Riverside Ice Rink

Riverside Ice Rink is the only place for ice skating in the Lafayette area. It is a small outdoor ice rink, but it has cooling coils so that it can remain open even when it is somewhat above freezing. Skating generally takes place in a counter clockwise manner around the rink leaving a small area in the center which is open for general use. Inexperienced skaters may hold on to the walls of the rink for support while ice skating.

Experienced skaters will be disappointed with the rink's small size, but it is preferable to not being able to skate at all. There is not much instruction available during general skating sessions, but there are guards to help you if you fall down.

Amenities

• Restrooms and a drinking fountain are available for the public
  
• Some but not a lot of parking is free in Tapawingo Park
  
• There is a heated shelter for putting on your skates and resting next to the ice rink
  
• Ice skates are available for rental
• A fee is charged for skating and skate rental. See the rink website for current pricing.
  

Links

• Riverside Skating Center
• Weather forecast for West Lafayette
  

Map

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Feast of the Hunter's Moon

This is a multi-day festival which commemorates an annual fall gathering that Native Americans and French fur traders had at this location during the 1700s. All sorts of activities take place during this weekend. Food, games, music, battles, crafts, sales, canoe races, and other activities occur throughout the day. The re-enactors represent members of the Native American, French, British, and American communities who spent time at the location of Fort Ouiatenon.

The prices are expensive for food and souvenirs, but there are many things to do for free. Make sure to pick up a schedule of the event so that you can plan to see all of the main activities which interest you.

Amenities

• Buses are available for rides out to the location
  
• Food may be bought from vendors at the event
• Restrooms are available at the event
  

Links

• Official Website
• Tippecanoe County Historical Society
• Wikipedia
  

Map
This event occurs at Fort Ouiatenon

Happy Hollow Park

Happy Hollow park is one of the busier parks in West Lafayette. It is in a valley running through the town of West Lafayette. When you walk in the park all you can see are the trees surrounding you on the valley slopes making you feel far away from the bustle of town. It can be difficult to find an open spot in the park parking lots on a nice day, but you can park on Rose Street or Pawnee Drive and walk in through alternative entrances.

Happy Hollow has facilities for any activity. There dirt trails through the woods as well as smooth paved paths. There are open fields for playing sports, playgrounds for children, sand volleyball courts for fun, and pavilions for having dinner. The stream running through the park is dry for much of the year.

Amenities

• There are bathrooms and drinking fountains near the main pavilion
  
• Sand volleyball courts are available
• Parking is limited but also available on surrounding streets
• There are many trails and paths for hiking
  

Links

• City Parks webpage
  
• West Lafayette city webpage
  

Map


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West Lafayette Municipal Pool

This pool is outdoors next to Happy Hollow park. When you are swimming you can see the trees and grassy hill next to you. This makes Happy Hollow a very nice environment for swimming. There are three pools: a main one and two smaller ones. All three pools are heated and felt very comfortable the times I have been swimming.

Amenities

• Changing rooms are available
• There is plenty of parking in the Happy Hollow School parking lot
• Restrooms are available
  

Links

• City Parks webpage
• West Lafayette City website
  

Map


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West Lafayette Attractions

• Celery Bog
• Feast of the Hunter's Moon
  
• Happy Hollow Park
• McCormick Woods
• Michaud-Sinniger Nature Preserve
• Purdue University Horticulture Garden
• Purdue Horticulture Park
• Riverside Skating Center
  
• West Lafayette Municipal Pool

Historical Sites

• Carnegie Museum
• Five Points Fire Museum
  
• Fort Ouiatenon
• Lane Place
• Lew Wallace Study
• Montgomery County Rotary Jail
  
• Prophet's Rock
  
• Red Crown Mini-Museum
• Speed Cabin
  
• Tippecanoe Battlefield
• Wabash and Erie Canal

Small Parks

• Purdue University Horticulture Gardens
  
• Red Crown Mini-Museum

Purdue University Horticulture Garden

The Purdue University Horticulture park is on the south side of Purdue’s campus. One of the first things I noticed about it while walking over there were all of the bird calls coming out of it. This is a nice flower garden and many of the flowers are labeled which may be useful to someone learning about flowers. There is a wide variety of flowers and I was most struck by some which were interesting shades of blue. The garden is not large enough to take walks, but there are benches where you can sit.

Amenities

• Benches for sitting are in the park
• Parking is similar to other locations on campus. There are lots of parking spots, but you will need a parking permit for them during weekday business hours. If you come in the evening or on a weekend, you should not have trouble with parking.
• No Restrooms are available, but there are many Purdue buildings nearby that you can find restrooms in.

Links

• Discover America page on the garden
• Plant map of the horticulture park
• Purdue Horticulture Park homepage
• Wikipedia page

Map

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Michaud-Sinniger Nature Preserve

Michaud-Sinniger is a very small park. It is really too small for taking a walk unless you want to go outside of the preserve and walk around the mown grass lawns of Cumberland Park. The park is very beautiful though if you wish to walk slowly and meditate or sit and read a book.

Amenities

• Parking is usually adequate although when there are high school athletic events it might be difficult to find.
• Restrooms are in a small building near the nature area entrance

Links

• Cumberland Park (West Lafayette Parks)

Map

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McCormick Woods

McCormick Woods is a 40 acre park off of Cherry Lane. It is a small wooded area with small paths for walking and mountain biking. When all of the underbrush has died during the winter it is sometimes better to just walk without following the paths.

The park is fairly small, but the woods are thick enough so that you cannot see out of the park even during the winter. There is enough room for walking, but the park would not be large enough to go jogging in.

Amenities

• You can park along the road but there is no parking lot
• There are no restrooms available

Links

• Purdue Forestry Page

Map

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Purdue Horticulture Park

The Horticulture Park has both wooded trails and open grassy areas. It borders on the Purdue Cross Country course making it great for running because you can go onto the course if the trails in the park are not long enough.

The park is very picturesque with several copses of trees in the open areas and streams running through the forest. The woodland area is very scenic with small hills. I enjoy walking here on the weekends occasionally.

Amenities

• Parking is more than adequate. I have never had a trouble finding a parking spot.
• No public restrooms are available
• Within walking distance of campus.

Links

• Purdue website

Map

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Fort Ouiatenon

This park is close to the site of an early French trading post on the Wabash River. During the summer there are Living History Weekends where people come and portray the people who lived here. Generally in attendance are members of the Wea Tribe, a blacksmith, and some people working in the blockhouse. This post was originally settled by the French but was taken over by the English and then destroyed by the Americans after the English left.

The park itself is not extraordinary it is just a large lawn. It is great for picnicking and the events held here such as the Feast of the Hunter’s Moon and Living History Weekends, which are a lot of fun.

Amenities

• The Block House is open on the weekends during summer months
• A boat launch goes out onto the river
• Parking is more than adequate. I have never had a trouble finding a parking spot
• Picnic tables, grills, and a pavilion make this a great place for a meal

Links

• Glenn A. Black Laboratory page
• Tippecanoe County Historical Society page
• Wikipedia article

Map

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Celery Bog

Celery Bog is a great place for a relaxing walk. There are both paved in the meadows and wood chip paths in the forest. I strongly recommend taking the wood chip paths. The paths are great for walking, but not long enough for running although you could make this a small part of your run.

The scenery is great as long as you ignore the Walmart and housing subdivision on the other side of the bog. If you come early in the morning, you will get a chance to see more wild life. In the afternoon the park is more crowded and consequently the animals are more shy. There are always birders and photographers taking advantage of the parks beauty.

Amenities

• Bike racks are available
• Lilly Nature Center is somewhat lacking as a museum, but you can see interesting photographs taken in the park
• Parking is more than adequate. I have never had a trouble finding a parking spot
• Restrooms are available in Lilly Nature Center

Links

• Friends of Celery Bog
• Lilly Nature Center (West Lafayette Parks)
• Purdue Subsurface Geology Page
• West Lafayette Parks Website

Map

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Festivals and Events

• Mini-Farmers Markets
  
• Feast of the Hunter's Moon
  

Pools

• Castaway Bay
• Tippecanoe Cove
  
• Vinton Pool
  
• West Lafayette Municipal Pool

Books about the Lafayette area

Nature Areas

• Celery Bog
• Happy Hollow Park
• Jerry E. Clegg Botanical Garden
  
• McCormick Woods
  
• Michaud-Sinniger Nature Preserve
• Purdue Horticulture Park
  
• Prophet's Rock
  
• Tippecanoe Battlefield