Rediscover Indiana’s Eagle Creek Park on the Eagle Creek Volksmarch Loop Trail

Eagle Creek Park is an amazing little slice of heaven in Indianapolis, Indiana, where the outdoorsy rest and relax before hitting some amazing trails. It's nearly 4,000 amazing acres of wonder, complete with a picturesque 1,300-acre reservoir that looks breathtaking during every season. Amazingly, this little hole-in-the-corner of Indiana has the proud distinction of being one of the USA's top ten largest municipal parks. Cool, right? I think so.

You might be as thrilled as I was to learn that there's an awesome hiking trail that goes right through this preserve that, somehow, I haven't covered here yet. There are quite literally thousands of amazing hiking trails in Indiana, so it's always special to find ones I haven't yet explored. The Eagle Creek Volksmarch and South Overlook Loop is a delight and a half waiting to be adopted as your new favorite trail.

At just under three miles long (2.7 miles, to be exact), this easy hike is an awesome way to get out and stretch your legs, taking in the sights, scents, and feelings of Indiana's stunning outdoors. The Hoosier State catches a lot of flak for being 'boring' or, goodness forbid, the dreaded flyover state label is applied; this is unfair to everyone involved for a few reasons.

One, it's unfair to Hoosiers because this state is beautiful, and it deserves to be recognized for this. Two, it's unfair to outsiders because they simply have no idea what they're missing out on. When I say it's beautiful here, I mean it's beautiful, and the Volksmarch Trail is a perfect illustration of my overall point.

You'll wander through picturesque woods and then loop around the lake; this view is awe-inspiring in the fall when shades of gold, orange, and red begin to show, and the nights get just a little bit longer with each passing one. In the spring and summer, wildflowers abound. In the winter, the frozen landscape looks like something out of a painting. Your timing will never be poor.

The water makes for an excellent habitat, and bird lovers will find that this hike makes for excellent birding as a result. The species you might observe change with the seasons, and you never know - you might find the hobby to be for you after just one hike!

For more information about this wonderful hiking trail in Indiana, including a handy-dandy map and lots of hiker photos, be sure to check out the official AllTrails listing. And if you'd like to bump your hiking game up to 11, be sure to check out all the perks of getting AllTrails Plus. It's awesome, I promise. I don't know how I hiked without it!

Craving even more adventure? Check out some of the best waterfall hiking trails in Indiana.