AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Ritchey Woods Nature Preserve

Nickel Plate Trail

5.8 mi · ▲ 0 ft · 1 hr 56 min

Nickel Plate Trail is a 5.8-mile out-and-back in Ritchey Woods Nature Preserve near Fishers, IN. It is mostly level, with 0 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi797 – 824 ft6.5 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 39.96029, -86.01936
Nearest town Fishers, IN
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Nickel Plate Trail

5.8 mi · ▲ 0 ft · 1 hr 56 min

Elevation 799–824 ft

Out & Back · Ritchey Woods Nature Preserve

Trailhead: 39.96029, -86.01936

Weather Sep 21: sunrise 7:31 AM · sunset 7:45 PM

Dogs allowed on leash · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading E.
  2. 0.1 miTurn right, heading E.
  3. 450 ftSharp right, heading S.
  4. 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
  5. 150 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  6. 150 ftTurn left, heading SE.
  7. 300 ftSharp right onto Nickel Plate Trail, heading SE.
  8. 2.1 miSharp right, heading SW.
  9. 0.3 miTurn left, heading N.
  10. 0.1 miTurn right onto Orchard Trail, heading N.
  11. 150 ftTurn left, heading N.
  12. 100 ftReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
  13. 250 ftTurn left, heading W.
  14. 100 ftContinue straight onto Blackbird Trail, heading W.
  15. 0.1 miTurn right, heading W.
  16. 0.3 miSharp left onto Nickel Plate Trail, heading S.
  17. 2.1 miSharp left, heading NE.
  18. 300 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  19. 150 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  20. 150 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  21. 50 ftSharp left, heading NE.
  22. 400 ftTurn left, heading N.
  23. 350 ftArrive 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/nickel-plate-trail-out-back-9-km-81b0

Trail surface

94% paved3% grass2% dirt1% gravel

Weather

Sunrise 7:31 AMSunset 7:45 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.6 mi in (~64 min). Leave by 6:21 PM for the 7:45 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:04 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Fishers, Indiana