Nickel Plate Trail
5.5 mi · ▲ 27 ft · 1 hr 51 min
Nickel Plate Trail is a 5.5-mile out-and-back in Ritchey Woods Nature Preserve near Valley Farms Estates, IN. It is mostly level, with 27 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Nickel Plate Trail
5.5 mi · ▲ 27 ft · 1 hr 51 min
Elevation 783–828 ft
Out & Back · Ritchey Woods Nature Preserve
Trailhead: 39.94328, -85.99459
Weather Sep 22: Overcast, high 65°F / low 55° · precip 2% · wind 11 mph · sunrise 7:32 AM · sunset 7:43 PM
Dogs allowed on leash · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading W.
- 100 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 450 ftTurn right, heading W.
- 0.5 miSharp right, heading W.
- 0.4 miBear right, heading NW.
- 150 ftBear left, heading W.
- 0.4 miTurn left, heading W.
- 100 ftTurn right, heading W.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Nickel Plate Trail, heading W.
- 0.7 miSharp right, heading SW.
- 0.3 miTurn left, heading N.
- 0.1 miTurn right onto Orchard Trail, heading N.
- 150 ftTurn left, heading N.
- 150 ftReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
- 250 ftTurn left, heading N.
- 100 ftContinue straight onto Blackbird Trail, heading W.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading W.
- 0.3 miSharp left onto Nickel Plate Trail, heading S.
- 0.7 miTurn right, heading NE.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading NE.
- 100 ftTurn right, heading NE.
- 0.4 miBear right, heading E.
- 150 ftBear left, heading E.
- 0.4 miSharp left, heading E.
- 0.5 miTurn left, heading E.
- 450 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 50 ftArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.5 mi in (~62 min). Leave by 6:21 PM for the 7:43 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:59 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Dogs allowed on leash
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from this trailhead
- Wooded Area–Cheeney Creek Trail, 3 sights 11.3 mi · ▲ 27 ft
- Sahm Park Beach–Nickel Plate Trail, 3 sights 8.5 mi · ▲ 27 ft
- Nickel Plate Trail 5.2 mi · ▲ 27 ft
- Nickel Plate Trail 4.4 mi · ▲ 27 ft
- Nickel Plate Trail 5.5 mi · ▲ 27 ft
- Lantern Ridge Pond & Cheeney Creek Trail via Nickel Plate Trail 7.4 mi · ▲ 27 ft
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