The Greenways Foundation promotes greenways, blueways and multi-use trails in Indiana.

Trail of the Month

Sometimes urban, sometimes prairie or wetland, sometimes the woodland that provides its name, the Oak Savannah Trail is a 9.5-mile asphalt ribbon connecting two other Northwest Indiana greenways. From its connection with the Prairie Duneland Trail in Hobart to its junction with the Erie Lackawana Trail in Griffith, the Oak Savannah is a delight. It glides over Lake George in Hobart and Robinson Park Lake farther west. Wildflowers and wildlife are common and the abundant shade cools the trail on hot summer days.

Oak Savannah Trail

Our Trail of the Month feature is sponsored by Citizens Energy Group.

Greenways Foundation Annual Report

You may download our 2018 Annual Report (PDF, 721 KB) or read the synopsis below.

The Greenways Foundation presented our 2019 Legislative Platform with the help of Indiana trail stakeholders. We continue to work with state legislators on funding the existing Trails Maintenance Fund and sustainable funding for new trails when the Next Level Trails program is complete. The demand for trails in Indiana is strong!

We proudly sponsored the 2018 Greenways+Blueways Map in Northwest Indiana. We have served as a sponsor for this excellent resource since the first map was published in 2008. We understand the importance of marketing, and can help you with getting the word out about your trail, too!

Our state license plate accounts for our main source of revenue. At the end of 2018, there were 1,446 plates sold for a total income of $36,150. Those who buy plates become new members of the Foundation. Thanks to our state plates, we were able to award $21,000 in grants to five trail projects in 2018! These include:

$5,000 to Noble Trails to aid with the extension of the Fishing Line Trail between Rome City and Kendallville.
$1,000 to the Friends of the Quaker Trace Trail for start-up costs to secure federal non-profit status.
$5,000 to aid the Indianapolis Parks Foundation in repairing a bridge on the Pogues Run Trail.
$5,000 to Prairie Trails Club to aid with the expansion of the Erie Trail.
$5,000 to South Adams Trails to aid with the installation of two historic bridges for trail use between Berne and Geneva.

Financial Report 2018

Inflow $54,000
License plates 67%
Annual luncheon 27%
Donations 6%

Outflow $42,500
Grants program 44%
Business expenses 36%
— Community engagement, accounting services, board insurance, reimbursements Fundraising 20%
— Luncheon venue, printing, marketing, conferences

Getting around

Friends of the Ohio River Greenway will host its annual fund raiser, Le Tour de Pork, the morning of August 3, 2019. Early registration guarantees a barbeque lunch and tee shirt. Routes of 26 and 50 miles wind through Harrison County, ending at a winery for lunch and live music. Did we mention barbeque?

Cardinal Greenways Bike Fest 2019 is three days of bicycling fun the weekend of July 26, 27 & 28. Register for the Saturday ride for your choice of sag-supported tours featuring entertainment, a beer garden, music and food, including lunch.

And Greenways Foundation board member and Cardinal Greenways CEO Angie Pool recently was named an Outstanding Trail Leader during the American Trails biennial International Trails Symposium.

Fort Wayne Trails is hosting the annual Pufferbelly Run/Walk/Stroll July 20, 2019. Proceeds go toward trail development for the Pufferbelly Trail linking downtown Fort Wayne with DeKalb County. Register today!

Meanwhile, Greenways Foundation board member Megan McClellan brings her considerable trail-building savvy to her new position as executive director for Fort Wayne Trails.

Longtime Greenways Foundation friend and advisor Rory Robinson received the American Trails Hulet Hornbeck Lifetime Service Award for his many years of dedication with the National Park Service.

Thank you to everyone who attended and helped us celebrate the trails, greenways & blueways of Indiana!

Together, we highlighted accomplishments in trail development, such as our grants to trail organizations and other projects we have planned in support of trails, greenways and blueways. In addition, we recognized some outstanding leaders of the trails movement in Indiana.