Nature Tour
This tour is meant for those wanting to explore the nature side of campus. It is kid-friendly but keep in mind there is a lot of walking.
1. We recommend starting at the Student Center.
You can park at the Student Center parking garage for $5.00/day or $1.00/hour for the first three hours and then $0.50/hour. There is also the option of obtaining a Visitor's Pass Permit from the Office of Parking Services for $5.00/day to park in the specified zone or lot issued on the permit.
If it is the weekend, parking on campus is available to anyone anywhere, except for the 45-minute metered spots.
2. Christy Woods
Once you have parked, head north across University Ave towards the Quad. Walk through the Quad all the way back towards Christy Woods. Christy Woods is 17-acres full of deciduous forest, tallgrass prairie and many other plant communities, such as wildflowers, ferns and nonnative species. There are paths full of adventure throughout the eastern portion of this outdoor laboratory. Although the wildlife is very intriguing and beautiful, please refrain from picking, pulling, collecting and disturbing any kind of plant or animal. The woods are used as a classroom and many students and faculty have experiments being conducted. Enjoy the woods as long as you'd like, then make your way towards the Rinard Orchid Greenhouse located on the south side of the woods.
3. The Rinard Orchid Greenhouse
The Rinard Orchid Greenhouse was built to house Wheeler-Thanhauser Orchid Collection and Species Bank as well as many other orchids and species collections. The collection was founded as a way to conserve rare and endangered species of orchids, disseminate them for conservation, and for the use of research and education. As you step foot into the front doors you are hit with orchids displayed with other tropical plants to create an atmosphere that gives you the feeling of walking through a tropical environment. You'll also see a collection of tropical poison arrow frogs that aid in the conservation. A peaceful waterfall while standing on a "terraced" mountain enable you to experience a high-elevated rainforest where cloud-forest orchids grow.
Open to the public Monday-Friday from 7:30 am to 4:30 pm and Saturday from 10 am to 3:00 pm or you can make an arrangement with the curator Cheryl Leblanc.
If after exploring this greenhouse you're itching to see more cool and interesting plants, then walk back through Christy Woods to the Teaching and Research Greenhouse. It is located just east of the orchid greenhouse. In this building is where students and faculty conduct experiments/research and houses the teaching collection of many plants from around the world.
Open to the public Monday-Friday from 7:30 am to 4:30 pm (Closed on the weekends)
When you've had enough of the greenhouses make your way back, again through Christy Woods, to the Quad.
4. The Quad
The Quad has the most green and relaxing atmosphere on campus. Enjoy sitting on a bench or anywhere in the grass and hang out. You can always find students and staff socializing, studying or eating lunch out here.
At this point we have reached the end of the tour. If you are hungry and are looking for something to eat, the Student Center has a food court with a great salad bar as well as Taco Bell and Starbucks. If this doesn't interest you there is also the Atrium food court located just north of the Quad in the Arts and Journalism building. You can find Chic-Fil-A here and they also have sub sandwiches made to your likings with Boar's Head Deli ingredients.
Please feel free to eat lunch out on the Quad.
**Note: All information provided by the Ball State Official Website
5. Optional Cardinal/White River Greenway biking tour
Ball State's Jo Ann Gora Recreation and Wellness Center is home to the Outdoor Pursuits Rental Center. Enter the building on the east side, where the rock-climbing wall is located. You will see the wall as you walk in so you'll know you're going in the right door. The rental center is located on your right when you enter. Bike rentals are available to the public at $18/day for a normal road bike. They also have helmets at $4/day to rent as well. If you and your family are wanting to get out and see the nature side of Muncie the rental center has anything from tents to snorkel gear available for daily, weekend and weekly rates. Please click here on Outdoor Pursuits for more prices and rental information.
The Indiana Cardinal Greenway runs right through Muncie and splits off into our own White River Greenway.
After renting your materials from Outdoor Pursuits, head east on Neely Avenue and turn right at the stop sign onto N New York Avenue (follow the blue lines in the map below). Continue down until you reach the W Riverside Avenue stoplight and take a left, heading east again all the way down until you reach N Wheeling Avenue. The trail is just across the street where you can either go north past the Ball Mansions and towards the Cardinal Greenway (green on the map) or you can head south and take the White River Greenway (brown on the map) until it ends on the southwest side of Muncie.