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Best Riverside Hikes in Indiana

The directory currently contains 13 quality-checked routes matching this guide in Indiana. Their average mapped distance is 4.7 km and average recorded ascent is 84 m (276 ft); the longest route in the set is 17.7 km.

This subset represents 6% of the 204 quality-checked routes in Indiana. Its average distance is 4.7 km, compared with 11.5 km across the full local set.

These routes carry the river tag. The tag does not establish how much of the mapped line follows water or whether crossings are safe. Within this set, 7 routes (54%) are rated easy, 2 (15%) are rated hard or expert, and 1 (8%) are recorded as loops. Ratings are computed from available distance and elevation data and do not establish current terrain or access.

Data refreshed September 2026

Choose by the details

How do these routes differ?

A closer look at the first 6 routes in this page’s default ordering. These comparisons describe this sample, not the entire destination or a field-tested recommendation.

Shortest mapped distance in this sample

1.9 km

River Bluff Trail

Compare the climbing too; shortest does not necessarily mean easiest.

Lowest recorded ascent in this sample

0 m

River Bluff Trail

6 of 6 have ascent data. Missing measurements are excluded.

Return logistics

0 recorded loops

Check start and finish for every option. An unknown shape does not mean a loop, and a loop does not establish access to its start.

Plan the return journey →

Distances follow stored route lines; ascent and time are estimates. Current access, surface and technical difficulty need separate checks. How to turn a comparison into a shortlist.

Trails

Hard

Wolf Creek Trail

Indiana · United States

Distance
17.7 km
/ 11.0 mi
Elevation gain
402 m
Typical duration
4 hr 22 min
  • River
Platanus occidentalis , Griffy site of the Indiana University Research and Teaching Preserve, south side of Griffy Lake east of the causeway, Monroe County, Indiana, 8 Jul 2012.
Easy

Griffy Creek Trail

Indiana · United States

Distance
2.8 km
/ 1.7 mi
Elevation gain
33 m
Typical duration
38 min
  • River
Easy

River Bluff Trail

Indiana · United States

Distance
1.9 km
/ 1.2 mi
Typical duration
24 min
  • River
Easy

Lawrence Creek Trail

Indiana · United States

Distance
5.5 km
/ 3.4 mi
Elevation gain
71 m
Typical duration
1 hr 15 min
  • River
Hard

Shirley Creek Trail

Indiana · United States

Distance
16.5 km
/ 10.3 mi
Elevation gain
329 m
Typical duration
3 hr 59 min
  • River
  • Forest
Moderate

Shirley Creek Trail 3

Indiana · United States

Distance
2.2 km
/ 1.3 mi
Elevation gain
16 m
Typical duration
29 min
  • River
  • Forest
Moderate

Shirley Creek Trail 5

Indiana · United States

Distance
1.4 km
/ 0.8 mi
Elevation gain
97 m
Typical duration
26 min
  • River
  • Forest
Easy

Shirley Creek Trail 6

Indiana · United States

Distance
1.1 km
/ 0.7 mi
Elevation gain
17 m
Typical duration
15 min
  • River
  • Forest
Easy

Fall Creek Trail

Indiana · United States

Distance
2.7 km
/ 1.7 mi
Elevation gain
14 m
Typical duration
35 min
  • River
Moderate

Jackson Creek Trail

Indiana · United States

Distance
1.0 km
/ 0.6 mi
Elevation gain
33 m
Typical duration
16 min
  • River
Moderate

Shirley Creek Trail 4

Indiana · United States

Distance
0.8 km
/ 0.5 mi
Elevation gain
71 m
Typical duration
16 min
  • River
  • Forest

The shortlist, side by side

The ten highest scoring routes on this page, so you can compare effort before opening any of them.

Distance, ascent, walking time and difficulty for the top routes
RouteDistanceAscentTimeDifficultyBest season
Wolf Creek TrailIndiana17.7 km402 m4 hr 22 minHardApril to October
Griffy Creek TrailIndiana2.8 km33 m38 minEasyApril to October
Little Calumet River TrailIndiana3.4 km7 m43 minEasyApril to October
River Bluff TrailIndiana1.9 km0 m24 minEasyApril to October
Lawrence Creek TrailIndiana5.5 km71 m1 hr 15 minEasyApril to October
Shirley Creek TrailIndiana16.5 km329 m3 hr 59 minHardApril to October
Shirley Creek Trail 2Indiana4.4 km0 m55 minEasyApril to October
Shirley Creek Trail 3Indiana2.2 km16 m29 minModerateApril to October
Shirley Creek Trail 5Indiana1.4 km97 m26 minModerateApril to October
Shirley Creek Trail 6Indiana1.1 km17 m15 minEasyApril to October

Wolf Creek Trail, Little Calumet River Trail, River Bluff Trail currently rank highest in this filtered set according to the directory score. Open an individual route to inspect its mapped line, elevation profile, data source and planning caveats. Check live access, conditions and local rules with an official source before travelling.

Frequently asked questions

Plan with more confidence

All planning articles →

Choosing a route

How to choose a hike beyond the difficulty label

Compare distance, climbing, route shape and missing information to build a shortlist that fits your day.

Read article →

Understanding the map

Read an elevation profile without misreading the climb

Understand total ascent, net height change, profile scale and the section breakdown on each mapped route.

Read article →

Planning your day

Build a hiking time plan with room for your own pace

Separate moving time, climbing allowance and stops, then explore how changing your assumptions changes the plan.

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