ATTN Indiana/Midwest people...

[vicki]

I am looking for a nice place to backpack this weekend. Any suggestions? I want something around 10-15 miles with a loop. Preferably something beginner to intermediate because the person I am going with doesn't have much experience. If you have maps of the place that would also be great.

Thanks for your help.

[elwesso]

Dont tell me your coming to Indiana.....!!

Hmm, i dont know of anything much around indy... maybe Bud/Andy can help... WE dont have much like that, we just have some cornfields you can do some laps in.....

[vicki]

It's a potential for this weekend. You guys have Hoosier National Park. I am looking into different trails right now. You're welcome to come on a hike with us.

[w1ngzer0]

wait... mountains in the Midwest.... where?

[574-240sx]

Its too dam cold in Indiana right now. A few weeks ago would have been prime time.

[vicki]

The weather's about the same as it is here. I went last weekend and the weather was perfect. Once you get going, it gets pretty damn hot anyway.

[elwesso]

Agreed, it is a bit nipply... But whatever, you do what you like..

http://www.in.gov/dnr/outdoor/hike/

[hansQ45]

I grew up in a beautiful place in Indiana. It's called Nashville located in Brown County. Nashville is about 1 hour south of Indianapolis. Nashville was an "Artist Colony" back in the early 1900's and had many artists there in the 40's 50' and 60's. I'm sure they are still many artist's there today. John Mellencamp collects paintings from some of these famous Brown County artists.

Brown County State Park is one of the largest State Parks in the State of Indiana. Southern Indiana is rolling and hilly. The cental and northern parts of the state are pretty flat like Wes referred to in his post.

Do a search on Brown County State Park and you will find that it has some of the most beautiful scenery and trails in all of Indiana.

Brown County has some really cool winding roads too.

You won't be disappointed.

I even bet Wes has been down there sometime and would agree it's a cool place to go. I bet he just forgot to mention Brown County.

[Rex]

http://www.browncountystatepark.com/

IN's a big state anywhere in particluar, and it's a long arse drive from PA.

[gniknave]

Eagle Creek Park? I grew up around there, so that's the only place I know of.

EDIT: It's on the Northeast side of Indianapolis BTW...

[vicki]

Thanks guys. Indiana is about 7 hours from Lewisburg. I have a friend who lives in Ft. Wayne and he's been bugging me to visit for quite some time so I figured this would be a fun trip. I was also very very dissapointed in my backpacking trip last weekend so this is my way of making it up to myself.

Thanks for your suggestions.

[Jesda]

I remember seeing a huge freaking roadside cross and a whole lot of corn. I think thats how horror films start.

-Jesda

[rydwhite]

Best bet will be the Hoosier National Forest down in Morgan Monroe slightly south of Bloomington. Some decent trails. I don't have any maps right now, but if you do a search for the Hoosier National Forest, I am sure that you can find some info. I'm not sure what is really available up around Ft. Wayne though, sorry.

Brown County is nice, but I don't think that you will find any long hikes there. Some other nice short state park hikes are at Turkey Run out towards Park County in western Indiana. They actual have some of the nicest most scenic trails in the state, however they are short state park trails of only a few miles max. However, you can spend a day hiking in the park on several of the trails.

No real backpacking though except for the Hoosier National Forest.

I'll take a look when I get home for some of my trail maps. I'm pretty sure I don't have them anymore though. I let you know what I find.

[JDMaholic]

Ya, it's pretty much corn except for Indy, Fort Wayne, and Gary. There are walking trails in Fort Wayne at several of the different parks, and there is the River Greenway, but they are not really hiking more walking with 8ft wide paved surfaces not sure of length, river greenway is suppose to be like 50-60mi when it is completed, it was started in the 70's or 80's and its Indiana(we do things slower) so I'm not sure how much of it is done, prolly 15 miles or so. Here is a link to the fort wayne parks dept, check out rivergreenway, or some of the other trails and parks I'm too lazy to look http://www.fortwayneparks.org/...Pathsand cityhttp://www.fortwayne.com/mld/fortwayne/

If you want real nature stuff, close by I've been to salamonie resivior and it had some decsent hiking trails I think they were 10+ miles, but I don't know for sure, its more of a campground

Pokagon state park is about 35 minutes north of fort wayne and is quite popular and is scenic (at least for indiana) I'm not a hiker though so I don't know the length, I would guess under 5-6 mi here is a linkhttp://www.indianaaudubon.org/...n.htmAlot of people go to Brown county, but I don't remember very many trails, you may have to head down to southern Indiana by the ohio river or up into michigan to get the kind of trails that you are looking for, we used to ride dirt bikes on 40-60 mi trails around cadiliac mich, I don't remeber what all was up there though, I belive there was hiking trails that were about that lengthLike I said before I'm not really a hiker, I've gone on trails before in many of the parks throughout the state, but they are ususally under 2mi, so I wouldn't know what is good and what isn't

And since your going to Fort Wayne and are into cars you should visit the Auburn Cord Duesenbug museum, cool stuff you'll never see anywhere else.Good luck, and if you ever come to Fort Wayne again(I'll be stuck at Purdue this weeken) look me up.

[glitched]

its been while since i lived in INdiana, but one of my fondest memories from back then was

Turkey run

http://www.turkeyrunstatepark.com/



but we always went in the summer, some of the trails were actually in the canyons right in the midst of the river. it was a really cool place...

seriously look into this place, and check out some of teh pics!
Modified by glitched at 4:32 PM 11/10/2004

[rydwhite]

Vicki, here is a link to a list of trails with trail maps and all the other information you will need for hiking and backpacking in the Hoosier National Forest. http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/hoosier/trail_chart.htm

[GoinBoostYey]

Turkey Run is very fun I have relatives in Lafeyette(SP?) and we have gone thier before. There are a few nice parks here in NW Ohio(Toledo Area)

[jEzTeR]

I had family that lived in Nashville. Brown Co. was a great place to spend hours walking in the woods. Deer would come up and eat out of your hands. I spent every summer there for about 4 years and loved it.

Our Z club took a cruiZ there last month. It's a great place.

[vicki]

I'm not going anymore because I have too much work.

Thanks for your suggestions anyway. I'll keep note of it for future reference. Still looking to make a trip out there in the spring.

[pgt892]

I was also going to post about Turkey Run. I have been there numerous times and have always had a blast. They have beginner, intermediate, and advanced trails to go on. Our backpacks were full of beer, but I am sure you can bring camping stuff too.

[Doomed2Walk]

It's cold, just go to Chicago and climb the Sears tower ;O