Monon Greenway
Paved trail
About
The Monon Greenway is Carmel's section of the Monon Trail, a paved path on a former rail line. It runs about 5 miles through the city, from 96th Street to 146th Street. To the south the trail goes on through Broad Ripple to downtown Indianapolis. To the north it goes on through Westfield to Sheridan.
In Carmel it passes Central Park and the Monon Community Center, the Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts, Midtown Plaza, City Center and the Carmel Arts & Design District.
The part through the middle of town is called Monon Boulevard. It has wider paths and places to sit. A third phase, from Walnut Street to City Center Drive, opened on July 3, 2026. It widened the trail to 12 feet and added a music-themed play structure just north of City Center Drive. The structure is 40 feet tall, with two enclosed metal slides. Midtown Plaza, at Elm Street, has a splash pad, bocce, table tennis and shuffleboard.
History
The Monon Railroad laid its rails through Carmel in 1882 and opened a depot there in 1883. Carmel's 5.2-mile stretch of trail opened in 2002.
When to go
The trail is open year-round, dawn to dusk. Carmel Clay Parks plows it in winter, after it clears parking lots and roads. The Midtown Plaza splash pad runs from Memorial Day through September 30.
Good to know
Free parking and trail access are at 96th Street and at Rohrer Road just south of 146th Street. Carmel Clay Parks also lists a trailhead lot near the Monon Community Center. In town, you can park on the street or in a garage and get on at Main Street or City Center.
If you plan to ride north, note that Westfield is building a Monon tunnel at 161st Street. Work began in March 2026 and is expected to finish in December 2026, and the city's posted Monon detour uses 156th Street, Oak Ridge Road and 169th Street. No closure inside Carmel was posted in November 2026, but check before a long ride.
Price
The trail is free to use. Parking at the trailheads is free.
Prices checked November 2026 on the website of Visit Hamilton County. They can change, so check before you go.
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