West Side Hiking Trails
WEST SIDE HIKING TRAILS
Members on West Side Hiking Trail
TRAILHEAD ACCESS
Eagle’s Crest
7201 Fishback Rd, Indianapolis, IN 46278
Scott Starling Nature Sanctuary
8245 Wilson Rd, Indianapolis, IN 46278
Bear Overlook
8600 W. 56th Street, Indianapolis, IN 46234
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH INDY PARKS
For Eagle Creek programs, please visit this Indy Parks page.
About the West Side Hiking Trail
Eagle Creek Park’s west side, a hidden gem since its 1972 opening, gained prominence during the 1987 Pan Am Games, where archery was hosted near Eagle’s Crest.
Today, visitors can explore three ADA-accessible trails, two nature preserves (Eagle’s Crest and Starling), and the scenic 5-mile trunk trail that stretches from north to south.
The main trail provides a peaceful escape under a lush canopy, offering a serene retreat from everyday life.
We hope park goers find time and space on Eagle Creek’s West Side Hiking Trails to relax, unwind, and connect with nature.
Read more about the trail
The West Side Hiking Trail project, first envisioned by John Pankhurst in the 1980s, was included in the 1997 Eagle Creek Park strategic plan. In 2014, the Eagle Creek Park Foundation voted to move forward with securing funding for the trails. After years of planning and fundraising, a $2.6 million Lilly Endowment grant in 2018 brought the vision to life. Trail construction began in 2019 and continued through the COVID-19 pandemic, with completion of the trunk trail and the ADA loops by 2022. By 2024, final additions, including automatic gates, signage, and a dedicated podcast, were introduced.
Wander on the West Side
Exploring the West Side Hiking Trail
Foundation Members stop in a massive tulip grove in the northwest portion of the West Side Hiking trail. Marty Risch, former park ranger, environmental scientist, and life-long lover of Eagle Creek Park teaches members about the amazing ecology through which the trail cuts.
Listen to the 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.
Foundation Podcast
Eagle Creek Nature Notes
The podcast helps you 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.