. Im not sure if the Cardinal Greenway oversees it, but I consider it part of the Greenway. This neighborhood was first settled by members of the Society of Friends, later by free blacks and German immigrants. Gateway trails represent those iconic trails that make possible the Great American Rail-Trail in each of the states it connects. 400 W. just south of W. Delphi Pike/US 18 (Marion) and E. 10th St. (Jonesboro); W. Co. Rd. Stopped at the train station and had a nice chat with the folks who run the place. You can access the trail from a long staircase at the parking lot across the street from Richmond High School on Hub Etchison Parkway. We tried to be techy and used google maps only to find we traveled in a big circle. I rode the trail from the Super 8 motel in Gas City which accommodated parking my vehicle there for the overnight. He saw my rig and said No" and then directed me 2 1/2 blocks to the north to find the D street trail head. Other than that a great ride and well maintained. Road, enter the park and drive past the entire lake and to the large parking lot near the closed-in pavilion. Would do it again in a second! Richmond KOA Holiday is a family-owned campground with family activities in Richmond, Indiana. Wow! Bring your RV to camp at a Pull-Thru or Back-In RV Site with 50-, 30- and 20-amp connections. Not much. My friend Mark and I did this trail late May of 2014. Very flat except some slight grades at the southern 20 miles. Cardinal Greenway. Many, many farms with corn and soy bean fields. This section has some shaded areas, but it is largely very open. The trail is well marked and well maintained in the sections we rode. I have ridden to north of muncie about 5 miles and south of muncie about 7 miles. Choose from seven RV-developed sites for your stay. We will start riding the Cardinal Greenway trail at Richmond and end up at the Prairie Creek Reservoir campground Saturday afternoon. -Rich Ballash, Latrobe, PA 9-14-14. From Industries Road (just south of I-70 Exits 151 and 149A), turn south on Union Pike. The South trail head parking is not at the end of the trail in Jonesboro IN.,(its just off of hyw 22 & 35) and one owes it to yourself to go a little further south to see the trails end (it really doesnt end there it just goes onto public streets and meets up eventually with the section in Gaston IN) Theres a really nice walking bridge over the river near the parking area in Jonesboro that will take you to a public park in Gas City IN. I am impressed with the depot in Muncie, although must admit l am a Railroading fan for many years, l appreciate they kept in place the original mile posts along with many whistle posts as well. Our interactive trail map allows you to get directions to any trailhead. 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. 54-mile round trip; cloudless sky; 65- 80 degrees; mostly calm to light W breeze. A cut off signal mast here hearkens the days of the line's CTC control from Peru. Get a FREE Rail Trails Guidebook when you become a Member with Rails-to-Trails Conservancy. Read more. Hop on down to our Easter Eggstravaganza!A weekend full offun and games!We will keep your little bunnies "eggcited" all weekend long!Staff lead:Arts & CraftsCandy Bar Come relax with us while you "sip and create" to celebrate Mother's Day.This one is just for the Moms. There3 are enough long shallow grades to make the ride interesting. My wife and rode almost to Richmond and back. ONE WARNING- as with any stop sign, please heed the message! Saturday's distance is about . The design elements along the path are consistent throughout, with arched steel embellishments on bridge crossings and stone mile markers every 0.5 mile. It reminded Me of the Tanglefoot Trail a bit, due to the rural region, only instead of cotton & soybeans, the crop is . Great trail to ride , the hog farm near Williamsburg smells terrible and at least 3 times big Rottweiler dogs have chased us and nearly wrecked us at the hog farm entrance. Cardinal Greenway parking lot .25 miles on north side of road. Simply one of the most beautiful and interesting trails I have ridden in my 1250 miles of rail-trails! Just be alert, don't be stupid. TrailLink is a free service provided by Rails-to-Trails conservancy, We're a non-profit all about helping you enjoy the outdoors, Co. Rd. I grew up in Muncie and ride this when I return home to visit my Mom. They just added a gate here and the sign says its closed dusk to dawn, so if you park your car there be sure to be out of there by nightfall so you dont get locked in. I highly recommend this trail. Would this neighboring Indiana trail measure up? This trail has a slight turn for every half mile of strait away. There are very few places to stop along the way to purchase supplies. The more luxurious RV Sites have full hookups and a KOA Patio. Bring lots of sunscreen. Very enjoyable! Its not the trail terminus, but Union Pike is the simplest trailhead to get to if youre driving in, especially from I-70. The ride from Muncie to Richmond is definitely the highlight for scenery for the trail, as you wind through more farm fields, and tree lined areas. The elevation gain is not negligible. a) Beware the berms. The trail is paved and smooth from one end to the other and is just over 100 miles. Day 2: We head south toward Richmond on our second day. This is considered downtown, but its on a small side street. You can access this trailhead by taking North A Street around the front of the post office then turning north on North 3rd Street, but this way can be more confusing. Oct 24 I rode the stretch from Richmond to Losantville & back [50 miles]. The rest areas are frequent and the porta-potties clean. I would recommend riding the Muncie section of the Cardinal Greenway in the late fall after the leaves are down or in the early spring before leaf on. RICHMOND HIGH SCHOOL - HUB ETCHISON PARKWAY There is a red round barn along the trail north of Newman Road. Mel and I rode our tandem on 14-15 April. Along the way, all the old C&O mileposts remain intact, from 133 down to 127, except for MP130. In 3 miles, turn right onto S. CR 900 E, which becomes N. CR 600 W. In 4.9 miles, turn right onto CR 850 N/W. Located just 90 minutes north of Indianapolis, Grant County is a quick exit off I-69 in East Central Indiana. Make sure to pack lots of water as someone else said. There are a few out there in remote areas and I have seen it for myself when riders try to slide by the stop sign, just remotely slowing down, accidents happen. You should visit cardinalgreenways.org for more information. 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. A couple nice bridges too. There are 62 miles of trail on the Cardinal Greenway, plus an additional 15 mile . We stayed at the Holiday Inn at Richmond IN. Cardinal Greenway. This section of the Cardinal Greenway is pretty much a flat and unchallenging ride. and River Rd. ", "I biked the entire length of the trail this October. Smoothly paved, little to no debris. Although the decorative gates are interesting they are a hassle for cyclists to navigate. Certainly worth investigating rain or shine.. Using the Muncie section of the Greenway is what really made the trip to Muncie very impressed. The trees and ditches could use some cleaning. Lots of twigs on the trail but that is to be expected on a rail trail. Nice ride. The only thing that wasn't fantastic about the ride was all the stop at intersections. Although the towns' businesses have abandoned along with the railroad, we met and talked to some very friendly and interesting people. This is one of the longest running RV parks in Phoenix, AZ with plenty of shady trees and grassy areas. About 23 miles round trip. Traveling from Gaston to Muncie, you will experience farm fields along the trail, and shaded canopies offering relief from the hot sun during the summer. we love it here. Very cool trestle over the Whitewater, and the spring colors were awesome. Decades ago, a disused railroad line found new life, becoming the Cardinal Greenway, Indiana's longest rail-trail.But with some ambitious new projects planned, the newest member of the Rail-Trail Hall of Fame which is also celebrating its 25th anniversary as a trail in 2018is about to experience yet another rebirth.. The Greenway between Gaston and Muncie has some bumps and uneven pavement but made it back to Marion safely (with two periods of rain) Best bike drive in Eastern Indiana in summation. Don't forget your bikes, the 62-mile-long Cardinal Greenway starts only a few miles away! Our plan was to park our car, with all of our luggage, in Muncie, which is central to this trail. Not valid with other discounts. The Prairie Creek Reservior is close to the trail between Medford and Blountsville if you'd like to see a boats and visit a beach! Prairie Creek Reservoir in Selma is rated 6.8 of 10 at RV LIFE Campground Reviews. There isn't water at every stop but there are nice benches and frequent maps. . Highly recommend! If you go off the edge, you will hit the gravel, you will go down. This trail is absolutely BEAUTIFUL! There are 62 miles of trail on the Cardinal Greenway, plus an additional 15 mile road section from Gaston to Jonesboro. The folks who put this trail together have done a first class job.The Wysore Street Depot in Muncie is awesome. Find the river on the map and you can find the Greenway right alongside. I prefer trails with few road crossings and not much traffic. You really have to slow down and watch what you are doing. The is a three-day, two-night loop so Bertha, Mule and I can shake off the frost after a bit of Winter hibernation, and to give a test run for my heart, legs, and some equipment I've gotten . I think that not converting any of the old railways to useful recreational pathways is going to be a terrible loss. We live close by the trail and typically use the White River Greenway to connect to the Cardinal. I ran into some construction near the Depot Trailhead in Muncie, so cut the ride short there, as rain also threatened. The premium Tent Sites have water and electric hookups. Always bring my bicycle along on business trips, to ride at the end of the day. 2) Stay alert! First stop was Richmond IN, southern terminus of the Cardinal Greenway, another Rail-Trail Hall of Fame trail [My 4th]. The weather was just right cool. Vestiges of the neat trackside telegraph line abound, along with many glass insulators on their double arms. Its not flat the whole way so if you want less challenging landscape, skip ahead to the D Street Trailhead. The route parallels US 35 so trailhead access is easy, with plenty of rest stops, though only a few have water available, so bring a good supply to start. ", "I visited Muncie for the first time in August 2002 to attend a friend's wedding. Cardinal Greenway, Bridge in Economy | Photo by Angie Pool, courtesy Cardinal Greenways Inc. Along the way youll go under some large bridges and you can read some historical markers. 1. Oct 25 I rode from Losantville to Muncie & back [36 miles]. toilets, benches, but no drinking water. I graduated from Ball State and I only wish it had been there when I was in school. It is not geared for climbing hills. 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. 2) A great comparison to the SW Ohio trail system. I used to cross the rail road tracks when I walked to middle school. Quite a bit of harvesting going on. Explore Grant County via the extraordinary Cardinal Greenway Trail! Looking east, you'll see Milepost C-156 and its highway style metal mile marker. Trails for biking, running and walking, frequently cited as a quality-of-place signifier for attracting residents and employers . The southern section was reliable in this area. The road part is difficult to navigate. It's a nice trail for a long, leisurely bike ride. My biggest request would be for more bathrooms and water fountains along the way. Posts about Cardinal Greenway written by manandhisbike. Trail map of the Cardinal Greenway from Co. Rd. As you pass through Webster, the trail begins a slight uphill grade through woodlands; this is a good spot for birding. Hard-paved asphalt, remote from traffic most of the way. I am hopeful that whomever is responsible for this portion of the trail will grind these down or replace the heaved sections entirely. There was an error gathering form errors. We ride 5 days a week and dont see them everyday but potentially a terrible situation. while the scenery is not spectacular, it affords one good views of crops being harvested (and likely of planting season as well. Most of the railroads along the Great American Rail-Trail are literal ones. My husband was not happy with the water quality though . You can also print the map by clicking the "Printable Map" button below. There were a couple of housing tracts, but except for Muncie the trail is really quite rural.Because of its openess, this trail would be a killer in a headwind. Help move around some tables.How about gardening? The BAD: 1) OK, Trailink, where is it really? 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! I rode from sweeters switch to gas city. The many log fences lining the trail are quite nice, as are the many large rocks that are imprinted with the mileage and the greenway logo. Medford Trail Head (County Road 500 South) has ample room for trailers, with a looped gravel lot. My wife and I rode 40 miles on the Cardinal Greenway starting at the Depot and turning around just southeast of Losantville. Five more miles will be added to the south end of the Muncie section this summer. Through 12 states and the District of Columbia, the trail will directly serve nearly 50 million people within 50 miles of the route. The only downside is that water is only available at approximately a quarter of the rest areas. ", "As of Nov 2006, the trail is continuously paved from Gashton through Muncie to Losantville. One of the highlights for this trail is that there are numerous trail-heads that you can choose from, and there are several areas that have portable restroom facilities. I rode this trail for a full one-day shakedown ride for a much longer multi-day trip that I will take later. Our interactive trail map allows you to get directions to any trailhead. Our AmenitiesIf you prefer to relax at the campground, there are numerous amenities to take advantage of, including: Local Things to DoMake this KOA your base camp for exploring the local area. In about a quarter mile, the trailhead parking will be on your left. The trip will leave 8:00 Saturday morning from Indianapolis area. Elm St. That is something we don't seem to be getting much of these days. This is an excellent trail! The day I rode, the station in Muncie was closed. Looking for a fantastic day in Richmond? It's a very nice park with a large pond, and many picnic areas to enjoy. The only negative is the pig farm you have to pass. The latrines - porta potties - were nearly new and surprisingly spic and span. But the trail is so great I would do it again but take more precautions. You can park there and get right on the trail. I asked a local who was jogging up the steps if this is where I get on. Kids fighting cancer deserve a chance to attend a summer camp and to just be a kid again. Both the color and scenery were beautiful. My Son and I rode the Cardinalal Greenway July 8th & 9th Of 2015. The trail is in very good shape with very nice rest areas that are spaced at very friendly intervals. Amenities are good, but just short of great. The vegetation seems to be growing back and crowding the edge of the trail, but again the freshness of the trail doesn't let this dwell on your mind during the ride. Along the final mile of the Cardinal Greenway, the trail features a trestle bridge over the East Fork Whitewater River before its official end at the D Street trailhead. The paved trail is mostly flat, level and equally shaded/open. I look forward to heading south toward Richmond! 1:07. MUNCIE, Ind. Indiana drivers were very accommodating at intersections. Is strength your thing? Losantville parking area is just off US35, 3.7 miles N of intersection of US35 and IN1; well marked and easy to find. To receive your FREE chocolate samples, you must present a Chocolate Trail Passport which can be obtained at:The Old National Road Welcome Center5701 National Road E. (U.S. 40), Richmond, IN 473741.800.828.8414. As you reach the County Road 400 trailhead, the urban fingers of Muncie start to reach out. The scene now totally changes. The trail is currently open from CR 500 South to CR 534 East. Get closer to your family and friends while camping at Richmond KOA Holiday. If you have little kids on bikes, or if you ever stopped paying attention and drifted off the pavement, then read up. We use cookies on koa.com to help improve your experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits, troubleshoot how the site operates, and learn more about how koa.com is performing. We camp at lots of campgrounds this by far is the worse we have seen and the manager was rude and not helpful Thanks. By the way, take a look at the still intact stub of the Pennsy at the grade crossing at the nearby trailhead. It was a very hot week, and I remember sections without much shade, though the fields were pretty. Spend Memorial Day weekend under the stars.3-night minimumSunday - performance by Wildheart BandCornhole TournamentSkylantern ceremony ($)Staff lead:Arts & CraftsCandy Bar Richmond and Wayne County's self-guided journey down the chocolate trail takes you to one-of-a-kindlocal candy shops/factories, bakeries, ice cream parlor,intriguing gift shops and more.Chocolate is featured at each stop and is presented in many different forms. Its a school parking lot, but even if you go when school is in session you should be okay. Trail of the Month: July 2012. This section is new and well designed, but I found the northern section from between Losantville and Muncie to be more enjoyable. The staircase is in the tree line. Bring food! 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. So as always, if in the area and want to get a couple miles in, this should do. My wife and I are very fond of the section that goes from the parking area in Jonesboro (going more or less North after you cross the highway) to Nebraska St in Marion. Help defend and expand trails nationwide. Wrong Length - This trail is a lot bigger than the site currently shows. I only had time to ride 5 miles at the head of the trail, but it is gorgeous. I find the trail very well laid out, volunteers do a remarkable job, thanks to all. Written May 28, 2022. Their website has an interactive map that helps you plan your routes. 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