Monon Trail

Northwest Indiana segment

Northwest Indiana's portion of the Monon covers 4.4 mi, starting at the Pennsy Greenway near the Illinois–Indiana border in Munster, and running north to the Erie Lackawanna Trailhead in downtown Hammond.

In 2014, the trail was significantly extended, with a segment opening between Munster and Hammond. The segment connected a previously existing portion of the Monon Trail located entirely within Munster. The extension required the reconstruction of the old 1909 railroad bridge across the Little Calumet River, at a cost of approximately $1.5 million.

The Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District, which operates the South Shore commuter rail service, is reconstructing a portion of the rail route along the old Monon right-of-way. The West Lake Corridor project is planned to provide service from southern Lake County communities to and from downtown Chicago; it is estimated to be completed in 2025.

| File:Old Monon Railroad tracks.jpg | Remnants of the abandoned railroad tracks and switch near the trailhead in Munster | File:Monon Trailhead in Munster.jpg | The Monon Trailhead in downtown Munster was built in 2012. | File:Monon Trail across Little Calumet River.jpg | The 1909 railroad bridge over the Little Calumet River was rebuilt in 2014 as a trail bridge. | File:Monon Trail in Hammond.jpg | View of the Monon Trail looking south from the bridge over 165th St. in Hammond | File:South Hammond station north view (June 2024).jpg | Monon Trail at the future South Hammond station.

Central Indiana segment

Central Indiana's portion of the Monon covers 28.5 mi, beginning at 10th Street in Downtown Indianapolis, passing through various neighborhoods and cities, such as Carmel and Westfield before ending in Sheridan at the Hamilton-Boone county line. Plans to create a shared use trail on the former Monon right-of-way date back to the late 1980s.

In the Indianapolis metro area, the Monon Trail is used by more than 1.3 million people annually. The trail has been cited as having a positive economic impact to neighborhoods adjacent to the trail, including Broad Ripple in Indianapolis and the mixed-use developments of downtown Carmel, which have experienced a large growth in population over the past decade.

Indianapolis segment

Construction of the Indianapolis segment occurred in phases between 1995 and 2004.

Within the city of Indianapolis, the trail passes through a number of neighborhoods, including Martindale's Hillside neighborhood, the Mapleton-Fall Creek, Meridian-Kessler, Broad Ripple, and Nora neighborhoods. Additionally, the Monon connects with a number of other trails, including the Central Canal Towpath along the Indiana Central Canal, the Fall Creek Greenway, and the Pogues Run Trail. There are plans to build another bridge over 86th Street.

Hamilton County segment

The segment of the trail in Carmel stretches 5.2 mi and was opened in 2002. The first phase of the trail cost approximately $5.5 million to create.

The trail was extended into Westfield starting in the fall of 2008, and has since then been extended north over the abandoned Monon right of way into Sheridan, Indiana, for a total of 6.7 mi in Westfield.

In Hamilton County, the trail provides access to several other pedestrian trails, including the Midland Trace Trail, Hagan-Burke Trail, and Little Eagle Creek Trail.

The connection from 191st Street to 216th Street was completed in 2020.

The final segment of the trail in Hamilton County was opened in Sheridan on October 3, 2025.

Visitor attractions along the trail:

• Monon Depot Museum
• Carmel City Center
• Monon Community Center
• Indy Art Center

| File:Monon Trail bridge in Indianapolis.jpg | An original Monon Railroad bridge was repurposed as a trail overpass in Indianapolis. | File:Monon Rail-Trail Indianapolis.jpg | The trail traverses Indianapolis's north side neighborhoods. | File:Monon Greenway in downtown Carmel.jpg | A mixed-use development in downtown Carmel surrounds the Monon Greenway. | File:Monon Greenway tunnel.jpg | North of Carmel, the greenway passes under U.S. Route 31 heading towards Westfield. | File:Monon Greenway in Carmel.jpg | An overpass was created in Carmel's section of the greenway, spanning 146th St. | File:Westfield_Monon_Bridge.jpg | A bridge over East 176th Street in Westfield, opened in May 2020. |File:The_Indiana_School_for_the_Deaf_Monon_Trail_Plaza.jpg|Plaza near the Indiana School for the Deaf and 42nd Street in Indianapolis.}}

References

References

1. "USBR#35". Greenways Foundation.
2. (January 5, 1987). "Monon Corp. sold to investor group of Monon executives". [[Indiana State Library]].
3. Kinlock, Ken. "The Monon Railroad".
4. (December 17, 1986). "Track in Indianapolis is being dismantled but effort continues to save other sections". [[Indiana State Library]].
5. Allen, Jake. (October 6, 2025). "Final stretch of Monon Trail opens in Hamilton Couty. Will it keep going?".
6. "Monon Trail (Lake County)". Rails-to-Trails Conservancy.
7. "Monon Trail – Indianapolis".
8. Ortiz, Anna. (July 23, 2014). "New bike trail leg bridges Munster, Hammond". [[The Times of Northwest Indiana]].
9. Earnshaw, Rob. (July 7, 2014). "Hammond opens bike, pedestrian bridges". [[The Times of Northwest Indiana]].
10. Carden, Dan. "West Lake commuter rail line construction could begin in October".
11. Gallenberger, Michael. (November 26, 2024). "South Shore president not ruling out May opening of West Lake Corridor".
12. (February 19, 1988). "Residents want Monon corridor to be bought by city, made into recreational area-bicycling, hiking, running, etc.". [[Indiana State Library]].
13. (March 1, 2009). "Indiana's Monon Trail". Rails-To-Trails Conservancy.
14. "Monon Trail".
15. Earnshaw, Rob. (July 21, 2014). "Neighborhood conditions impact quality of life". [[The Times of Northwest Indiana]].
16. (May 2010). "The Economic Benefits of Open Space, Recreation Facilities and Walkable Community Design". Active Living Research.
17. Flusche, Darren. (July 2012). "Bicycling Means Business: The Economic Benefits of Bicycle Infrastructure". Advocacy Advance.
18. "National Road Heritage Trail Development Guide". Indiana Office of Tourism Development.
19. "Monon Trail".
20. (March 13, 2021). "See the completed Monon Trail bridge over 38th Street that eliminates dangerous crossing". [[The Indianapolis Star]].
21. (September 13, 2025). "$7M pedestrian bridge planned for Monon Trail at 86th Street to improve safety". 13WTHR.
22. Sunkel, Gwen. (March 22, 2014). "In The Park: The Monon Rail-Trail".
23. Price, Nelson. (2004). "Indianapolis Then & Now". Thunder Bay Press.
24. "Monon Greenway – Carmel". Greenways Foundation.
25. (October 27, 2015). "Touring the trail: Monon Trail advocate, Alyn Bernell, takes ride through a portion of the Monon named after him".
26. "Monon Trail".
27. "Sheridan cuts ribbon on finalized Monon Trail".
28. "Monon Trail Itinerary". Rails-to-Trails Conservancy.