Nothing beats going outside and hiking for exercise, getting fresh air, and enhancing your mood. Knowing where to hike in the Fishers, IN, area is often challenging, so our team at Crème de la Crème of Fishers put together this list of the best places to hike in our gorgeous area so you can hit the trails with ease.

Beech Hollow Loop Trail at Ritchey Woods Nature Preserve

beginning of the hike by Pat Eyler is licensed with CC BY-SA 2.0

Hiking at Ritchey Woods Nature Preserve is one of the premier places to see wildlife in Fishers. This 127-acre park has nine hiking trails, with additional open spaces where you can relax and picnic areas to share a meal with your family.

The Beech Hollow Loop Trail is one of the more popular hiking trails in the preserve. This loop trail is about a half-mile long on a natural dirt surface with a mild altitude change of just 25 feet. You’re welcome to bring your well-behaved leashed dog on this loop trail so they can also get some exercise and fresh air.

Location: 10410 Hague Road, Fishers.

Hours: Open daily from dawn to dusk.

Cheeney Creek Creek Loop Trail at Cheeney Creek Natural Area

You’ll find the Cheeney Creek Creek Loop Trail tucked away inside the 25-acre Cheeney Creek Natural Area in the heart of Fishers, Indiana. The nearly 1-mile Cheeney Creek Creek Loop Trail has a minimal elevation gain of about 10 feet, making this trail ideal for hiking with young kids. As you hike this loop trail, keep your eyes out for local and migrating birds and wildlife like deer and beavers.

Be sure to bring your fishing poles with you so you can cast your line in the stocked fishing pond to try to catch largemouth bass, bluegill, or channel catfish. You’ll need an Indiana state fishing license to fish in one of the three designated fishing areas in the Cheeney Creek Natural Area.

Location: 11030 Fishers Pointe Blvd., Fishers.

Hours: Open daily from dawn to dusk.

White River Loop Trail at Heritage Park

The whole family will enjoy hiking the White River Loop Trail at Heritage Park with its historical charm and natural beauty. As you hike the paved trail that wanders along the White River Greenway, you may spot birds and other incredible wildlife. This loop trail is just over a half-mile with a slight elevation gain of under 10 feet, and it takes around 13 minutes to complete on average. It also has several benches along the route where you can sit and relax or take in the views.

During the winter months, you can sled on the hills within Heritage Park and share a thermos of hot tea or cocoa in the picnic pavilions. After your hike on the White River Loop Trail, stop by the striking Greek Revival-style Ambassador House and gardens to see how the elite lived in the late 1800s.

Location: 10595 Eller Road, Fishers.

Hours: Open daily from dawn to dusk.

Flat Fork Creek Park Loop Trail at Flat Fork Creek Park

Head over to Flat Fork Creek Park to hike the 1.7-mile Flat Fork Creek Park Loop Trail, which takes about 30 minutes to complete, depending on how fast you walk the trail. If you want to take your time on this lovely trail, bring binoculars with you to look for birds and wildlife. Nature lovers will enjoy stopping along the way to savor the solitude this trail and park offers.

The Flat Fork Creek Park Loop Trail has a minor elevation gain of about 3 feet, so young kids and parents pushing strollers or wheelchairs will appreciate how easy it is to maneuver along the mostly paved trails with the occasional boardwalk to cross over. During the spring, look for blooming wildflowers. In the winter, everyone in the family will get a kick out of the 60-foot sledding hill. As the Flat Fork Creek Park Loop Trail is multi-use, watch for mountain bikers zipping by as you hike.

Location: 16141 E. 101st St., Fishers.

Hours: Open daily from dawn to dusk.

Woodpecker Trail at Fall Creek Woods Natural Area

Fall Creek Woods Natural Area is home to several trails, with the Woodpecker Trail being one of the more popular trails in this natural area. This trail is moderate to rugged and is just over a half-mile long. It takes you along Fall Creek and under a canopy of ash and sycamore trees.

As you hike along the trail, you’ll notice the deep ravines and high bluffs that overlook Fall Creek, where you can see a wide range of birds and wildlife. This natural area also has several other trails, ranging from the easy quarter-mile Deer Trail to the rugged third-of-a-mile Bald Eagle Trail.

Location: 18399 Southeastern Parkway, Fishers.

Hours: Open daily from dawn to dusk.

Riverside Woods Loop at Nonie Werbe Krauss Nature Preserve

Enjoy the 2.3-mile Riverside Woods Loop when you spend the day at Nonie Werbe Krauss Nature Preserve. It takes about 42 minutes to complete, depending on your speed, and you’ll have a mere 45-foot elevation gain with grass and gravel sections. You’ll pass through hardwood and softwood forests and flower-studded meadows as you stroll along the banks of the scenic White River.

The Nonie Werbe Krauss Nature Preserve itself has prairie plants, an oak savanna, and a bottomland forest to explore. Each season brings a special beauty to the preserve, such as wildflowers in the spring, plenty of wildlife in the summer, changing colors in the fall, and a serene white landscape in the winter.

Location: The Nature Preserve is located at the southwest corner of 116th Street and Eller Road. Public parking is available behind Riverside Middle School at 10910 Eller Road, Fishers.

Hours: Open daily from dawn to dusk.

Isn’t it great getting outside to go hiking and looking for wildlife in the Fishers, Indiana, area? Our team at Crème de la Crème of Fishers hopes you enjoy this list of the best places to go hiking near us. If you can recommend another hiking trail nearby, let us know. We love learning about places to explore the outdoors in and around our beautiful city.