INDIANAPOLIS — Thanks to a $645,000 grant from the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust, the Central Indiana Land Trust (CILTI) is progressing on three projects designed to increase access to and appreciation for the White River in the Indianapolis metropolitan area.
Perhaps most notably, the gift will allow for the opening of Oliver’s Woods Nature Preserve, a 53-acre swath of natural landscape and river frontage next to the bustling Keystone at the Crossing area.
The projects at Oliver’s Woods and the nearby White Owl Preserve will include public canoe launches, giving area residents easier access to river enjoyment and appreciation than ever before. The White River Bluffs Preserve project will allow for improvements and amenities at one of the Land Trust’s most recent acquisitions.
At Oliver’s Woods, a 53-acre preserve off River Road near Keystone at the Crossing, planned improvements include a canoe launch, a parking lot to accommodate visitors, trails and signage, ongoing restoration to the property and more. In addition to its river frontage, Oliver’s Woods features 16 acres of woods and 37 acres of prairie-savanna restoration. The southern portion of the popular Town Run Trail Park is also part of the property, and the improvements include a connection to the mountain bike trails from River Road.
Slightly downriver from Oliver’s Woods, the six-acre White Owl Conservation Area will also gain a canoe launch. This means the public could enjoy quick nature excursions on the river, going from Oliver’s Woods to White Owl, or enjoy longer adventures from either location.
With its stunning views of the White River and the city as a whole, White River Bluffs will benefit from the grant by seeing restoration and improvements at the site. Located east of Michigan Road between 52nd and 56th streets near Highland Country Club, the property includes some of the oldest trees in Indianapolis growing on a steep bluff that soars above the White River 85 feet below.