Washington Township Park — Attraction in Indianapolis

Avon's Most Middling-Kept Secret!

If you had asked me what I had thought of this park eight or nine years ago, this rating would be a lot higher. Unfortunately, the place has gone downhill faster than a celebrity mansion during an L.A. wildfire. Which is very apropos considering what I'm inclined to do to some of the flora that blights this once decent park.

First, the positives. The opportunities for trail-running are great here. Keyword there being "opportunities." The dirt paths are as long as they are varied. Flat trails, hilly trails, uphill battles, downhill slopes, the works. You want it, this park has it. Want to take it easy on your joints? Switch from concrete, and go off into the wilderness. Maybe bicycling is more your style? Bring those along, because the park has plenty of asphalt too. And it's not like the trails are meant for pedestrians only.

Unfortunately, as I mentioned earlier, this is a very fickle park. And what I mean by that is that you will only be granted windows of opportunity for slow or swift sojourns through sunny or shaded spots of this once splendid safe haven for sports enthusiasts, sprinters, and softball players.

You see, for one reason or another, the people in charge (I'm not sure who; it doesn't really matter) of preventing this park from becoming a glorified jungle or a horticulturist's worst nightmare have deigned to put their duties on hold indefinitely. The trails have become mired in overgrown weeds, branches, and fallen trees (thunderstorms can get nasty). And in other areas of the park, the overhanging growth of branches and lack of diligence on part of the groundskeepers has led to the trails becoming deep, sopping puddles thanks to the shade preventing all sunlight from evaporating the water.

But the worst part? All of this wanton negligence has lead to poison ivy/poison oak running amok throughout. And one doesn't even need to step foot off the beaten path to be plagued by these abominable plants. Because this last Sunday, as I was walking on the pedestrian-designated space of concrete under the bridge, my arm managed to graze a very long, over-extended branch of poison ivy or poison oak that clearly had no business being anywhere near the road or growing over the side of a barrier, much less near all of that foot traffic.

Yes, I wasn't anywhere near or in a wooded area, nor was I in a place I wasn't supposed to be. I was just walking on the road near the creek where cars, bicyclists, pets, and other people walk through all the time. That is unacceptable. Either burn down that accursed bush or I will. Because my affliction has been driving me up the wall for the past several days. I look like a damned leper.

The only reason this is two stars and not one is because I lost 70 pounds thanks to my HIIT regimen in this park. But between the overgrown flora and the demolishing of the calisthenic stations in favor of a pickle ball court (seriously?) I cannot in good conscience rate this...

The park is great overall. It has the white lick creek trail that passes through the park. The trail is made for running and walking. The nice feature is that it is seperate from the road which adds safety. The park also has trails that wind thro7gh the wood. The trails vs so be used for bikes. The trails are a little rutted with several big tree roots which will make it harder for biking. During the summer their is a splash park for children. Their is also a huge playground for children with one for smaller children also. During the winter their is sledding down a hill. The hill isn't long but would work for children who don't have a hill. Their is also ice skating but it is a little goofy bc it is on plastic. The park is a must...

We have been going to Washington township Park for many years at this point. We have had many family get togethers at the shelter House, we have walked on the trails many times, and we have walked our dogs there numerous times. This park is clean and very well maintained. I have been to other parks that have trash everywhere and weeds growing everywhere, that is not the case here. It is extremely clean and nice. Can't say enough about it. I will also add that there is no charge for this park. If you're looking for a small number of trails, a playground, or even a paved trail, this is a great place to go. There are also many other areas of the park that we don't even use. The township does an amazing job of keeping this...