The Muncie parks board will permanently close trails on Prairie Creek Reservoir’s west side to ATV and horse riders on August 1. As IPR’s Stephanie Wiechmann reports, the closure was requested by the property’s owner, Indiana American Water.
In May, Indiana American Water requested the trails be closed by the end of this year, to keep Muncie’s drinking water supply healthy. The company owns the reservoir and leases it to the city.
Parks board member Shannon Powers says closing the trails beginning in August shows the water company that the city is being proactive and acknowledges that the city leases the property.
“It might sting a few people that have vested interests in ATVs and horses, but for the whole of the reservoir, I think it’s the right way to go.”
The board says the west side of Prairie Creek is a wildlife habitat, and trails for ATVs and horses there don’t comply with the original lease. The board also stresses that ATV and horse riders haven’t done anything wrong. The action isn’t meant to be a punishment.
According to a Wednesday press release from the city of Muncie, “horses and horse trailers are no longer permitted” in Prairie Creek Reservoir.
At the May presentation by Indiana American Water, Greg Wilkins with the Muncie Light Horse Club said the Muncie parks board approved the horse trails in 1990. His organization has used grants to put about $12,000 into the trails in the last 18 months, including updating trail signs and combating invasive species around the trails.
At Tuesday’s meeting, the board acknowledge that both the city and water company have taken a “hands off” approach to the lease over the years, and haven’t always documented city-led changes and additions, or had them approved by the water company.
Indiana American Water also says it’s seen increased algae blooms and cyanotoxins in the water at Prairie Creek, which contributes heavily to Muncie’s drinking water supply. Before the July 4 weekend, it closed the water and beach to swimming for a few days to get those levels under control.
The board says the next two weeks will be an educational period, and they’ll put out the word that those west side trails will close August 1.
Board members say there aren’t any events on the west side of the reservoir for the rest of the year, but they know they also may have to refund some reservations made assuming those trails would still be active.
On Tuesday evening, the board also suspended the 2026 lottery system for campsites and dock spaces at Prairie Creek and prohibited transfers of leases for those spaces. The city is continuing to work with Indiana American Water to adjust the number of campsites and dock spaces at the park with water health in mind. The board says it expects a “reduction in capacity.”
This story has been updated with additional details released by the city.
Stephanie Wiechmann is IPR's Managing Editor and “All Things Considered” Host. Contact her at slwiechmann@bsu.edu.
This article is republished as part of a collaborative content-sharing agreement between Ball State Unified Media and Indiana Public Radio, established to expand access to high-quality journalism and to better inform and serve the public through trusted, in-depth reporting.