With A Waterfall And A Swinging Bridge, This Underrated Indiana Park Is A Must-Visit

Although small - it’s only about a hundred acres - Whitewater Valley Gorge Park, in Richmond, is an underrated Indiana park. The narrow park follows one branch of the Whitewater River as it winds through town. And it has a lot to offer in terms of both human and natural history.

Whitewater Valley Gorge Park encompasses one smaller park, a couple of historic sites, and a trail that follows the three-and-a-half-mile gorge of its namesake river.

Over its length, the gorge ranges from 200 to 300 feet wide and 50 to 80 feet deep, exposing up to a half-a-billion years of natural history in its layers.

At the park’s midpoint lie the historic ruins of the Starr Gennett building.

The building once housed the manufacturer of Starr pianos, along with its recording division, Gennett Records. Today, you can explore the building or rent it out for an event.

Near the factory, you’ll find Veteran’s Memorial Park, which honors the area’s service men and women. At the north end of Veteran’s Memorial Park, an old swinging bridge spans the river.

From the bridge, you can see the remains of a weir dam that’s no longer in use. But it creates an interesting feature on the river for park users to admire.

Did we mention the bridge is old? While it’s probably safe, it’s not for the faint of heart who prefer little to no motion in elevated spans over water.

All along the gorge, and particularly in rubble piles scattered throughout the park, you’ll find fossils from the ancient sea that once covered the area where Richmond now sits. This, of course, makes fossil hunting a popular activity in the park.

Groups lead regular fossil hunting tours in the park. It’s an excellent way to learn about the area’s fascinating and unique natural history.

At the far north end of the park, you’ll find the cherry on top of Whitewater Valley Gorge Park’s sundae: Thistlewaite Falls.

The falls are a popular local attraction, and folks come to splash, take photos, hunt for fossils, or simply sit and enjoy the beauty.

The park ends at the falls, but Cardinal Greenway, one of the longest former rail trails in the state, continues on for several more miles.

Have you had a chance to visit Whitewater Valley Gorge Park? If you want to hike another gorge and swinging bridge, check out Turkey Run State Park in western Indiana.