Greencastle / Putnam County

This local trail system has been developed by the not-for-profit People Pathways (now known as Putnam Parks & Pathways as a partnership with Visit Putnam County and Friends of the Parks of Putnam County) and by the city of Greencastle.  A Putnam County Parks Board was recently created reporting to the Putnam County Board of Commissioners who will eventually become of the owner of the trails going forward, but still managed by Putnam Parks & Pathways.

Open Trail

People Pathways has developed 8.1 miles of mostly packed stone Vandalia Trail along the NRHT corridor from the east side of Greencastle through the town of Fillmore to Hendricks County.  The first 3 miles was opened in 1998.  The trail follows the former Pennsy/Vandalia rail corridor and is part of the 13-mile Amo to Greencastle Vandalia Trail & Campus Link Trail.  The city of Greencastle has opened 1.2 miles of asphalt Campus Link Trail along Veteran's Memorial Highway, serving as the NRHT route across the city.  People Pathways has also opened the 0.8-mile Phase 1 of the Putnam Nature Trail going south from Greencastle and the 2.6-mile Phase 2 going southwest from Limedale.

Future Plans

The city of Greencastle is pursuing an Indiana Next Level Trails grant to extend the trail southwest across the city, eventually to connect to the Putnam Nature Trail and to DePauw University by way of the Campus Link Trail.  People Pathways is also working with NRHT, Inc on strategies for further extension southwest from Greencastle to rejoin the Historic National Road by way of the scenic Big Walnut Creek area. 

Downtown Greencastle
Putnam County Mural
DePauw University
The Depauw University Nature Park
Big Walnut Creek
Robe Ann Park
DNR Deer Creek Fish & Wildlife Area

People Pathways (Putnam Parks & Pathways) web site