Long before I began working in one of the parks departments in Hendricks County, Indiana, I was thoroughly impressed by the foresight of Plainfield's planners and powers-that-be in emphasizing green space, parks and trails.
To date, there are well over 20 miles of trails within the town and along its borders, facilitating pedestrian and bicycle traffic and beautiful scenery.
I have my own personal preferences, plus I recently found AllTrails' list of the Best Trails in Plainfield, so I'll do a little mixing-and-matching to point you in the right direction.
Hummel Park
Operated by Guilford Township, not the town of Plainfield, Hummel Park includes more than 3 miles of paved trails within its 205 acres. White Lick Creek runs through the park, and Blue Heron Lake is situated in the park's far southern portion.
Not only is Hummel Park one of my favorites in Hendricks County, it contains three of AllTrails' favorite trails: Blue Heron Path (2.4 miles, paved), Red Maple Path (1.2 miles, paved) and Cottonwood Path (half-mile, paved). The entire park is very scenic and popular, including a couple of really nice pedestrian bridges.
White Lick Creek Trail
Beginning at the Richard A. Carlucci Recreation & Aquatic Center in Plainfield, the White Lick Creek Trail is the centerpiece of Plainfield’s trails system. This paved trail meanders south along White Lick Creek to Hummel Park, giving hikers, bikers and walkers wonderful views of the creek.
It also connects with several other wonderful trails and parks, including the Al & Jan Barker Sports Complex, Anderson Park and Friendship Gardens Park. At Friendship Gardens, the trail crosses over White Lick Creek on an old iron truss bridge that was relocated from southern Guilford Township.
Vandalia Trail
There are two separate sections of the Vandalia Trail in Hendricks County -- a four-mile-long paved section in the western portion of the county that is operated by Hendricks County Parks & Recreation -- and an 8.7-mile-long paved section in Plainfield that is run by Plainfield Parks & Recreation. Plainfield's portion runs along what used to be the Vandalia Railroad, and much of it takes users through wooded areas that are quite scenic and peaceful.
The trail is pretty flat throughout, so it's not a strenuous route, and it connects neighborhoods and parks, including the popular Franklin Park, without navigating much vehicular traffic. It's a linear trail, not a loop, so trail users can choose the length of their adventure.
(Insider tip: To keep up-to-date on all things Vandalia Trail, follow the Vandalia Trail on Facebook. It is an informative, well-run and frequently-updated page.)
Echo Hollow Nature Park
Echo Hollow Nature Park is located within Plainfield town limits and is operated by the Plainfield Department of Public Works. It boasts, among other amenities, more than 5 miles of crushed-stone or natural-surface trails through the woods.
With a little more than 300 acres of developed parkland, Echo Hollow Nature Park has a lot more room to grow, as the Town of Plainfield owns 2,000 acres in total. Check out the master plan for how development will continue there for the foreseeable future.
W.S. Gibbs Memorial Park
W.S. Gibbs Memorial Park is just outside of Plainfield, but boasts more than 3 miles of trails waiting to be discovered. Its trails provide a blend of paved, crushed stone and natural surfaces and are operated by Hendricks County Parks & Recreation.
AllTrails lists the "outer loop" of Gibbs as one of their favorite trails in or near Plainfield. Walnut Walkway, Woodland Passage and Pollinator Pathway are popular trails at Gibbs, as is the paved loop around the ponds and the concrete ADA-accessible switchback trail up to the top of the 30-foot-tall observation and sledding hill.
(Insider tip: A new trail just opened up at W.S. Gibbs Memorial Park. The Bicentennial Tree Trail spans 7 acres and is in the shape of a "200" with native Indiana trees planted throughout.)
