See pictures of the High Bridge Trail:
Monon High Bridge with Charles Gerard
High Bridge in Winter
DELPHI HISTORIC TRAILS AND CANAL SITES WELCOME BICYCLES
When you come to Delphi in northwest central Indiana you can come with your bicycles and even your pets. The Delphi Historic Trails system now has over 7.5 miles of groomed trails. They are crushed limestone, packed, wide and they lead to some of the most interesting things. Trails have been constructed over a twelve-year period primarily by volunteers using local products like the fine "screenings" for all the trails provided by the stone quarry and lots of scenery thanks to Mother Nature and the Wabash River.
Places to start are located conveniently at Trailhead Park along Deer Creek one mile southwest of Delphi on Indiana 25. Another good place to begin a scenic ride is at Canal Park, 11 blocks north of the Court House stoplight on Washington Street. Parking and walking or bicycling along the historic towpath of the mid 19th century Wabash & Erie Canal is both relaxing and interesting. There are three National Register Sites to visit nearby-the Canal Construction Camp site; Lock #33 and adjacent lockkeeper's home site; and the 1857 Harley and Hubbard Lime Kiln site.
The northern half of the 2.5-mile section of the Canal looks much like the man made waterway appeared in its heyday of the 1850s. Groundwater from the limestone quarry nearby is diverted into the canal to keep it full. Three million gallons of clear water daily comes to the "tumble" at Founders Point. Flow through the full length finally releases the surplus water back into Deer Creek at majestic Sunset Point.
A shorter biking section is to the vista points along Campbell Ridge Trail. This entrance is off of Indiana 25 two tenths of a mile south of Trailhead Park. A parking lot is available to leave your car but this stone trail is bicycle accessible. The payoff for the visitor is to look at the old canal era dam site from high atop a bluff. This 1840s wooden structure set at the mouth of Deer Creek where it joins the Wabash River.
Legend has it that the last boat to use this section of the canal in 1874 destroyed the dam. As the mules were pulling the boat up to the spillway bridge they fell through the rotting footboards. Since they lost their forward momentum the captain could not steer the craft away from the current and crashed into the spillway. The boat, cargo, mules and all were dashed into the Wabash and drowned-thus the end of the canal!
The very newest trail is called the Monon High Bridge Trail. It goes east of Delphi two miles from City Park and then follows a section of the scenic old Monon railroad bed. The trail is groomed to within a quarter mile of the fabled High Bridge over Deer Creek. The trails group has not yet obtained the CSX land at the awe inspiring high bridge itself but there are spectacular views of the deep pristine valley with its high shear slate bluffs.
While in Delphi you must allow time to visit the new Canal Interpretive Center in Canal Park, a dozen blocks north of the Court House traffic light. This interactive transportation museum is a marvel with a dozen galleries inside the "old looking 1850s building" built in 2003. Open hours are Thursday, Friday and Sunday 1-4 pm and Saturday 10-4 pm. Nearby are the canal village, towpath and connections to all the trails. The refitted pontoon "Canal Boat Delphi" docks in Canal Park from spring through fall weekends and takes on passengers for free rides on Saturday 11 and 2 pm and Sunday at 2 pm. Watch for a big change in 2009 when the new "replica" canal boat will ply the mile long section of refirbished canal. Altogether the Canal Association owns three miles of the old manmade 19th century waterway. There is no charge for either the Interpretive Center or Canal Boat.
For more information look us up at www.wabashanderiecanal.org
