Happy trails: Our guide to hiking around Indy

From quick and easy loops around town to drives that take you to fantastic lakes and forests — our city has so many options to hit the trail.

So lace up your hiking boots, because we’ve compiled a hiking guide for the Indy area with eight routes and trails to help you plan your next adventure and experience breathtaking views.

Note: While parks and trails may be listed as open, we recommend checking park websites before visiting for further info, current trail conditions, and safest practices for the area.

Key: Easy = 🥾| Moderate = 🥾🥾 | Hard = 🥾🥾🥾

Jefferson County

Tunnel Falls to Lily Memorial Trail, Clifty Falls State Park, 2221 Clifty Dr., Madison

• Difficulty: 🥾🥾
• Length: 1.5-mile out-and-back
• Wheelchair accessible: No
• Pet-friendly: Yes

Smell the hickory trees and brave your way through a tunnel to see the falls. Pro tip: to protect hibernating bats, the tunnel of this trail is only open May through October.

Indianapolis

Fowl Sanctuary South Overlook Trail, Eagle Creek Park, 7840 W. 56th St.

• Difficulty: 🥾🥾
• Length: 5.1-mile loop
• Wheelchair accessible: Portions
• Pet-friendly: Yes

Looking to do a bit of bird watching while you’re working up a sweat in this loop? Well, it’s called Eagle Creek Park for a reason — keep an eye out for these feathered friends and don’t forget to hit the Ornithology Center on your way out.

Lawrence Creek Trail, Fort Harrison State Park, 6000 N. Post Rd.

• Difficulty: 🥾🥾
• Length: 4.5-mile loop
• Wheelchair accessible: No
• Pet-friendly: Yes

Be cautious of mountain bikers on this beaten path with plenty of ravines to cross. Pro tip: the trail can get pretty muddy, so be sure to watch the forecast for rain.

Holliday Park, 6363 Spring Mill Rd.

• Difficulty: 🥾
• Length: 4.5-mile out-and-back
• Wheelchair accessible: No
• Pet-friendly: Yes

With more than 3.5 miles of trails, there are several vantage points to see the White River in the dense woods. You won’t want to miss the labyrinthine rock garden entrance from the west side of the park.

Putnam County

Ed Dailey Nature Trail, Cataract Falls, 2605 N. Cataract Rd., Spencer

• Difficulty: 🥾
• Length: 1.7-mile loop
• Wheelchair accessible: No
• Pet-friendly: Yes

If you want to see the falls raging, we recommend going after a good rain, but beware of muddy trails. Pro tip: an early morning hike will let you have the falls all to yourself.

Parke County

Trail #3, Turkey Run State Park, 8121 Park Rd., Marshall

• Difficulty: 🥾🥾
• Length: 1.9-mile loop
• Wheelchair accessible: No
• Pet-friendly: Yes

What do a suspension bridge, ladders, and a Punch Bowl have in common? You’ll find out if you take this trail — recently named the Midwest’s best hike in Midwest Living.

Morgan + Monroe Counties

Hike Bike Trail, Morgan-Monroe State Forest, 6220 Forest Rd., Martinsville

• Difficulty: 🥾
• Length: 9-mile out-and-back
• Wheelchair accessible: Yes
• Pet-friendly: Yes

Wind through the forest of this 25,000-acre park that is split between two Indiana counties. Share the trail with mountain bikers and keep an eye out for wildflowers.

Brown County

Ogle Lake Trail 7, Brown County State Park, 1405 S.R. 46 W., Nashville

• Difficulty: 🥾
• Length: 1.2-mile loop
• Wheelchair accessible: No
• Pet-friendly: Yes

See every side of this Brown County lake on a leisurely walk easily spotted from a parking lot. You might even spot some wildlife.

Get the right gear

Get the most out of your trip with comfortable, handy, and helpful hiking gear:

• For the best footwear, check out Nordstrom Rack’s sneaker edit for hiking.
• If your trail demands a proper hiking boot, we like Columbia’s collection on Amazon.
• For apparel that’s both flattering and functional, we turn to small business Aesthetic Built. We love the oversized scuba hoodies for women and the muscle scallop tees for men.
• Travel light (but still have room for snacks) with lululemon’s Everywhere Belt Bag.
• Get a good bulk deal on Perfect Bars, Clif Bars, or Kind Bars at a warehouse store like Sam’s Club.
• Don’t forget to bring a compact, portable phone charger (you’ll thank us later).
• We like this Teton hiking backpack.
• We like this lightweight water bottle.
• Psst — to be ultra-prepared, here are the 10 items you should never enter a national park without, according to the National Park Service.