Indianapolis maintains 212 public parks covering 11,258 acres (4,556 ha) of green space, representing about 5.1% of the city's land area.[137][138] Amenities include 129 playgrounds, 155 sports fields, 153 miles (246 km) of recreational trails, 23 recreation and nature centers, 21 spraygrounds, 19 aquatic centers, 13 golf courses, and four dog parks.[137] The department also provides 2,400 programs and classes annually.[139] Eagle Creek Park is the largest and most visited park in the city and ranks among the largest municipal parks in the U.S., covering 4,766 acres (1,929 ha).[140]
Military Park was established as the city's first state-owned park in 1852. Garfield Park was the city's first municipally-owned park, opening in 1876 as Southern Park.[141][142] In the early-20th century, the city enlisted landscape architect George Kessler to conceive a framework for Indianapolis's modern parks system.[143] Kessler's 1909 Indianapolis Park and Boulevard Plan linked notable parks, such as Brookside, Ellenberger, Garfield, and Riverside parks, with a system of parkways following the city's waterways.[144] The system's 3,474 acres (1,406 ha) were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2003.[145]
Marion County is home to two Indiana state parks: Fort Harrison State Park in Lawrence and White River State Park in downtown Indianapolis. Established in 1996, Fort Harrison State Park covers 1,744 acres (706 ha) under the management of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.[146] White River is owned and operated by the White River State Park Development Commission, a quasi-governmental agency.[147] Encompassing 250 acres (100 ha), White River is the city's major urban park, home to the Indianapolis Zoo, White River Gardens, and museums.[148] Two land trusts are active in the city managing several sites for nature conservation throughout the region.[149][150]