County Vitality

Wabash River Greenway

Our work is expanding beyond our banks to include four more counties in our work of enhancing access to the Wabash River. 

Thinking Forward

Connecting Communities

WREC received a $35,000 grant from the Wabash Heartland Innovation Network (WHIN) to begin planning a multi-use trail spanning five counties along the Wabash River.  When realized, this opportunity will: create a nationally significant quality of life recreational resource within the largest watershed of the state; become an economic development driver for new public and private investment; utilize technology to enhance the user experience; and restore the riparian corridor ecology as the premier river system of the Midwest.

While the Wabash River Greenway plan itself is still in the final stages of editing and is not yet published, it has spurred several successful grant applications and projects in our five county region.  

  • WREC is working with the City of West Lafayette, the City of Lafayette, and Tippecanoe County on connector trails on both sides of the Wabash River at the Sagamore Parkway bridge.  We will install a trailhead on the west side of the river with a bike repair station, and a trail that connects to the existing trail along the Sagamore Bridge.  On the east side of the river, we will construct an elevated ramp to connect the Wabash Heritage Trail to the Sagamore Trail.  Additionally, we’ll construct a new canoe/kayak launch on North River Road.  This project is funded by a READI grant with matching funds from NCHS, the City of Lafayette, the Lafayette Rotary Club, and Tippecanoe County Government.  
  • Covington received READI grant funds for the Circle Trail segment of the Wabash River Greenway in Fountain County.  They have matching funds from Fountain County Government, WICF, NCHS, and from WREC.
  • Monticello received READI grant funds to complete a trail from downtown Monticello to Bluewater Beach Park in White County.  This will also connect to a public boat launch.
  • Warren County received READI grant funds  for a stretch of the Wabash River Greenway to connect to Williamsport Falls, construct a pedestrian bridge, and provide riparian restoration.  This project has matching funds from Warren County Council and the Town of Williamsport.