Beneath leafy, swaying canopies shimmering footpaths pass through shade and sunlight. Smooth asphalt routes cross the scenic, Indiana countryside. Rugged, rocky tracks find their way through forested ravines. Linear paved lanes pass from industrial urban corridors to bustling business districts to quiet residential neighborhoods.

Across the country and within the state, unused railroad corridors are being converted to public multi-use trails. Indiana towns and cities—small and large—are dedicating funds, space, and precious resources toward paved recreational routes for residents and guests to enjoy. Indiana’s extensive state parks and dedicated nature preserves offer some of the state’s finest outdoor nature trails for hiking and mountain biking, revealing the beauty and wonder of the Hoosier state’s unique natural habitats.

From the expansive, rolling wilderness of Hoosier National Forest to the sandy paths and reed-filled marshes of Indiana Dunes along the Lake Michigan shoreline, to the paved rail-line conversion of Indianapolis’ Monon Trail and a burgeoning list of rail-trails across the state, Indiana’s trail systems boast a rich array of terrain, flora, fauna, history, and culture.

These scenic, winding trails embody the Midwestern experience—a wandering, laid-back mix of curious adventure-seeking and complacent contentment. In Indiana, trails aren’t simply a practical means for reaching a destination. Here, the journey is the destination. It’s the Hoosier way.