Hatcher Park

Rate this place

Last Updated: December 5, 2025

Hatcher Park is a public park located in the city of Richmond, Indiana.


°F

°F

mph

Wind

%

Humidity

Summary

The park offers a variety of recreational activities for visitors, including hiking trails, fishing, playgrounds, and picnic areas. The park is also home to a large pond, where visitors can fish for bass, catfish, and bluegill.

One of the main points of interest in Hatcher Park is the park's extensive trail system. The park boasts over five miles of hiking trails that wind through the park's wooded landscape, providing visitors with stunning views of the surrounding countryside. In addition, visitors can explore the park's numerous picnic areas, which offer a perfect opportunity to relax with friends and family.

Hatcher Park also has a rich history. The park was created in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps, a federal program that employed young men to work on conservation projects across the country. Today, visitors can still see the park's historic stone bridges and other structures built by the CCC.

The best time of year to visit Hatcher Park is during the spring and summer months when the park's trails are at their most beautiful. However, visitors can also enjoy the park's fall foliage and winter snows.

Overall, Hatcher Park offers visitors a unique opportunity to explore Indiana's natural beauty and history. Whether you're looking for a place to hike, fish, or simply relax with family and friends, Hatcher Park is definitely worth a visit.

       

Weather Forecast

Park & Land Designation Reference

National Park
Large protected natural areas managed by the federal government to preserve significant landscapes, ecosystems, and cultural resources; recreation is allowed but conservation is the priority.
State Park
Public natural or recreational areas managed by a state government, typically smaller than national parks and focused on regional natural features, recreation, and education.
Local Park
Community-level parks managed by cities or counties, emphasizing recreation, playgrounds, sports, and green space close to populated areas.
Wilderness Area
The highest level of land protection in the U.S.; designated areas where nature is left essentially untouched, with no roads, structures, or motorized access permitted.
National Recreation Area
Areas set aside primarily for outdoor recreation (boating, hiking, fishing), often around reservoirs, rivers, or scenic landscapes; may allow more development.
National Conservation Area (BLM)
BLM-managed areas with special ecological, cultural, or scientific value; more protection than typical BLM land but less strict than Wilderness Areas.
State Forest
State-managed forests focused on habitat, watershed, recreation, and sustainable timber harvest.
National Forest
Federally managed lands focused on multiple use—recreation, wildlife habitat, watershed protection, and resource extraction (like timber)—unlike the stricter protections of national parks.
Wilderness
A protected area set aside to conserve specific resources—such as wildlife, habitats, or scientific features—with regulations varying widely depending on the managing agency and purpose.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Land
Vast federal lands managed for mixed use—recreation, grazing, mining, conservation—with fewer restrictions than national parks or forests.
Related References