Home › Indiana › New Castle › Summit Lake State Park
Summit Lake State Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 2,114 Google reviews · Running trail in New Castle, Indiana · Posted hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Boardwalk
- Loop distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Loop
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Posted hours
Confirmed from Summit Lake State 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.
Lakefront park known for fishing is home to the Zeigler Woods nature preserve & 5 miles of trails.
What runners say about Summit Lake State Park
“Beautiful trails and scenic views, the campgrounds are nice but seem a bit close to each other.”
The best way to sum up my experience is that it is a nice state park that isn't necessarily spectacular compared to other state parks, which isn't necessarily meant to detract from it being a good place to visit if you come in with reasonable expectations.
Wonderful, laid back park. We got one of the sites that had a short trail to the water, which was perfect because we did a lot of kayaking. The boat launch in the campground was nice too, though, instead of having to drive elsewhere to launch. Loved that the big lake is trolling speed only.
This was our first trip camping here and it was fantastic. The campground has a few lakeside spots which were quite enjoyable. Although the campground was full it was relatively quiet and other campers were respectful. There are 6 trails which are pretty short and easy but they offer a nice variety.
A great state park for fishing and hiking. Beautiful lake with various spots to view the lake. Deer and bald eagles can be seen particularly on the northside of the lake. Campgrounds have electric and share water. No sewer connections so don't ket the water connection fill that grey tank.
Trail conditions & character
“Beautiful trails and scenic views, the campgrounds are nice but seem a bit close to each other.”
“It was the same for the bathrooms and the water at the campsites.”
Plan your run at Summit Lake State Park
The practical stuff
- AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
- SurfaceBoardwalk — flat and scenic, and slick when wet, so watch your footing
- DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- At the trailheadrestrooms — reported by runners
- Stroller / wheelchairReported as smooth and step-free enough for a running stroller or a chair.
- Websiteon.in.gov
- Phone(765) 766-5873
- Social Instagram · Facebook
Hours
| Monday | 7 AM–11 PM |
| Tuesday | 7 AM–11 PM |
| Wednesday | 7 AM–11 PM |
| Thursday | 7 AM–11 PM |
| Friday | 7 AM–11 PM |
| Saturday | 7 AM–11 PM |
| Sunday | 7 AM–11 PM |
Running trails near New Castle
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
Red-tail Nature Preserve
4.8 ★★★★★ 79 reviews
Nature preserve with a trail offering opportunities for hiking, wildlife watching, and photography.
Wilbur Wright Trailhead at SR 103
4.9 ★★★★★ 22 reviews
Osborne Park
4.2 ★★★★☆ 202 reviews
