Trail Use Up in Indiana

by Lorie Van Hook

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Division of Outdoor Recreation reported the increase in trail use around Indiana has been up in early 2020, most importantly in March and April. DNR utilized trail counters that collected data from 57 trail counters placed throughout Indiana. Trails use in March 2020 more than doubled—DNR reported a 108% increase from March 2019. Also reported is the monthly trail users counted in April 2020, with an ending record high of 255,035, serving as a 45% increase from April 2019!

Indiana Monthly Trail Use Change. Source: Indiana Division of Outdoor Recreation

Indiana Monthly Paved Trail Use Changes. Source: Indiana Division of Outdoor Recreation

Locally, trails and parks have been flooded with people in our community seeking mental, emotional and physical activity distractions during the COVID-19 pandemic and quarantine. Trail managers across Indiana provided trail data sets to DNR, who analyzed the data, showing trail users counted included bicyclists, pedestrians (walkers, runners and hikers) utilizing Indiana’s paved and natural-surface trails from 14 counties. Visit the IDNR Division of Outdoor Recreation Here: https://www.in.gov/dnr/outdoor/

Indiana Monthly Natural Surface Trail Use Changes. Source: Indiana Division of Outdoor Recreation

The Evansville Trails Coalition has served to assist the Evansville Parks and Recreation Department and the city of Evansville in getting trails and parks safety information out to our community Trailblazers during COVID-19 (see our page dedicated to updates here: https://www.walkbikeevv.org/covid19 ). Although challenging, our community of Trailblazers have continued to encourage us as we endeavor to stay active individually and safely. Local trails and parks usage has increased since the quarantine began.