Our Top 10 FavoriteLocal Hikes!
If you are anything like us, you are STARTING TO GO STIR–CRAZY from being inside all winter! We’ve loved the snow but have been itching to get outside with our kiddos sans snow gear.
These days, the weather is just beginning to think about spring in Indiana and you just have to get outside and enjoy the fresh air, mild temps, and sunshine. It is seriously good for your soul!
Anyhow, are you ready for our favorite Lafayette/West Lafayette local hikes list today? I would love to hear which ones you have tried and what other local trails and natural areas I should add to the list! Of course this Lafayette/West Lafayette list is not complete by any means, but we wanted to get you started with a few good ones!
Favorite Family-FriendlyLocal Hikes
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Clegg Gardens
Clegg is a favorite for us because it has a number of trails along the side of hill going down to the Wildcat Creek. Spring is a beautiful time for wild flowers and there are natural wooded areas as well as hikes along the Wildcat. We spent 1.5 hours there and hiked almost 2 miles. I would not recommend bringing a stroller here as the terrain is too hil,y. There is also a natural playground area with tree stumps, logs, and rocks for the kids to climb around right as you enter the park.
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Fairfield Lakes Park
Fairfield Lakes is a beautiful park not only for fishing (in their stocked ponds) but for a great little family hike! The hiking loop around the pond (starting after the small wooden bridge on the walking path just off the parking lot) is a great 1 mile loop and my kids can easily walk it. If your kiddos like throwing rocks, head down the trail after the wooden bridge and after a 1/4 mile, you will see a trail off to the left that goes down to the Wild Cat Creek! Great spot for wading, throwing rocks and water play in the warm summer months (think lawn chairs, coolers, and relaxing 😉
This is a favorite picnic spot for us as well. Grab Chick-fil-a (or pack a meal) and head to the park with a blanket and enjoy lake side picnicking! Great sunsets here as well and if the ground is dry, you could totally bring a jogging stroller around the whole trail like we did last time. Additionally there is a trail around the lake on the other side of the road (opposite the parking lot) as well.
County Roads 200 S and 750 E Lafayette, IN 47901
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Purdue Horticulture Park
The Horticulture Park in my opinion is the best picnicking spot in town! There are so many beautiful blooms here right now and did you know there are loads of trails just behind the grassy grounds? You could hike for hours in the woods and never know you were right in West Lafayette. There is also a paved trail for strollers and bikes.
625 Agriculture Mall Drive, West Lafayette, IN 47907
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Wabash Heritage Trail (Davis Ferry Park)
The Wabash Heritage Trail is an extensive trail system in Lafayette/West Lafayette, so I can’t possibly cover all of the trail options here but a fun one for kids is the trail at Davis Ferry Park because of the old walking bridge (pictured at the top). My kiddos love running along the bridge and looking out over the water.
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McCormick Woods
Are you ready for an adventure that involves finding a teepee? McCormick Woods is just behind Purdue University and is a great set of trails perfect for all ages. My kids particularly like walking across fallen trees over the creek as well as playing for ages at a teepee made of old tree limbs.
6. Prophetstown State Park
This one probably doesn’t need mentioning as you all know about it, but we particularly love trail #3 at the very back of the park as well as riding our bikes along the bike trails. Spring is a great time for wildflowers and if you look carefully, there is an eagle’s nest on trail #3.
5545 Swisher Road West Lafayette, IN 47906
7. McCallister Park
This little hidden gem used to be a golf course but now has been turned into walking paths and a frisbee golf course. My kids love riding their bikes along the old cart paths and there are lots of quiet natural spots to explore as you meander through the old 18 holes. If you want to see some model airplanes fly, head down the gravel dirt road to the Lafayette Cloud Jockeys just left when you enter the parking lot. Members are flying model airplanes most afternoons and weekends.
North 9th Street Lafayette, IN 47904
8. Haan House Museum Trails
These trails are not very well known in the area and are small in scale but are great for in-town hiking. We can literally walk to these trails from our house as well. Mountain bikers frequent this area and spring provides a carpet of blue Glory Of The Snow flowers (see our photo below).
920 State St. Lafayette, IN 47905
9. Celery Bog Park
This park should go without mentioning since I’m sure you all know about it but the kids love the teepee in the woods here as well and enjoy the hiking trails. In addition, we can take our bikes and bike to the hiking trails and hike, so you get the best of both in one go.
1620 Lindberg Rd, West Lafayette, IN 47906
10. Amphitheater Park Trails
The amphitheater trails are less known but offer some great exploration in a quiet and natural wooded area. I would not recommend going here after it has rained though unless you want your kids to be covered in mud. After your hike, let your kids climb onto the Amphitheater stage and give you a Frozen performance…they love hearing their own echos 😉
4449 IN-43, West Lafayette, IN 47906
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