Turkey Run State Park, IN

ABOUT THE PARK:
Turkey Run State Park - Indiana Department of Natural Resources
Turkey Run State Park - Historic Turkey Run State Park

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 39.88731, -87.20127

Parking at the far end of the lot in front of the Nature Center.

TRAIL MAP:
Turkey Run State Park Map - Indiana Department of Natural Resources
Descriptions of Hiking Trails - Historic Turkey Run State Park

Powered by Wikiloc

HIKE DISTANCE:  6 miles

THE HIKE:

From the parking lot I could find no indication of where the trails begin.  Head behind the nature center and follow paths that lead to ...

... steps down to the suspension bridge.

We would be coming back on the suspension bridge.

To start, right on Trail 1 before the bridge.

Trail 1 follows Sugar Creek which was a raging river after all of the rain in the area.

We were heading towards that red covered bridge in the distance to cross over Sugar Creek.

Sugar Creek views from inside the covered bridge.

Just after the bridge, left on Trail 4 which follows along Sugar Creek on the opposite side from Trail 1.

Coming up on the suspension bridge, Trail 4 goes underneath the bridge then right on Trail 3.

Trail 3 goes through a canyon and most of the trail is the creek through the canyon.

Mr. I-don't-get-my-paws-wet Brodie had to have a change of heart about that.  He had no choice.

Pictures don't do it justice.  It's incredibly beautiful through this gorge but hiking is pretty strenuous.

There aren't many trail markers so I often wondered if I was still on the trail.

When I came to this part with cascades coming down the rocks, I thought I missed the trail.  Certainly it could not go up the cascades.  Or could it?

I then heard other hikers coming and indeed, they were coming down the waterfalls.

And up we go.

Fortunately, the rock surface was not slimy and slippery at all, there was very good traction even on wet parts.

Up ahead, some steps carved into the stone that we needed to use to ...

... get up on a narrow ledge to get through this section.

Punch Bowl

After the Punch Bowl, a set of steps up ahead ...

... that lead out of the canyon and to a flat spot at a trail junction.  And our break spot.

Continuing on Trail 10, a very easy trail after Trail 3.

Trail 10 leads to Camel's Back ...

... with not much of a view.

Heading back on Trail 10.

From Trail 10 we turned right on Trail 3 to connect to Trail 5.

Trail 3 goes through another gorge.

And intersects with Trail 5 at the ladders. We were able to bypass the first ladder with the trail along the side to Trail 5.

Looking down to where Trail 3 continues down two more ladders.  Not a part that was doable for us which is why we continued on Trail 5.

140 Steps on Trail 5 - but all told, we did WAY more than 140 steps.

Trail 5 turns left at the Sugar Creek but we went right on Trail 9 briefly to ...

... Falls Canyon - just for a look, we had done enough canyon hiking for one day.

Back on Trail 5 heading towards the suspension bridge.

There are more steps on this hike than I have ever experienced before.  Quite the quad workout.

Nearing the suspension bridge.

Those steps we came down at the beginning of the hike, the last flight up to finish the hike.

Back at the parking lot by the nature center.

While I was eating a bite of lunch, Brodie already curled up for his post hike nap ...

... which once on the road, became the usual post hike coma.

Pin It