Eagle Creek Park is a municipal park in the northwest of Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. Officially opened in 1972, it covers approximately of land and of water. The largest park in Indianapolis and one of the largest municipal parks in the United States, it contains about of trails. The majority of the park sits on land amassed by Josiah K. Lilly Jr. from the 1930s to 1950s. Lilly built a country estate and reforested the land before donating it to Purdue University in 1958; the university sold the land to the city of Indianapolis in 1966. It is operated by Indy Parks & Recreation with support from the Eagle Creek Park Foundation.

The park is centered around Eagle Creek Reservoir, which was formed from the construction of the Eagle Creek Dam in 1969. Most of the park's attractions are on the east side of the reservoir, including the Ornithology Center, which acts as the park's main visitor center. Eagle Creek Park serves primarily as a nature reserve. It is among the most visited attractions in Indianapolis, with 1.3 million guests in 2025. Most of the reservoir is open for water sports and recreation. The park is a popular place for birding, and is considered an Important Bird Area by the National Audubon Society.

History

In 1934, Josiah K. Lilly Jr. purchased of land around what is now the Ornithology Center and called it Eagle Crest Estate. By the 1950s, Lilly owned nearly in the area. He created Eagle Valley Farms on the west side of the creek; on the east side, he constructed Lilly Lake and reforested former farm land into the Eagle Crest Forest Reserve. In 1958, Lilly donated the estate to Purdue University.

In 1957, flooding along Eagle Creek in Speedway, Indiana, resulted in six deaths. In the following years, the city government proposed to dam the creek to prevent further flooding. In the early 1960s, the city of Indianapolis began negotiating with Purdue to purchase the land required for this new dam and reservoir. The purchase was completed in February 1966, with a purchase price of $3.2 million (equivalent to $ million in ). That year, the northeastmost of the park were opened to the public. Ground was broken for the dam on February 1, 1966. The dam was completed in 1968, just north of Interstate 74, and the resulting reservoir was filled by 1970. Mayor Richard Lugar officially opened Eagle Creek Park on June 10, 1972. The park's Nature Center opened in what had previously been Lilly's library building. Mining operations began in 1968 and did not fully cease in the park until 1980, after a protracted legal dispute between the gravel company and the city. The cofferdam and flooded gravel pit became the Waterfowl Sanctuary. Indianapolis hosted the 1987 Pan American Games, during which the park served as the venue for the archery, canoeing, modern pentathlon, and rowing competitions. In preparation, the reservoir was dredged along the rowing course to ensure the depth was at least throughout. The sediment was transferred to the waterfowl sanctuary to improve the habitat.

The Museum of Indian Heritage was opened in the park in 1967 by James H. Lawton. The museum was closed in 1989 when the its collection was merged with the newly formed Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art. In 1997, the museum building was repurposed as the Peace Learning Center. It is approximately long, with an average depth of and a maximum depth of . It has a reported capacity of . At tall and long, Eagle Creek Dam is one of the largest dams in Indiana. It is an earthen and concrete dam with six tainter gates, each . The Indiana Department of Natural Resources considers it a "High Hazard" dam whose failure would cause serious damage and loss of life. The dam was listed as "conditionally poor" in 2006, but was rated as "fair" by 2024.

Approximately per day are taken from the reservoir to supply the Indianapolis water system. In 2025, a plan was introduced by Lebanon Utilities to send an additional a day from the reservoir to the LEAP Innovation District in Boone County, as part of a proposed a day to be taken from various water sources in Marion County. The plan originally called for of resulting treated wastewater from Boone County to be reintroduced directly into the north end of Eagle Creek Reservoir. The plan received significant push back from environmentalists and locals, with opponents pointing to research that shows that treated wastewater can alter ecosystems. In May 2026, Lebanon Utilities stated it would not be constructing a discharge site inside the limits of the park.

Park overview

thumb|One of the park's entry signs

Eagle Creek Park's address is 7840 W. 56th Street, Indianapolis, Indiana. The park covers of land and of water, with of trails. The park is bounded by Interstate 65 to the north and east and the Marion County line to the west. Eagle Creek Reservoir is bisected by the 56th Street Causeway. Most of the park's attractions lie north of the causeway. There are two gatehouses, both on the park's east side: the 71st Street Entrance and the 56th Street Entrance. There are three automatic gates on the west side of the park. The park is adjacent to Eagle Creek Airpark, which is controlled by the Indianapolis Airport Authority.

The majority of the park's trails are on the eastern half of the reservoir, which is the most visited side. There are trails on the west side as well. The West Side Hiking Trail project was included in the 1997 Eagle Creek Park strategic plan. A $2.6 million Lilly Endowment grant in 2018 allowed construction of the trails to begin in 2019. The trails were fully completed in 2024.

The National Audubon Society describes the park as containing deciduous forest, coniferous woodlots, early successional areas, scrub-shrub, restored prairie, riparian woods, and emergent wetlands, with second growth deciduous woodlands the most prevalent habitat.

Waterfowl Sanctuary

In the northeast section of Eagle Creek Reservoir is the Waterfowl Sanctuary. A former gravel pit, the area is separated by a cofferdam from the rest of the reservoir. It is a popular area for birding. The entire park is deemed an Important Bird Area by the National Audubon Society.

Scott Starling Nature Sanctuary

The Scott Starling Nature Sanctuary is an approximately section of the park located at the northern end of the west side. It is the site of several ecological restoration projects. It was dedicated to Scott Starling in 1991 by his father Alfred "Bud" Starling, after Scott was killed by lightning in 1988 at age 29. Bud Starling was a volunteer who provided weekly bird walks around the park and wrote a birding column in The Indianapolis Star for 30 years.

Nature preserves

Eagle Creek Park contains two state-designated nature preserves. The Eagle's Crest Nature Preserve covers much of the park's west side, containing old second-growth mesic upland forest. The Spring Pond Nature Preserve is on the east side below 62nd Street, containing a wet-mesic forest.

Attractions and facilities

Ornithology Center

Overlooking the Waterfowl Sanctuary, the Ornithology Center at Eagle Creek Park hosts a small museum and serves as one of the visitor centers. The observation center includes indoor and outdoor viewing platforms. On the northside, observers can look out into the center's birdfeeding area.

Earth Discovery Center

Intended for children, the Earth Discovery Center contains exhibits and information about native Indiana plants and animals, as well as live native reptiles, fish, amphibians, taxidermy mounts, and replicas. It was first opened in 2007.

Lilly Lake

Lilly Lake is a lake in the park, primarily used for bank fishing. It also has a picnic shelter. The lake was previously open to pedal boats.

Additional

  • Boat ramp and slips
  • Cross-country skiing paths
  • Eagle Creek Beach
  • Fitness course
  • Fishing areas
  • Gordon Gilmer Bark Park
  • Go Ape Treetop Adventure
  • Golf course (36 hole)
  • Indianapolis Rowing Center
  • Indoor facility rentals
  • Kayak, paddleboard, and canoe rentals
  • Mary and John Geisse Soccer Complex
  • Peace Learning Center
  • Picnic areas and shelters
  • Sailboat marina

Administration and operation

thumb|Logo for the park used since 2022

The park is operated by Indy Parks and Recreation in partnership with the Eagle Creek Park Foundation. The foundation and the park's management share a main office in the park.

It is the only park in the Indy Parks system with an entrance fee, with a reduced cost for Marion County residents. It is open from dawn to dusk.

See also

  • List of urban parks by size
  • List of parks in Indianapolis
  • List of attractions and events in Indianapolis
  • List of nature centers in Indiana

References

  • Eagle Creek Park Home
  • Eagle Creek Park Foundation
  • Peace Learning Center