondary trails

Difficulty: Moderate

8. Red-Tailed Ridge Trail

This trail in North Salem offers hikers spectacular views of McCloud Nature Park as it passes over the park's centerpiece, its 100-year-old historic iron truss bridge over Big Walnut Creek. It then traverses mature woodlands and crosses through grasslands and prairie, providing a varied hiking experience that can be enjoyed by hikers of all abilities. Length: 1.1 miles Difficulty: Moderate

9. Vandalia Trail

In many ways, Hendricks County has two trails in one along the former Vandalia Railroad, as the two sections do not link. A newly paved portion of the Vandalia Trail extends from Amo to Coatesville. This portion tends to be popular for horseback riding, far away from the hustle and bustle of city life. Ample parking in Amo provides plenty of room for horse trailers. In Plainfield, the paved trail runs from County Road 500 South to a trailhead at County Road 900 South, and has some nice spots, especially when it crosses White Lick Creek at Franklin Park. It also extends through older portions of Plainfield, behind subdivisions and businesses, and crosses several busy streets. Length: Approximately 2 to 3 miles Difficulty: Easy to moderate

10. White Lick Creek Trail

Beginning at the Richard A. Carlucci Recreation and Aquatic Center, at 651 Vestal Road in Plainfield, the White Lick Creek Trail is the centerpiece of Plainfield’s trails system. This paved trail meanders south along White Lick Creek down to Hummel Park where it hooks up with a number of other wonderful trails. Hikers, bikers and walkers can get wonderful views of the creek. At Friendship Gardens Park, the trail crosses over White Lick Creek on an old iron truss bridge that was relocated from southern Guilford Township. Length: 6 miles or more depending on route Difficulty: Easy to moderate

To find more ideas on things to do, outdoor recreation and much more in Hendricks County, go to visithendrickscounty.com.

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