| Monon Trail | |
|---|---|
 The Monon Trail utilizes the same logo and design cues throughout the entire trail. | |
| Length | 4.4 mi (7.1 km) (Northwest Indiana) 24 mi (39 km) (Indianapolis) |
| Location | Lake, Hamilton, Marion counties, Indiana |
| Established | 1996-present (in segments) |
| Designation |  USBR 35[1] |
| Trailheads | Munster—Hammond Indianapolis—Sheridan |
| Use | Shared use path |
| Season | Year-round |
| Surface | Asphalt Compacted stone (north of 161st St. in Westfield) |
| Right of way | Monon Railroad |
| Website | Northwest Indiana segment Indianapolis segment |
| Trail map | |
 Indianapolis area extent of the trail | |
The Monon Trail (known as the Monon Greenway in Carmel) is a rail trail located entirely within the state of Indiana. The Monon Railroad was a popular railroad line connecting the cities of Chicago and Indianapolis, with stops at major settlements along its route. After the decline of railroad travel and the sale of the company in 1987,[2] the portion of the line between Indianapolis and Delphi, Indiana, was abandoned.[3][4]
In Northwest Indiana, the trail is 4.4 miles (7.1 km) long, running through Lake County from Munster to Hammond. In the Indianapolis area, the trail consists of 18.1 miles (29.1 km) running through Hamilton and Marion counties, connecting Indianapolis, Carmel and Westfield. The trail has been extended to Sheridan, making the total length 24 miles (39 km).[5]
The first portions of the trail were created in the late 1990s, but it has been consistently extended in both of its segments since then. The trail is a shared use path complete with trailheads, park amenities and local attractions near it.[6][7]
- ^ "USBR#35". Indiana Trails. Greenways Foundation. Retrieved November 23, 2015.
- ^ "Monon Corp. sold to investor group of Monon executives". The Indianapolis Star. Indiana State Library. January 5, 1987. Retrieved November 19, 2015.
- ^ Kinlock, Ken. "The Monon Railroad". kinglyheirs.com. Retrieved November 19, 2015.
- ^ "Track in Indianapolis is being dismantled but effort continues to save other sections". The Indianapolis Star. Indiana State Library. December 17, 1986. Retrieved November 19, 2015.
- ^ Contreras, Natalia E. (October 16, 2018). "'We can make it Indiana's trail': Monon now runs 24 miles, from Indy to Sheridan". Indianapolis Star. Retrieved November 3, 2020.
- ^ "Monon Trail (Lake County)". TrailLink. Rails-to-Trails Conservancy. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
- ^ "Monon Trail – Indianapolis". Indiana Trails Community. Retrieved November 18, 2015.