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

National parks encourage bicycling

Imagine bicycling or hiking the Grand Canyon Greenway to the South Rim or bicyling the loop road around Crater Lake. More and more people are doing that and the National Park Service is exploring even more options for visiting parks by bicycle. Crater Lake’s Ride the Rim experience draws 5,000 cyclists each year and Shenandoah National Park’s Ride the Drive event reached its 4,000-rider cap within hours of opening registration.

Such popularity is encouraging the NPS to expand its focus on bike safety, infrastructure, and bike camping: National parks promote bicycling to expand transportation options, Adventure Cycling Association, July 10, 2018.

Eppley Institute releases Indiana Trails Study

Thanks in part to a grant from the Greenways Foundation, the 2017 Indiana Trails Study compiles data gathered from trail users, non-users, and neighbors of eight trails in the Hoosier state. A team of researchers collected information about trail use, health factors related to trail use, and the economic impact of trails.

2017 Indiana Trails Study Summary Report (PDF, 3.1 MB)

The study was conducted by the Eppley Institute for Parks and Public Lands at Indiana University’s School of Public Health. The Institute, working with guidance from an advisory group, chose eight greenways from around the state.

In-depth reports for each of the eight trails are available at the Eppley Institute web site. The trails include the Erie-Lackawanna Trail (Northwest Indiana), Rivergreenway (Fort Wayne), Pumpkinvine Nature Trail (Elkhart & LaGrange Counties), Monon Trail (Indianapolis & Carmel), Cardinal Greenway (Marion to Muncie to Richmond), Nickel Plate Trail (Kokomo to Peru to Rochester), Columbus People Trail, and the B-line Trail (Bloomington).