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TRAVEL
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FALL IN LOVE
Gorgeous state parks and nature preserves for a bit of local color. Waterfall at McCormick’s Creek State Park
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A NEW LEAF BY ANDREA RATCLIFF
Conner Wigwam at Mounds State Park
NATIVE HABITAT
Escape into nature this month with visits to Indiana and Ohio parks and preserves.
A
AUTUMN HAS OFFICIALLY ARRIVED, BRING-
ing with it the usual array of seasonal activities: hayrides, corn mazes, haunted houses, and pumpkin carving. The city alone offers enough events and happenings to pack your social calendar for all of October and keep you running from place to place in a pumpkin-spice-fueled frenzy. But sometimes you need to step away from the daily grind to go outdoors and experience the simple, earthy 88
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pleasures of the fall season. The changing leaves. The crisp, cool air. The scent of a distant campfire. State parks, recreational trails, and nature preserves provide idyllic opportunities to bike, hike, explore, and take in some of the most breathtaking scenery in the Midwest. We found a handful of sites to get your fall nature fix—from caves and cliffs to birds and brachiopods.
and culture, Mounds State Park in Anderson is named for 10 ceremonial mounds built by prehistoric Indians known as the Adena-Hopewell. The earthworks date back to around 160 B.C., and it is believed that they were gathering spots for religious ceremonies. Hiking trails encircle the park, leading down the edge of the White River on the west side, then to the Great Mound near the southwest end of the property. A 2 ½-mile moderate trail ushers visitors all the way around the park in a loop, while shorter paths and boardwalks take explorers deeper into the interior to get a closer view of the ground formations. Just across the river, cycling enthusiasts can take adventurous trail rides at Rangeline Nature Preserve Mountain Biking. Less than 2 miles from the main entrance at Mounds, Rangeline offers novice, intermediate, and expert loops. The dirt trails and wood-plank paths curve through the woods, cross over waterways, and include bridges, teeter-totters, log crossings, banked turns, and drops. If biking doesn’t give you a natural high, White River Zip Lines takes thrill seekers over acres of maple and oak trees to get a bird’s-eye view of the changing leaves. The full course includes zips between 10 different towers.
PHOTOS COURTESY INDIANA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
EXHIBITING NATIVE AMERICAN HISTORY
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SOUTHERN EXPOSURE est and largest state parks, within 40 miles of each other. McCormick’s Creek State Park, dedicated in 1916, was once home to Miami Indians who camped along the White River. The highlight of the park today is the mile-long canyon lined and layered with limestone. The terrain features waterfalls, as well as caves, sinkholes, and natural bridges. At nearly 16,000 acres, Brown County State Park is renowned for its rolling hills and array of fall colors this time of year. Leaf peepers flock to the park to catch the trees at the peak of autumn glory. More than 18 miles of hiking trails allow for walks through the park at various lengths and
Brown County State Park
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levels of difficulty. If visitors prefer to tour the park on horseback, 70 miles of trails wind through the hilly, forested acreage. On an even larger scale, the Hoosier National Forest spans more than 200,000 acres and offers stunning views from Monroe Lake. “Climbing the Hickory Ridge Fire Tower in the Deam Wilderness area of the forest is a real highlight—but not for those who are afraid of heights!” says Erin White, director of leisure marketing and media for Visit Bloomington. The brave souls who climb to the top of the 110-foot steel tower will ascend more than 100 steps to reach the lookout point for panoramic views of the forest.
Travel closer to Bloomington to catch more intimate sights of Southern Indiana scenery. Leonard Springs Nature Park is set on 95½ acres and features a 1-mile looping nature trail through a forested area and wetlands with springs, a cave, and waterfalls along the way. Birding enthusiasts can visit Little Africa Wildlife Viewing Area— named because its outline mimics the shape of Africa—which sits on a peninsula in Lake Lemon among trees and woody vegetation. The sanctuary provides views of 32 species of migrating shorebirds, including terns, swallows, blackbirds, egrets, and herons. After hours spent hiking, climbing, and birding, visitors to the area can refuel at some
PHOTOS COURTESY VISIT BLOOMINGTON AND INDIANA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
SOUTHERN INDIANA BOASTS BOTH THE OLD-
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Leonard Springs Nature Park
of Bloomington’s newest eating establishments. Dubbed as “a taco and tequila joint,” Mexican restaurant Social Cantina offers salads, soups, tortas, and cantina bowls in addition to a multitude of taco options. The bar pours more than 20 beers on tap and showcases an impressive collection of tequila. The menu at 10th Street’s Hive is described as “comfort food with an international flair.” Serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Hive’s offerings include everything from challah French toast and a Cuban breakfast bowl to chicken pot pie and a jackfruit barbecue sandwich. Travelers craving sweet treats can get their sugar fixes at Two Sticks Bakery,
where everything is made from scratch. The shop specializes in cakes, but also vends cookies, cinnamon rolls, Danish, turnovers, and scones, as well as coffee and tea. At the end of the day, Bloomington hosts new and newly remodeled accommodations to spend the night. Following extensive renovations, the historic Beaumont House bed and breakfast has been transformed into a charming place to rest and relax. The 1869 Queen Anne Victorian farmhouse features beautiful woodwork, light fixtures, and clawfoot tubs in its common areas and guest rooms. The surrounding property, which includes outdoor seating areas and a firepit, backs up to the Porter West Preserve.
For those who wish to take Fido along on their leaf-peeping excursions, Bloomington’s newest hotel allows pets up to 50 pounds. Home2 Suites by Hilton near IU’s Memorial Stadium and Assembly Hall is an all-suites property with modern décor and convenient amenities.
Hoosier National Forest
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WATER WORKS Chain O’ Lakes State Park
IN NORTHEAST INDIANA , CHAIN O’LAKES
State Park is named for its series of connected kettle lakes that cover more than 200 surface acres of water. Visitors can venture out on the lakes in kayaks, canoes, paddleboats, or rowboats available for rent,
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depending on season. Runners and hikers will enjoy 10 miles of scenic, forested trails that cover a wide range of terrain with steep and challenging elevation changes. Visit the one-room Stanley Schoolhouse, which serves as the park’s nature center, to learn
about the history and topography of the area. About 30 miles to the east, the St. Joe River Greenway is a 1.3-mile nature walk along the banks of the St. Joseph River. The paved path allows plentiful views of wildlife. For a longer trek or bike ride, the Auburn Waterloo Trail spans 4 miles and includes a covered pavilion with picnic seating and bike stations alongside a copper-colored steel sculpture in the shape of a DNA double helix. Chain O’Lakes offers cabins and camping facilities, but travelers who want more full-service accommodations while staying immersed in nature can make reservations at Auburn’s Inn at Windmere, a historic bed and breakfast and retreat center set on 40 acres of farmland. Guests can curl up in front of three onsite fireplaces, while away time on the wraparound porch or private gazebo, or book spa services to unwind after a long day of exploring. Whispering Pines Lodge Bed & Breakfast, also in Auburn, hosts overnight guests in its cabin and lodge overlooking a 3.6-acre pond. The grounds include nature paths for taking in the scenery and viewing wildlife.
PHOTO COURTESY INDIANA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
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Hocking Hills State Park
CLIFF HANGERS
CLIFTY FALLS PHOTO COURTESY INDIANA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
FROM THE OHIO RIVER INTO THE STATE
of Ohio, several destinations allow travelers to explore cliffs, caves, and riverbanks. Immediately west of Madison, Indiana, Clifty Falls State Park is ruggedly handsome, owing to the glacial melting and erosion that carved its rock formations and deep gorges into the land. The park boasts four major waterfalls ranging from 60 to more than 80 feet tall, plus several smaller falls along Clifty and Little Clifty creeks. Ten different hiking trails wind their way through the craggy landscape. The south end of the park near the nature center and Clifty Inn affords gorgeous riverfront views. About two hours away, Hueston Woods State Park in College Corner, Ohio, offers a unique activity in the area: fossil hunting. Millions of years ago, a shallow sea once covered the entire state and left behind bedrock made of limestone and dolomite. The fossilized remains of ancient marine animals draw visitors to the area to find crinoids, brachiopods, horn corals, cephalopods, and trilobites, among other fossil types. Additional park activities include archery, boating and
fishing, golf and disc golf, hiking, and wildlife observation. Well known in the region for its scenic caves, gorges, rock formations, and waterfalls, Hocking Hills State Park near Columbus, Ohio, is one of the top spots in the state to enjoy nature. The park features multiple hiking trails ranging in distance and difficulty levels. One of the most popular trails is the easy, quarter-mile Ash Cave Gorge path leading to a wide, horseshoeshaped recess cave with a waterfall. It can be combined with the more moderate Ash Cave Rim trail to create a loop. The most difficult trail, Cantwell Cliffs, is a narrow trek winding through a deep gorge with lots of elevation changes, stair steps, twists and turns, and tight squeezes to reach the bottom. Nearby Hocking State Forest provides rock-climbing and rappelling opportunities for extreme-sports enthusiasts. Offering a more urban rock-climbing experience, Columbus Metro Parks property Scioto Audubon is home to a 35-foot outdoor climbing wall—one of the largest of its kind in the Midwest. The park, which sits
on rehabilitated land formerly used for industrial purposes, overlooks the Columbus skyline on one side and the Scioto River south of downtown on the other. The site also includes an obstacle course, butterfly garden, bocce and volleyball courts, a dog park and designated pet trails, plus an 18,000-square-foot nature center. Following a visit to Scioto Audubon, thirsty and hungry travelers can hit one of several nearby establishments to grab a
Clifty Falls State Park
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Scioto Audubon Metro Park
post-climb drink or bite to eat. Rockmill Tavern, just blocks away from the park, is an offshoot of Rockmill Brewery in nearby Lancaster. The tavern in downtown’s Brewery District brings a rustic, farm-style vibe to the city. Tucked away in a former warehouse,
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Watershed Kitchen & Bar was the first restaurant attached to a craft distillery in Ohio. The eatery offers shareable small plates, entrees, and tasting menus served up alongside innovative craft cocktails. Celebrating its first birthday this month, Service Bar is another restaurant-distillery
combo in downtown Columbus. Menu items range from burgers and brisket to lamb wontons and oxtail gnocchi. The restaurant and bar are part of Middle West Spirits, which also runs a bottle shop on site. Distillery tours and spirit tastings are available. At the end of the day, travelers can retire to Hotel LeVeque, which opened in May 2017. The boutique Autograph Collection property with gold accents and Art Deco furnishings is located in the Uptown District near the Scioto riverfront and several visitor attractions, such as the Capitol Square, Ohio and Palace theatres, Columbus Museum of Art, and Center of Science and Industry. Our neighboring state boasts plenty more opportunities to commune with nature and wildlife. “With 75 Ohio state parks and many more natural areas and preserves— not to mention some of the wonderful metro parks—there are tons of great places to get away to enjoy fall foliage in Ohio,” says Tamara Brown, public relations manager with Office of TourismOhio. “And perhaps best of all, Ohio’s state parks are still free to all—no parks fees, no use fees, no admission fees.”
PHOTO COURTESY EXPERIENCE COLUMBUS
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