Merrillville, IN

A convenient paved trail for short walks with the family. Parking available off of Hwy 55 or at John A. Stefek Park. Accessibility: There are 2 designated accessible spaces in the paved parking lot off of Main Street at the northwest end of the trail. Both of them are van-accessible with striped access aisles. The trail surface is paved asphalt or cement, and typically at least 6 feet wide. The estimated grade is mostly gentle (5% or less) except for steep (8-12%) sections at about 0.8 and...

The southern terminus in Crown Point has a 20- car parking lot, flush toilets, and a tire repair station. The trail is well maintained by whichever town it travels through. Bring plenty of water and sun protection. Accessibility: There are 2 designated accessible spaces in the paved parking lot off of West Summit Street at the southeast end of the trail. Both of them are van-accessible with a striped access aisle. The trail surface is paved asphalt (with railings at bridges) and smooth. It...

This featured hike is an out and back trail. The hike can be started from either end of the Oak Savannah trail, but the preferred start is from the Robinson Lake Park parking lot off of Liverpool Road. Follow the Oak Savannah rail trail east for just under a half mile. Look for the Hobart Woodland trailhead on the south side of the rail trail just before the woods start. There is a foot bridge and map kiosk. The packed dirt double-track trail will head south following the wood line for a...

Bur Oak Woods features one of Indiana’s rarest natural communities: bur oak savanna. Many of the majestic bur oak trees found here are several hundred years old, their branches spreading outward as wide as the trunk is tall. Native Americans once paused beneath them on hunting expeditions. Long-gone animals – bears, cougars, elk, wolves, buffalo – wandered past. European settlers cleared their farms within sight of them. Still the old trees survive, a reminder of how things once were. The...