Red Trail (Eagle Creek Park) Hiking Guide
Eagle Creek is one of the largest city parks in the country, with more than 1,400 acres of water and 3,900 acres of forest, minutes from downtown Indianapolis. The Red Trail is the long way around its east side, linking the beach, marina, bird sanctuary, both nature centers and Lilly Lake in one loop, with a chance of spotting a bald eagle along the way.
Permit: Eagle Creek Park, run by Indy Parks, charges daily admission at the gate: $6 per vehicle for Marion County residents, $8 for vehicles from outside the county, $1 per hiker or cyclist. Indy Parks sells a $50 annual pass for county residents and a $60 pass for others; annual passes are half price after Labor Day. Cash, credit and debit are accepted.
Distance and Difficulty
The park's trail map puts the Red Trail at 6.75 miles and rates it Moderate to Difficult, warning of stairs and steep hills. Hiking Project measures the loop at 6.4 miles with about 153 feet of climbing, which tells you the hills are short. The trail is the longest on the east-side map; the Blue and Orange loops and the 1.25-mile Edesess Trail all connect to it, so it is easy to shorten.
The Loop
You can start at either the 56th Street or the 71st Street parking lot. Hiking Project's description goes from 56th Street east toward the Rowing Center, out onto a small peninsula, past the Earth Discovery Center and on to the marina. A steep drop leads onto a narrow strip of land around the bird sanctuary, a popular fishing spot that can be nearly submerged when the reservoir is high. The trail then climbs to an overlook, heads to the 71st Street gate, follows the wide fitness trail past the Ornithology Center to Lilly Lake, crosses 62nd Street, passes the skating pond and returns through woods near Eagle Creek Parkway.
Hours and Facilities
The park opens at 7 a.m. year-round and closes at dusk, with posted closing times that move with the season: 7:30 p.m. in October, 6 p.m. from November through January, and 9:30 p.m. in summer. Restrooms at the marina and the nature centers stay open all year, but the park turns off comfort-station restrooms and water fountains in winter, so carry water then. The Earth Discovery Center and Ornithology Center are open Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 1 to 5 p.m., and closed Mondays.
Dogs, Bikes and Park Rules
Indy Parks requires dogs to stay leashed everywhere except the canine companion zone, and the separate Bark Park costs $5 per dog per day. Bikes are allowed on park roads, not on the trails. No boats or swimming are allowed in the bird sanctuary, swimming elsewhere is only at the guarded beach, and hunting, trapping, ground fires, firewood gathering, drones and alcohol are banned. Feeding wildlife is not allowed.
Paying at the Gate
Unlike the state parks nearby, Eagle Creek is a city park with its own fees: $6 for a Marion County vehicle, $8 for one from outside the county, or $1 if you walk or bike in. Annual passes drop to half price after Labor Day, which makes a fall pass worthwhile if you plan to come back. The 71st Street gate sits just off I-65 at 7100 N. Eagle Creek Parkway; the 56th Street entrance is at 5700 N. Eagle Creek Parkway.
Hiking tips for Red Trail (Eagle Creek Park)
- Pick up a trail map; the Red Trail crosses several other color-coded loops.
- Stop at the Ornithology Center to see the resident raptors in the Carlsen Aviary.
- Carry water in winter, when the park shuts off its trail fountains.
- Bring binoculars for the bird sanctuary and the eagles over the reservoir.
- Plan your finish around the posted closing time, which drops to 6 p.m. in late fall.
Nearby trails to explore
- Camp Creek Trail (Fort Harrison State Park)
- McCormick's Creek Trail 3 (Falls and Canyon)
- Ogle Lake Trail 7 (Brown County State Park)
Hike this trail with TrailMates
The Red Trail is long enough for a real workout and close enough for a weekday after work, which makes it an easy one to fill with new hiking partners. Start an Eagle Creek hike on TrailMates, pick the 56th or 71st Street lot in the event's group chat, and meet at the gate. Download TrailMates on the App Store or Google Play.