Fred Dill Wildlife Sanctuary

Fred Dills Wild Life Sanctuary is a quiet wooded area close to downtown Carmel with easy trails winding around a pretty section of woods. I like walking there because it’s nearby and it’s a way to escape into the woods and enjoy nature.
Today we went for a springtime walk. The parking area is small and as you first walk in you go through a marshy area filled with pussy willows and dense reeds and a few old apple trees. There are lots of native plants to see.. All along the walkway were spotted yellow toad lilies , bright green skunk, cabbage, and blood root. I heard a barred owl, a red shoulder, hawk, a Pileated woodpecker and other birds. There are tall, beautiful trees throughout the sanctuary, and two massive oak trees. One of them Is almost 300 years old! The trail Is well kept and surprisingly peaceful and quiet. I think it’s a lovely little place to enjoy a quiet walk in the woods and experience the sights and sounds of nature. I am grateful to Fred Dill for sharing it with everyone!

Great trail, i go often with my 11 year old.

Nice local spot for a daily, casual hike. Very few people frequent this area (so it's pretty safe regarding social distancing). After about 30 minutes along a specific trail you can connect with the Putnam bike path. There's also a small pavilion with picnic tables near the pond, though it's probably easiest to access in Winter/Fall when plant overgrowth is minimal.

Hidden gem in the Town of Carmel on Fair Street. You can take the trail in for about 3/4 of a mile to connect with the bike path or there are several little breakoff trails in the woods.

A reasonably pretty piece of woods... Trails are adequately marked. There is one main trail from the entrance on Fair Street that goes over to the Putnam Trailway and others go a little further through the woods to a picnic Pavilion area. There's only a small amount of parking at the fair street entrance room for about four cars or a few more if everyone is cooperating.