AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Ritchey Woods Nature Preserve

Blackbird Trail

3 mi · ▲ 54 ft · 1 hr 2 min

Blackbird Trail is a 3-mile out-and-back in Ritchey Woods Nature Preserve near Gatewood, IN. It is mostly level, with 54 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi764 – 807 ft3.2 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 39.94542, -86.04487
Nearest town Gatewood, IN
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Blackbird Trail

3 mi · ▲ 54 ft · 1 hr 2 min

Elevation 766–807 ft

Out & Back · Ritchey Woods Nature Preserve

Trailhead: 39.94542, -86.04487

Weather Sep 20: sunrise 7:31 AM · sunset 7:46 PM

Dogs allowed on leash · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading SW.
  2. 1.1 miBear right, heading SE.
  3. 0.2 miTurn right, heading W.
  4. 0.1 miTurn right onto Orchard Trail, heading W.
  5. 150 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  6. 100 ftReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
  7. 250 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  8. 100 ftContinue straight onto Blackbird Trail, heading W.
  9. 0.1 miTurn left, heading E.
  10. 0.2 miBear left, heading N.
  11. 1 miArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/blackbird-trail-out-back

Trail surface

88% paved7% grass3% dirt2% gravel

Weather

Sunrise 7:31 AMSunset 7:46 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.0 mi in (~1 min). Leave by 7:26 PM for the 7:46 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:02 PM — 11 min before dark. Car visible from the viewpoint

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Gatewood, Indiana