The Sweetser Switch trail is a three-mile long paved trail that extends from Sweetser in both directions. There is ample parking at all of the intersecting main roads. This award winning trail is landscaped and is the ultimate trail that you should put on your “bucket list”. Travelers near and far enjoy the outdoors and wonderful views with two covered bridges on the trail. Part of the trail is even lighted east of downtown Sweetser for that evening walk.
In 2010 a golden spike was driven when the Cardinal Greenway connected to the Sweetser Switch Trail. The Governor of the state of Indiana (Mitch Daniels) was there for the ribbon cutting ceremony. This now creates a total of 13.5 miles of paved trail in Grant County. The Cardinal Greenway is the longest paved bike trail in the state of Indiana and much of it is a continuous connection. The future expansion lies to the west as the Converse Junction is proposed to hook up to the Sweetser Switch Trail and extend another 5.5 miles.
Major attractions on the trail are two passenger railcars and a caboose that have been renovated and are used for meetings and classrooms. A statue of Garfield is near the train as part of a Grant County project to commemorate Garfield’s originator, Jim Davis, who grew up nearby. But for the most part you will see walkers, joggers, in-line skaters and wheelchairs; these participants enjoy the beauty of the trail. The trail has sections that are even open to equestrian use.
This trail goes through a small rural town of Sweetser that is about 5 miles west of Marion Indiana. When hiking the well-groomed trail, you will see bird boxes, various picnic shelters, an old fashioned hand water pump, and two beautiful covered bridges over Pipe Creek. An amazing part of this trail’s history is that the first mile was constructed entirely on donations, and from the planning to the final paving only took one year. This kind of progress has never happened with trail development. Take the time to enjoy this trail; it is one of the best trails in the Midwest.
