Flowing Well Park — Attraction in Carmel

Charming park northeast of the Gray Road/116th Street intersection. Parking is on the north side of 116th Street about a quarter mile east of Gray Road. Immediately west of the parking area is an artesian well where folks gather from all round to fill their water containers. My guess is that many visitors never get past the well, but that's a shame because the rest of park has many attractive features.

Cool Creek flows in a generally eastward direction through the park as it winds its way toward eventual union with the White River. Two gently arched bridges span the creek and allow access via the extensive trail system to areas further west. There are tall trees here, including some very large sycamores, and the springtime wildflower displays are definitely worth checking out. This is especially true of the Virginia Bluebells, but bloodroot, Dutchman's breeches, squirrel corn, trout lily, and many other springtime wildflowers are present. Ohio buckeye, Kentucky coffeetree, pawpaw, and winged elm are prominent among the smaller trees, and Yellow-throated warblers and Northern parula warblers call from the treetops in spring; belted kingfisher, wood duck and barred owl are also possible. White-tail deer and raccoon are present, and you may encounter someone fishing; some of the fish in the deeper pools are surprisingly large.

Signage along the trails describes some of the notable natural features in the park, and benches are scattered here and there for rest or extended contemplation. Others may prefer to get in the water or relax on the extensive sand bars; the former is very popular with the local kids. Mosquitoes can be abundant during the warmer months, and there's no escaping the noise of the traffic that incessantly flows past the park, but if you can get past that your visit will likely be very enjoyable. However, if it's rained recently you may find parts of the trail system muddy or even...

1 star – Great park, but unacceptable staff behavior ruined the experience**

This place is a hidden gem—spring water, peaceful trails, and a tranquil spot in the city. I’ve stopped here 1x a year for 3 years while traveling between grandkids to fill water jugs, hike, and sit in nature.

But today, that experience was disrupted by a Parks Department staffer who silently approached my vehicle, stood peering inside during a Zoom call between walks, and accused me of trying to stay overnight.

At 2 PM. In the afternoon.

No introduction, no explanation—just standing there watching. It was creepy, unsettling, intrusive, and completely unnecessary, especially since others were enjoying the space like I was.

I’m giving this one star not because the park itself isn’t wonderful, it is. But because behavior like this doesn’t belong in public parks.

Respect...

This park is such an amazing find within the city. First off, the concept of flowing well amazed me. I wasn’t aware I would see so many people stop by just for ground water. I have used a filter all my life so it was interesting to see everyone stop and pick up water. The place originally was discovered for natural gas but in 1900s drillers dug up water. This led to flowing well. What was interesting about this was everything laid out about the historic flowing well. The park itself has been renovated recently and there are benches dotted throughout the hike and nice small bridges plus paved ways in the park. The flowing creek makes the walk even more beautiful. While it’s certainly not the biggest park, it definitely is a neat one within the city overlooking beautiful homes and the...