Podcast

Foundation Podcast

Plan your Next Adventure

Eagle Creek Nature Notes
Plan your next adventure to Eagle Creek Park.

Season One of our podcast, Eagle Creek Nature Notes, is now available! This season is dedicated to the West Side of Eagle Creek Park and was made possible by funding from the West Side Trail grant.

Most Popular Season 1 Episode
Park History at Eagle Creek Park

Park Historian and Volunteer Coordinator Anne Cecere sits down to answer Adam’s history questions about The Bear, the damming of the reservoir, and the history of Eagle Creek Park.

Season 1

 West Side Hiking Trail

Funded By West Side Hiking Trail Grant

Eagle Creek Park Foundation earn a $2.6 million grant from the Lilly Endowment in 2018 to build the West Side Hiking Trails at Eagle Creek Park. The funding to record and edit season one came from this grant. The Foundation hired Jen Edds of Brassy Broadcasting Company. Jen used her time, talents and patience to help us record six outstanding episodes all about the West Side of Eagle Creek Park

Thank you also to the guests who appeared on each episode, without whom there would be no podcast. 

If you enjoy the show, consider subscribing and leaving a comment or review on whatever platform you use.

Season 2 is set to start in October 2024!

Trailer Episode

John Pankhurst lays out the scope of Season one of Nature Notes. He’s the Director Emerita of the Eagle Creek Park Foundation and self-proclaimed “Chief Sheepdog”. John is one of central figures behind the entire West Side trail project.

Mindfulness Hike

S1 E1

Dr. Blair McKissock (former Executive Director) guides listeners through a series of mindfulness exercises focused on connecting with nature. She emphasizes the importance of being present and aware of the natural environment around us. The exercises include deep breathing techniques while observing natural elements, grounding practices that involve feeling the earth beneath your feet, and mindful walking, where listeners are encouraged to pay attention to the sights, sounds, and smells of nature. 

Bird Migration

S1 E2

Why does Eagle Creek Park have an entire nature center dedicated to birds? Join Ornithology Center Manager, Jenna McElroy and Naturalist Aidan Rominger to learn about why Eagle Creek Park is a Midwest birding hotspot! They share all about birding and bird migration at Eagle Creek Park in Indianapolis, IN. Learn about some of the rare and unusual species that migrate and breed, especially on the West Side of the park.  

Park History

S1 E3

Where did the giant “Bear” statue come from that gives “Bear Overlook” its name? What was the land Eagle Creek Park now calls home like in the past? What was it like before there was a reservoir? Park Historian and Volunteer Coordinator Anne Cecere sits down to answer these questions, and more! Anne and Adam discuss the amazing history of Eagle Creek Park in Indianapolis, IN.  

All Persons Trail

S1 E4

Emily Storm-Smith (current Board President) sits down to discuss the All Persons Trails on the West Side of Eagle creek park. These feature two ADA loops at the north and south end of the new West Side Hiking Trail complex. As the name “All Persons Trail” suggests, they were built as part of the larger West Side Trail project to ensure that anyone, even folks who require the use of mobility aids can. 

Champion Trees Hike

S1 E5

What natural wonders will you see if you hike the entire 5-mile West Side trunk trail that connects the Eagle’s Crest and Bear Overlook? Marty Risch sits down to discuss the amazing trees, water features, and more. This podcast can serve as a guide to a hike from North to South on the West Side Hiking Trail, and we’ve included resources to help you get the most out of such a hike! 

Why the West Side Trail?

S1 E6

How did Eagle Creek Park’s West Side Hiking Trail Complex come to be? Which organizations funded, planned, and built the trails? How did Eagle Creek Park Foundation work with Indy Parks to make it all happen? A core group of people who made the project possible sit down to discuss the ins-and outs of all things West Side Hiking Trail.