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Leonard Springs Nature Park
4.8 ★★★★★ 597 Google reviews · Running trail in Bloomington, Indiana · Posted hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Mixed
- Loop distance
- 1 mi
- Shape
- Loop
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Posted hours
Confirmed from Leonard Springs Nature Park's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
Park offering hiking trails and a waterfall, plus caves and beaver dams, springs.
What runners say about Leonard Springs Nature Park
“The beautiful Day nice trail nice stairs going down to the fall very pleasant place to go connect with nature”
“Beautiful place to walk, with close proximity to town, and suitable for all ages.”
I absolutely loved this place. The trail is a bit challenging (especially the metal stairs which were well-maintained). Poor signage (lack of signage) resulted in my ending up in an adjacent neighborhood .6 miles from the parking lot. The spring, waterfalls, wetlands, and wildlife made it worth the effort.
This small and very enjoyable walking trail was very satisfying. It is well kept and a very traveler friendly trail with small benches and areas to stop and simply enjoy nature.
Never heard of this place and decided to take a road trip to see it. It really is a great place to get away walk the trails. There is a little waterfall goes to the creek, which flows into a lake. Right now the water is crystal clear. There is another small lake that is hidden which was nice.
This place is gorgeous! Fairly easy hike if you are healthy and don't have knee issues. Stairs and elevation changes, with roots and rocks along and within trail. But the views are certainly worth it!
Trail conditions & character
“I walked down the stares to the trail and enjoyed being surrounded by waterfalls they drowned out all other sounds even my own thoughts.”
“Parking is sometimes hard to find a spot bc there’s only a little space for parking.”
“Moderate hike- only because the stairs are steep for those who cannot get around as easily as others.”
“Sone trail areas can get muddy in rainy times, so plan accordingly with footwear.”
“Great place for the whole family ^_^ a nice loop and quite a few steps at one end of the loop.”
“I did go off the trail once while walking because I got confused when I saw a bathroom and thought it was a resting area.”
“There’s also a nice cave that is easily accessible- although I’m not sure if you’re supposed to go inside!”
Plan your run at Leonard Springs Nature Park
The practical stuff
- AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
- SurfaceMixed — more than one surface along the route, so check the segment you plan to run
- Loop distance1 mi back to where you parked
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- At the trailheadparking, restrooms — reported by runners
- Stroller / wheelchairReported as smooth and step-free enough for a running stroller or a chair.
- Websitebloomington.in.gov
- Phone(812) 349-3705
- Social Instagram · Facebook
Hours
| Monday | 5 AM–11 PM |
| Tuesday | 5 AM–11 PM |
| Wednesday | 5 AM–11 PM |
| Thursday | 5 AM–11 PM |
| Friday | 5 AM–11 PM |
| Saturday | 5 AM–11 PM |
| Sunday | 5 AM–11 PM |
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