Across the nationand the worldonly the limits of imagination will limit its use. Cardinal Greenways is a private, not-for-profit organization that encompasses the Cardinal Greenway, White River Greenway, Historic Wysor Street Depot, John Craddock Nature Preserve and Cardinal Equestrian Trail. The rest areas are frequent and the porta-potties clean. Coming from the north, the school is on the right and the parking lot is on the left side of the street. This neighborhood was first settled by members of the Society of Friends, later by free blacks and German immigrants. This section of the trail displays much more open scenery of the rolling farmland than the Muncie section when the trees are in full leaf. I really enjoyed the open sections that are fairly straight so you can comfortable ride at your preferred pace. First stop was Richmond IN, southern terminus of the Cardinal Greenway, another Rail-Trail Hall of Fame trail [My 4th]. This is the only trailhead in Richmond that has water. but I suppose that is a good idea, so you don't accidedentally going zipping onto a busy road. If you want a few more, there are a couple of shorter trails that connect in Muncie. Although the towns' businesses have abandoned along with the railroad, we met and talked to some very friendly and interesting people. The Cardinal Greenway trail is an excellent trail. To the south, there are fewer crossings.This is an excellent trail. 5.38 mi State: California Crushed . 330 N. 3rd St. Richmond, IN 47374 (765) 287-0399. The Cardinal Greenwayand the American Jazz Age Cardinal Greenway | Photo by Jane Holman, courtesy Waynet, Inc. Looking for a fantastic day in Richmond? My husband was not happy with the water quality though . Saw lots of Fall foliage as well; a bonus of riding there during this time of year. Tempt your sweet tooth with delectable, locally-made chocolate specialties - everything from actual candies to treats like ice cream, fudge, and even candles, there is plenty to sample and enjoy on the Chocolate Trail! Don't forget your bikes, the 62-mile-long Cardinal Greenway starts only a few miles away! We will start riding the Cardinal Greenway trail at Richmond and end up at the Prairie Creek Reservoir campground Saturday afternoon. Explore Grant County via the extraordinary Cardinal Greenway Trail! The trail is currently open from CR 500 South to CR 534 East. Great trail. Our grilled pound cake sundae is sweet, warm and smoky. Amenities are good, but just short of great. Estrella Mountain is also the site where the Gila and Agua Fria rivers meet, and a 65-acre grassy picnic area. This is a nice railtrail mostly through farm lands in the country land of Indiana! Wildflowers flank the Gaston section of the greenway during the spring and summer. Plenty of places to stop for breaks, nice surface. Reason 2 is there are no abrupt turns. I enjoy the safety of the trail, as opposed to open roads with traffic, too many times cars passing me within two feet at 50-60 mph, none of this on the trail, so well worth my travel time to get to it. thanks again, 5 stars. I would recommend the Greenway very highly. Each season has its own great things to offer.In the spring and fall, Get creative with your campfire or grill to take an everyday sundae to the next level. Highly recommend! I always park right next to the staircase and Ive never had trouble. Would do it again in a second! Learn more about cookies in our, National Museum of the United States Air Force. . National Model Aviation Museum. This can be pretty, but it's also only partially shaded, and the afternoon sun slices through the trees pretty effectively. Youll drive down a hill and toward the memorials. It is wide for passing, and smooth as you can get. You will be able to share your stay information with friends or family and save it for a later time if you have a KOA Account. Excellent parking facilities with restrooms are conveniently located at most trailheads.We started in downtown Muncie, where a large overhead arch identifies the trail, and rode north to the end of the trail, and then headed for the south end. Saturday's distance is about . I always try to find a cool town or city to serve as a base when exploring a new trail, and Muncie did a great job in that regard. Our RV park is located conveniently off the Black Canyon Highway (I-17) at the Glendale Ave exit in Phoenix, AZ. Lots of friendly people along the ride. The section from Sweetser to the Miller Avenue trailhead and from 30th street south to Jonesboro is picturesque and safe. I found the trail to be very nice. Heading southwest out of Marion, you will pass trailheads at Miller Avenue and Hogin Park, both featuring information kiosks and ample parking. I came from out-of-state and drove up US35 from I-70 where they insect in Richmond nice route!The trail is smooth and flat with a few cracks and sharp bumps in and near Muncie. The only downside is that water is only available at approximately a quarter of the rest areas. Numerous stop signs near town, but the further south you go there are several areas where you can ride unimpeded for several miles. Bridge crossings are very nice, with modern, attractive side rails and turn outs in some cases. It is Indiana's longest rail trail on a former railroad line and benefits much of East Central Indiana. The road part is difficult to navigate. 101. Leighanne was a great hostess and the place is very nice.The Cardinal is a very fast trail and was in great shape for early in the year. Further south, there are several bridges that offer nice views of creeks on this portion of the ride. Rode it on 7/3/09, Very nice ride, see other reviews of other sections of the Cardinal Greenway. After experiencing one especially bad heaved area, i will say that people riding bikes at a higher speed really need to watch these. Stay in one of our furnished Deluxe or Camping Cabins. Road, enter the park and drive past the entire lake and to the large parking lot near the closed-in pavilion. It crosses the river at several points along the way. I did see two cats, a lot of chipmunks, and quite a few blue jays, though ironically not a single cardinal. I did exactly that, assembled my bike and trailer, and then realized that the bike signage referred to the White River Gorge pathway, and I would have to go down a long length of steep steps. A couple of them have a water fountain. First, I'll note that I didn't notice any pig farms, despite expecting to on the southern section, nor any Rottweilers. Cardinal Greenway, Muncie: See 101 reviews, articles, and 22 photos of Cardinal Greenway, ranked No.1 on Tripadvisor among 23 attractions in Muncie. Theres plenty to do, with amenities and services to make your stay memorable. They may have water, I just dont know for sure. We drive from Indianapolis to ride this trail, usually starting in Richmond and riding to the train station in Muncie, we have done it half way and started in Losantville going either north or south. Hard-paved asphalt, remote from traffic most of the way. We left about 9:00 am and it started raining again until we got to Losantville. This is the best maintained trail we have ever been on. BE CAREFUL! Major trailheads with parking are located in Marion behind Westwood Square on Miller Avenue between 2nd and 6th Streets, at Hogin Park at Valley Avenue and 14th Street, and in Jonesboro/Gas City at the intersection of SR 22/35 and Water Street, just east of SR 15. However within Muncie there were a couple of nice scenic view-points. Also, to prevent use by motorized vehicles, many of the road crossing sport full-width gates with narrow openings at each side through which you must walk or carefully ride your bike. Gennett Records, an offshoot of the Starr Piano Company of Richmond, Indiana, recorded many of the jazz greats in the late 1910s and 1920s. The trail is paved and smooth from one end to the other and is just over 100 miles. Within just a couple of hours drive in any direction, you can explore places like The Ark Encounter and Creation . On Friday we rode from same trailhead in opposite direction 7.5 miles out, just passed the Williamsburg trailhead and back-15M. The parking lot is 0.1 mile straight ahead. First stop was Richmond IN, southern terminus of the Cardinal Greenway, another Rail-Trail Hall of Fame trail [My 4th]. This is a long post to give details for those who want to use the trail in Richmond. The flavor of the trail and individual subjects, such as the flowers, belted-kingfisher, and the cantering horse, even the old home without paint, are all extremely well done. Along the way are many elevation changes, a beautiful wooded area with a bridge over a creek and a picnic area, many trestles, and only three busy roads to cross(watch out for the crossing at 38th St. cars fly down that road) its about a five and a half mile ride one way. My estimate would be that this trail is less than 50 percent shaded. My friend Mark and I did this trail late May of 2014. Its a pretty nice part of the trail. Trailhead.". 3. Certainly worth investigating rain or shine.. Near the intersection with Richmond Avenue, find North D Street, a little side street a block and a half long (NOT the big North D Street that exentends from Richmond Ave. The Deluxe Cabins come complete with linens, towels and kitchen supplies. Indiana's hospitality is also very much in evidence. There was an error gathering form errors. Apart from the trailheads, there are lots of benches at random spots along the way. My wife and I rode this section of the Cardinal Greenway in early June 2013. Welcome to Indiana's longest rail-to-trail paved trail spanning 62-miles in 5 counties from Richmond through Muncie to Marion. Its also great if you want to pedal fast and not have to worry about moving around skaters, etc. While some of the trail is out in the sun, most of it is a shaded path along the edge of the forest, so it could be fairly comfortable in midsummer. What towns are along the way are glanced at from a railroad right-of-way that stayed on the outskirts of even these small towns. A slight uphill climb takes you to a bridge that overlooks the Mississinewa River. An influx of runners, walkers, and in-line skatersmany of them students at nearby Ball State Universityhit the trail. The trail goes through several towns, including Muncie, Jonesboro, Selma, Economy, Marion, Gaston, Williamsburg, Losantsville, and Richmond. You might want to start in Richmond, as it will be joy ride coming back. No matter where you stay, I would suggest dring your car to the trail head to avoid the heavy traffic in the area. Split-rail fences are positioned along that edge, but, in my mind, they give a false sense of security: if you go off pavement, the wide-gapped fence may not really catch you. Would this neighboring Indiana trail measure up? I'm from FL so I noticed the slight rises but most would consider the portion I rode flat. We are planning to ride again only when the weather is drier. It has been fully restored and is quite a nice sight to behold. The BAD: 1) OK, Trailink, where is it really? Mel and I rode our tandem on 14-15 April. The trail is easy to follow. 421 S Walnut St, Ste 100 Muncie, Indiana 47305 765-284-2700 Directions/Location Possibly running the trail to a stop light crossing, a bridge across, or a culvert below would be nice. Beautiful farm country USA. Medford Trail Head (County Road 500 South) has ample room for trailers, with a looped gravel lot. Cardinal Greenways. Trail Quality - I said this is for marathon bike training for 2 reasons. Bring your RV to camp at a Pull-Thru or Back-In RV Site with 50-, 30- and 20-amp connections. This is not counted as part of the Greenway on the TrailLinks map, but still has about 2 miles of nice trail with interesting views and even some wildlife occasionally. (White Water River Trail). Most of the railroads along the Great American Rail-Trail are literal ones. It was her first century and it couldn't have been a better experience. Nope, that's old information. Will return to do the northern portion next year. TEST ROAD WASHINGTON, Aug. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC), the nation's largest trails organization, announced the induction of Indiana's Cardinal Greenway Trail into the . The only thing that wasn't fantastic about the ride was all the stop at intersections. As you reach the County Road 400 trailhead, the urban fingers of Muncie start to reach out. This is the easiest access point if you have a bike trailer. We plan to drive to another spot and ride more of the Cardinal on another day, but this is a great ride for anyone, especially novices! The Whitewater Gorge Trail features geological landmarks, such as vertical cliffs and waterfalls, that are accessible by foot on side paths off the main trail. All blacktop surface makes a good ride. I am from Northwest Ohio. * Only at participating KOA locations. It is a great trail but we picked a bad time to ride as it rained from Gaston till we got to Harris Chapel Church where we spent the night. We tried to be techy and used google maps only to find we traveled in a big circle. Its fine if youre on foot. From National Road/Route 40, go south on Southwest 2nd Street (this becomes Abington Pike). Within just a couple of hours drive in any direction, you can explore places like The Ark Encounter and Creation Museum in Williamstown, KY, The Children's Museum of Indianapolis, or the National Museum of the US Air Force in Dayton, OH, just to name a few! We ride 5 days a week and dont see them everyday but potentially a terrible situation. The trees and ditches could use some cleaning. I only had time to ride 5 miles at the head of the trail, but it is gorgeous. The trail is very well maintained with great amenities at the stops. 1.7 mi Biking Trails Parks. Several miles outside of Muncie, you can take a short side jaunt on E CR 650 S to the Prairie Creek Reservoir. Its not flat the whole way so if you want less challenging landscape, skip ahead to the D Street Trailhead. Our overall experience was good although the scenery was somewhat disappointing as compared to many of the other trails we have ridden in the Indiana, Ohio, Michigan tri-state area. Their website has an interactive map that helps you plan your routes. I will be going again. Some of the trail is very interesting but area's are really plain. A cyclist can make good time assuming the headwind is not too stern. WHAT:Stay Friday night, May 12th at a participating campground, and get Saturday night, May 13th for just $20*. Hwy. It reminded Me of the Tanglefoot Trail a bit, due to the rural region, only instead of cotton & soybeans, the crop is corn. One can imagine the collective Hoosier hooray when the final leg of the Cardinal Greenway was put in place last summer. My Son and I rode the Cardinalal Greenway July 8th & 9th Of 2015. The Sweetser Switch and this trail combine to make 13.7 miles of varied and fascinating scenery, a real treat for ghost railroaders like myself! The paved trail is mostly flat, level and equally shaded/open. If you walk up that very steep hill where theres a worn path, you can get to the D Street trailhead parking lot.) By comparison, I logged less than 1200 feet of elevation gain on the Greenbrier Trail in West Virginia, which is also longer. Indiana drivers were very accommodating at intersections. Wish the trail continued further into Richmondas it is, only about 6 miles roundtrip. Drove a little over an hour from Ohio to get on at Losantville. This is the oldest and southern-most part of the Cardinal Greenway. The Cardinal Greenway trail is part of an organized Rails-to-Trails movement. This trail is totally asphalt except for the bridges. To access the southernmost trailhead near Veterans Memorial Park: From I-70, take Exit 149 or 149A, and head south on Williamsburg Pike. Sadly, once you cross Nebraska St. it becomes way too much starting and stopping crossing all the roads that must be crossed before you reach Ninth St. Once past Ninth St. however it becomes a fairly pleasant ride all the way to Miller Ave. the current trails end(or head). No point deduction for this as it does not reflect on the trail, but hey, local Richmond folks the trail-link write up needs an update. Few amenities along the way. We do sections of the trail. I really wonder how problematic they are for recumbants, tandems and for folks pulling a carrier. Plus, youll enjoy the outdoor experience with upgraded RV Sites with KOA Patio and Deluxe Cabins with full baths for camping in comfort. Drove down from Michigan for the second year in a row to ride this trail to launch my cycle season. There are 62 miles of trail on the Cardinal Greenway, plus an additional 15 mile . The Cardinal Greenway is The elevation gain is not negligible. With my trailer attached, huh? 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