Trail makes connection to Monon Trail & Fishers’ Nickel Plate Trail

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the city of Indianapolis celebrated the completion of the Nickel Plate Trail yesterday with a ribbon cutting ceremony.

The 10-foot-wide, asphalt, multi-use trail was constructed by the city of Indianapolis with support from a $5 million grant from the DNR announced in April 2022.

The new trail follows the historic Nickel Plate railroad corridor, running 10.3 miles northeast from the Indiana State Fairgrounds to the Marion-Hamilton county line at 96th Street. The new trail connects to the Monon Trail near the state fairgrounds. After the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) finishes the I-465/I-69 section, the new trail will connect to the Nickel Plate Trail in Fishers with a bicycle and pedestrian bridge over 96th Street that is currently under construction.

“Across Indiana, we see communities coming together to support strong trail connections like this new connection through Indianapolis’ section of the Nickel Plate Trail,” said Chris Smith, DNR deputy director. “DNR is proud to support communities as they build trails that connect people to each other and Indiana’s great outdoors.”

With the bridge connection, the Nickel Plate Trail will run more than 19 miles across Marion and Hamilton counties, connecting through Indianapolis, Fishers and Noblesville to Forest Park. The portion of the trail under the I-465/I-69 interchange will be completed by INDOT in 2026.

“The Nickel Plate Trail is set to become a huge public asset in Indianapolis—one that I have no doubt will soon be just as revered as the Monon Trail or the urban Indianapolis Cultural Trail,” said Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett. “The level of investment and partnership we have seen for this project across Marion and Hamilton County is the sort that comes only once in a generation.”

DNR has led the largest infusion of trails funding in state history, with $180 million in dedicated trail funding administered through DNR that facilitates critical trail connections within and between Hoosier communities. To date, 54 of the 89 projects are complete, totaling more than 159 miles of trail built since the program’s inception.

To view all DNR news releases, please see dnr.IN.gov.