Nature Trails Near West Lafayette, IN: Mulvey Pond
Mulvey Pond - A NICHES property in West Lafayette. Photo: Nicole Ramsey
If you’re looking for a place to walk quiet nature trails (wide & not arduous), see woodlands & water, and perhaps even glimpse some amazing wildlife (we’ve seen sandhill cranes, ducks, a snake, and herons here!) then Mulvey Pond might be perfect!
Less than ten minutes from the West Lafayette Meijer, this 52 acre nature preserve features a grassland trail looping partway around a pond and then up through woodlands. You can approach quite close to the water and there’s a small observational blind at the pond too, making it even better for serious bird watchers.
If you’re like me, though, you have simply bird watchers in training and the thought of being still for a long time outside is as feasible as lassoing the moon. In these cases, Mulvey Pond is still a fantastic place to be! The trail is broad enough to allow for parents and children to spread apart a bit & explore but still stay within eyesight. The trail is even enough for small children to manage (I wouldn’t bring a stroller or wagon, though) with enough challenge for older kids (whether that be watching the pond, or ascending the trail through the woods).
Although the trail is wide and expansive, parking is fairly limited at the pond and there are no bathroom facilities on site. Knowing its close proximity to West Lafayette businesses, though, should make it an easier venture for young families! This is the perfect place to bring a picnic lunch and sketch books ~ stopping to observe pond wildlife & wild flowers (I can’t wait to see how it looks this spring!).
Information about visiting Mulvey Pond here.
And many thanks to Dakota Jackson for introducing this particular property to me! :)
Other kid-friendly local nature trails we’ve featured:
Frogs’ Glory in Carroll County (what a terrific name, eh?!)
Portland Arch (one of my favorites!)
Bryan Nature Preserve (gorgeous woods!)
A view of the trail at Mulvey Pond. Photo: Nicole R.