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Status: 13.2
miles open in 2 separate sections (see map)
County: Miami,
Fulton, Howard
City: Rochester,
Macy, Denver, Peru, Bunker Hill, Miami, Bennetts Switch, Cassville, Kokomo
Endpoints:
Peru-Cassville section (asphalt, 12.7 miles open)
North - Wallick Road & Riverside Drive
South - Cassville/Main Street/550N
Denver section (limestone & natural, 1.5 miles open)
North - 800N
South - 645N
Trailheads: (Listed
south to north)
-parking at 550N (south side) in Cassville
-parking at SR18 in Bennetts Switch
-parking in town of Miami
-parking in town of Bunker Hill - east end of 3rd Street
-parking at north end of Wallick Road, Peru
-parking in town of Denver
Connections:
Activities:
walking
biking
rollerblading
Surface:
asphalt (Peru-Cassville section, 12.7 miles)
natural (Denver section, 1.5 miles)
Length:
12.7 miles (asphalt, Peru-to-Cassville)
Descrption:
The Nickel Plate Trail is generally wide, smooth, quiet and well-tended,
and has an even mix of wide-open and tree-canopied areas. South
of Peru, it is one of Indiana's longest paved rail-trails. The surrounding
scenery is flat to rolling, pastoral and quintessential rural Indiana.
At several points south of Bunker Hill directly along the east side of
the corridor, one can spot remnants of the less protruding grade of the
electric interurban rail line, which was abandoned about 1940.
The trail between Peru and Cassville is paved for 12.7 miles. This is
one of the prettiest trails in north central Indiana, following the babbling
Little Pipe Creek south of Peru, and immersing the visitor in some of
the best sights, sounds and scents nature has to offer. An interesting
old dam is to be found just south of the Wallick Road trailhead. Remarkable
plant & animal species abound in the surrounding woodlands and wetlands.
North of Peru, the trail is partially usable (but not officially open
except in Denver) except for trestles over the Eel River near Denver and
a couple minor streams.
The Indiana Trails Fund received a grant to protect the Birmingham Prairie
area in 2001. The 1-acre empty parcel, once slated for a sidetrack, depot
or grain elevator, hosts these rare, undisturbed flora. The trail is not
yet open here, though the area is open for viewing.
Future Plans: A
section heading north over the massive iron-truss Wabash River bridge
and a connection to the existing Peru Riverwalk
are in development. Eventually the trail will connect Kokomo to Rochester
and become a 40+ mile trail, a section of which will provide an American
Discovery Trail leg.
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