Yesterday we wanted to go on an adventure, but since we had heavy rain the night before I decided we needed to stay off the dirt trails. I found several rail trails to explore and decided to venture to New Castle, Indiana to the Wilbur Wright Trail. One of the reasons I chose this trail is that we could do a longer hike. It also was one we had not visited before so we headed off to New Castle bright and early in the morning.
History of the Wilbur Wright Trail
The trail was formerly part of the Pennsylvania Railroad which operated through Mooreland and Henry Counties from 1882 through the mid 1900’s. In 2003 the idea of a rail trail was conceived and spearheaded by Healthy Communities of Henry County and local advocates. After 10 years of obtaining support, planning, and fundraising the first phase of paved trail opened in September 2013. In 2017 it was expanded to connect the Henry County YMCA and Wilbur Wright Fish and Wildlife Area. In November 2023 phase three opened which added a section to County Road 525 North. The ultimate plan is to connect directly into the Cardinal Greenway, Indiana’s longest rail trail.
Our Adventure
There are three different official areas to park for the section of the trail that we walked – at the Henry County YMCA, at the intersection of 103 and CR 150N, and off Hillsboro Road. We parked at the Henry County YMCA and located the start of the trail near the soccer fields. Upon entering the trail we came to a large sign and map so we knew we were at the right place. We started to walk down the path with memorial trees on either side. It was amazing to see all the people who had contributed to the trail with these memorials.
We continued down the trail and came to a new housing development. I will admit that this section of the trail was our least favorite. It was out in the open and traveled past a lot of homes. Luckily, a short distance later we left the backyards of the homes, crossed the road, and headed into the woods and farm land. This was much more to our liking.
One of the interesting things that we saw along the trail was some bicycle artwork. We really enjoyed that and thought it made a nice addition to the trail.
We continued to follow the trail past farmland and into the woods. Eventually, we came to a bridge over the Big Blue River with a train trestle over the river. On our walk back we saw a train travel over the train trestle. This was quite noisy. This section of the trail was our favorite. Shortly after leaving the bridge we felt like we were walking in the woods. This continued until we came to the third parking lot. At this point we had walked 3M and decided it was time to turn around.
Sunny’s Perspective
It took way too long to get to this trail; we were in the car forever. When we finally got out the beginning was not my favorite, but after a short time we found some cornfields and then a more wooded area. I loved that. My favorite part was when we were walking along the river. The smells were SO good. All in all a fun time in the woods.
Our Rating
Sunny and I give the Wilbur Wright Trail 3 out of 4 paws up. It’s a nice rail trail, but I would recommend starting at the parking lot off Hillsboro Road instead of the YMCA. This allows you to walk the most scenic section of the trail and skip the area after the neighborhood to the YMCA, if you want. The trail is asphalt and is wide enough to have plenty of room to pass other walkers or bikers. We encountered a few other people using the trail, but mostly we had it to ourselves. The trails is accessible for those with mobility issues or using strollers or scooters. Motorized vehicles are not allowed on the trail. There are no restrooms or garbage receptacles along the trail. We recommend this trail for those who live close by or are in the area, but would not make a long drive just to explore it.
How Do I Get There?
Parking is located at Henry County YMCA at 300 Wittenbraker, 2239 N State Road 103, and just past 1846 Hillsboro Road. If you park at either the State Road 103 or Hillsboro Road parking areas, the trail is easily identifiable. If you park at the YMCA, turn onto Wittenbraker Road and drive past the YMCA toward the grass and soccer fields. You will see an opening in the sidewalk with bushes on either side. Once you walk past the bushes you’ll see the sign, map, and start of the trail.
Check out this website for more information.