Hiking at Turkey Run State Park

Dear Friends-

Please join us for an adventurous hike at Turkey Run State Park. This will be a moderately challenging hike of approximately 5-6 miles.

We will meet at the Nature Center parking lot at 11am EST (10am CST) and head for the trails by 11:15am. Turkey Run State Park charges an entrance fee of $7 per vehicle, or you may enter using an annual Indiana State Park pass. There are indoor restrooms located at the Nature Center.

We will start on trail 2 entering Box Canyon, winding around through Gypsy Gulch, before crossing over the Narrows Covered Bridge onto trail 4. We will hike trail 4 until it merges with trial 3, one of the most scenic trails in the park. We will descend along the creek that runs through Rocky Hollow Canyon, past the Punch Bowl. (Anticipate getting your shoes/boots wet on this part of the trail.) There are a few small waterfalls on trail 3, which really contribute to the beauty of this hike. *Please note this section of this hike is rugged, and may not be possible for dogs or young children.

Once we exit Rocky Hollow, we will continue on trail 3, through the Ice Box, and then we will climb up the "Ladders." (Note this section of the trail is not recommended for dogs or young children.) While each of the three ladders are secured to the canyon wall, each ladder is approximately 25 foot long, with no alternative means for ascending this portion of the trail.

Once we've reached the top, we will take a short break for water/trail snacks. From here, we will pick up trail 5 as a connection to trail 9, where we will hike down into Boulder Canyon.

Finally, passing through Boulder and Falls Canyon, we will finish by hiking trail 5 along Sugar Creek, following 3 all the way back to the Suspension Bridge. Climbing the 70 steps, and returning to our vehicles at the Nature Center parking lot.

Although we will be planning for only the group hike, there is so much to do in the Turkey Run area that you may want to spend the weekend here. Turkey Run State Park has a large outdoor pool, with a $3 admission charge per person, if you feel like taking a swim after the hike. Other options include kayak, canoe, or inner tube floats down Sugar Creek. These can be rented from local Sugar Valley Canoe trips "sugarvalleycanoes.com" or a little further towards Crawfordsville at Clements Canoes Outdoor Center "clementscanoes.com"

Reservations for the Turkey Run Inn and Cabins can be made from the "booking.com" website.

Campsite reservations for Turkey Run, or nearby Shades State Park can be found at "indianastateparks.reserveamerica.com"

Additional camping sites can be found at Peaceful Waters Campground at "peacefulwaterscampground.com", or Turkey Run Canoe & Camping at "turkeyruncanoeandcamping.com", or Sugar Creek Campground & Canoe at "sugarcreekcampground.com" or Lake Waveland Park at "lakewaveland.com."

Hope to see you on the trails!
Erin