story by GLENDA WINDERS
PHOTOS: Courtesy of Cardinal Greenways
The Cardinal Greenway’s 30th birthday is a great cause for celebration, especially for anyone who loves being out of doors. Dedicated to pedestrian, bicycle and equestrian users, the 62-mile route follows the White, Whitewater and Mississinewa rivers. It includes nine bridges and is marked in half-mile increments for the convenience of its users.
This multiuse recreational network is Indiana’s longest rail-trail conversion project, combining the former CSX railroad track between Richmond and Marion and an on-street route to cover five counties in east central Indiana. The asphalt-paved trail begins in Richmond, travels through Wayne, Randolph, Henry, Delaware and Grant counties, and ends in Marion. Outdoor enthusiasts will find more than 20 trail heads, most with restrooms, parking areas and interpretive markers. The system also hosts annual events such as Cardinal SK in June, Cardinal Ride in July, and BikeTOURberfest in October.
Cardinal Greenway Inc., a private non-profit organization that encompasses the Cardinal Greenway, White River Greenway, Historic Wysor Street Depot and Cardinal Equestrian Trail, purchased the abandoned rail line in 1993. They selected a design team that addressed trail issues of management and planning strategy, site analysis, project development and funding.
They broke ground in 1997, marking the start of a 10-mile Muncie section from the Wysor Street Depot to County Road 534 East. After that came the 8-mile Jonesboro-Marion section, the 2.5-mile Richmond section, the 10-mile Muncie-Gaston section and the 7-mile Losantville-Mt. Pleasant section.
In 2008 state grants allowed for work on the Richmond-to-Losantville section that included the improvement of six bridges and the Sweetser Switch Trail Connector, linking the two trails along the defunct railroad corridor. A current expansion is underway to construct the White River Greenway trail in downtown Muncie. In Richmond, the trail connects to the Whitewater Gorge Trail and Gennett Walk of Fame in the Whitewater Gorge Park.
In 2003 the project was designated a National Recreational Trail and in 2018 inducted into the RTC Conservancy Hall of Fame. The trail takes its name from the Cardinal, the last regular passenger train service on the Chicago-Cincinnati-Washington route.
The Cardinal Greenway is part of the Northern Route of the American Discovery Trail, and part of the RTC Great American Rail Trail which connects to the White River Greenway near downtown Muncie.
Muncie’s historic Wysor Depot, which the trail passes and which now houses the Cardinal Greenway offices, was built in 1901 and used for passenger train service throughout much of the 20th century. It was placed on the National Registry of Historic Sites in 1997, and in 2004 a restoration project returned it to its former glory.
Muncie’s historic Wysor Depot, which the trail passes and which now houses the Cardinal Greenway offices, was built in 1901 and used for passenger train service throughout much of the 20th century. It was placed on the National Registry of Historic Sites in 1997, and in 2004 a restoration project returned it to its former glory.
For more information, go to cardinalgreenways.org
