Converted from paper version of the Broad Ripple Gazette (v12n12)
Right in my Own Backyard - Happy Days Are Here Again - by Brandt Carter
posted: Jun. 12, 2015
Happy Days Are Here Again
Okay, so we can't do all the water sports on the canal in Broad Ripple, but we have the Monon Trail and White River to enjoy. Summer in Broad Ripple is the best. This is the time of year when the sun stays bright until late, the days are warm, and we all want to be outside playing or dining. Broad Ripple is the perfect place!
It's easy to get out on the Monon Trail to walk, jog, bike, or roll, but last year was my first year to get out on White River. While I had observed people having good times on the river, my mindset toward it was limited to the WNAP Raft Race. That's right. As I was growing up, we were taught White River was a polluted body of water, and we should not venture into it or eat fish caught from it.
But now, years later, the White River is cleaner than it has been in a 100 years. People are now using this natural water source to explore and enjoy nature by kayak or canoe. I was totally excited by my canoe day last summer. The experience made me want to learn more about this river I had long taken for granted.
White River itself is the primary river corridor winding through the city from the northeast corner of Marion County to the southwest. The White River Canoe Trail is 16 miles in length. Launch access is available at 96th Street, 86th Street, Broad Ripple Park, Cornell Avenue, Holliday Park at Meridian Street, Friedmann Park at Kessler Boulevard, and 30th Street.
canoeing on White River at Broad Ripple Park
Wapahani is its Native American name, and it is home to dozens of species of fish, small animals, birds, bees, butterflies, as well as some red fox, coyote, and deer. You might see blue heron, wood ducks, osprey, golden eagles, hawks, and even bald eagles.
Check out Rusted Moon Outfitters or White River Canoe Company for craft rental and trip maps for an adventure you won't forget. Seeing Broad Ripple, portaging the dam, and floating towards the museum will give you a new perspective of our land-locked village. Enjoy the summer!
brandt@broadripplegazette.com