ten eighty-four: Get out and go...

Hiking.

Since summer is over and our schedules have gotten busier our weekends of camping and hiking are pretty much so over. We are hopeful for an event free weekend with warm weather to get one last family camping trip in. If we are unable to make that happen, we are pretty lucky to be centrally located between all of our state parks, that day trips are possible and we are even luckier that we don't have to travel far to get to some great local parks for playing, walking, running or hiking.

Here are three of my favorite parks in the area that we regularly explore and play in.

Play ground in Forrest Park.

Most weeks we take advantage of our great city and county parks. At least once a week we walk, run or play through Forrest Park in Noblesville. Our city has done a great job with the trail system. We are able to walk a few blocks to a trail head and then in less than one mile we are inside this great wooded park with paved trails, playgrounds, a skate park, basketball courts, tennis courts, swimming pool, baseball fields, golf course and shelters. It's an awesome gem!

Paved Path to Potters Bridge

There are several side trails off the paved trail, down to the river.

White River from the trails connected to Forrest Park.

Fall Creek in Ft. Harrison State Park

Then when we have some time but can't take an entire day to hike we head out to Ft. Harrison State Park, aka Ft. Ben, in Lawerence. This is a great place for all level of hikers. There are seven different trails with just over 11 miles of hiking ranging from easy to moderate. There is a trail called Harrison Trace Trail that is a 2.5 mile loop all paved and hilly, it is one of the two easy trails. It can give you a great challenge as the hilly areas are a significant incline and decline but all paved making for an easier walk or run. I love taking the boys here on my own because Emerson can walk any of the trails and Rhys is content riding on my back. The moderate trails are rugged enough for experienced hikers to be challenged.

Syd enjoying an awesome fall day at Ft. Ben.

Our expert hikers being daring.

Watching the geese at the Duck Pond in Ft. Ben

The Ruins at Holliday Park

Last, one of my favorite city parks of all, Holliday Park in Indianapolis. I love everything about this park. It has a great back story and ruins. A city park that has ruins is pretty amazing, by my standards. The ruins are currently being worked on to restore them to their original purpose, which is pretty interesting. There are 3.5 miles of trails that go through ravines, past natural springs and down to the White River that always gives me a great workout. The nature center is a great interactive place for kids, one of the best I have seen. The playgrounds are awesome and there are lots of gardens and open spaces for great family and friend gatherings.

Holliday Park Ravine Trail 6

Trail that leads down to the White River.

Holliday Park Nature Center

My little hiking partner at the end of hiking Holliday Park.

These are a few of my favorite parks, that I wish I was able to enjoy more especially on these Indian summer like days. I like these three because all of them have great potential for exploration and play. I love that they all have easy and moderate paths and trails, that the boys can learn to walk, run and hike on. Also, they all have pretty great playgrounds, so the boys can burn off the little bit of energy they may have left after hiking. Lastly, all of them are some of the best places to spend a day with your family.

Hopefully, we have a day that has great weather, no tasks or events, and enough energy to keep up with the boys for a great day of hiking. But for now, afternoons in our own backyard are fulfilling our need to get out and go.