Morgan Monroe State Forest, IN - Three Lakes Trail

ABOUT THE PARK:
Morgan Monroe State Forest - Indiana Department of Natural Resources
Morgan Monroe State Forest - Hoosier Hikers Council

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 39.322040, -86.425210

Parking at the Cherry Lake Picnic Pavilion.

TRAIL MAP:
Morgan-Monroe State Forest Hiking Trail Map - Indiana Department of Natural Resources (This map is pretty useless and it's even harder to read printed out.)
Three Lakes Trail Map - from the Hoosier Hikers Council site - a very nice map of the trail

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HIKE DISTANCE:  10.5 miles

THE HIKE:
Breaking up the drive to St. Louis, MO with some hikes along the way.  Hike #2:

We picked up the trail right from the parking lot going in a counter clockwise direction which apparently is backwards but in retrospect I think it puts the more rugged part in the beginning of the hike.

The entire hike is a series of ridges and gorges with switchbacks up and down and flat stretches in between.

The entire trail is blazed with white diamonds,

No leaves on the trees yet, spring is late this year, but wildflowers everywhere.

Winter views when on the ridges.

A section where there was some logging.  There aren't any blazes which made me wonder if I lost the trail but they did pick back up again.

Blazes pick back up on the left at the end of the logging section.

There are lots of creek crossing on this hike but they were all easy enough to get over.

The Hoosier Hikers Council does a great job of trail maintenance on this trail.  Thanks! We tried to help by picking up litter.  By the end of the hike Brodie smelled like a brewery from all the beer cans in his backpack :(

Coming up on Bryant Creek Lake.

Sunning Turtle

Swimming Turtle

Our break spot.

Beaver carpentry in progress near our break spot.  The only thing keeping that tree on the left standing was another tree the top got hung up in.  I can imaging that beaver cursing up a storm.

Resting.  We aren't even half way through the hike yet at about 4.5 miles.

Continuing on around the lake.

Crossing the dam.

Bryant Creek Lake

Some long, flat ridges along here.

Taking a break overlooking the gorge.

Those little power naps charge him back up to continue on which he always does as soon as I get up.

Well, after I get up and put my backpack back on.

The parking lot comes into view on the left but we aren't quite done yet.

Coming out at ...

... the beginning of the trail as seen when I turned around.

It's actually only two lakes now since the third no longer exists.

On to Cherry Lake.

Back into the woods for a short distance ...

... to the picnic pavilion with our parking lot on the other side of the building.

Brodie's litter haul for the day.

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