2450 South Endwright Road, Bloomington, IN 47403- 120 acres
Karst Farm Park was the first county park to be established. The park was created in 1969 after the county closed its poor farm and converted the property to park use. The relevance of the park name refers to the karst topography and farm referring to the property’s history as the County Poor Farm. Many cultural events have been staged at Karst Farm Park over the years and it is a popular venue for these types of activities.
This park offers classic views of the Karst topography of southern Indiana, with clearly visible sinkholes. No caves are exposed in the park, though water backs up in cave entrances very near the park during times of heavy rainfall. The presence of sinkholes limits construction and other activities because water sometimes fills the depressions. Karst offers programs to educate the public about geology, caves, and water quality. It is rated as one of the area’s most attractive parks and features a splashpad, accessible playground, smaller playgrounds, dog park and athletic fields. There are walking trails that encompass the arboretum and extend into natural, forested sections of the park.