Gone Hikin': Shades State Park, IN with Pine Hills Nature Preserve

Saturday, June 22, 2019

Shades State Park, IN with Pine Hills Nature Preserve

ABOUT THE PARK:
Shades State Park - Indiana Department of Natural Resources
Pine Hills Nature Preserve - Indiana Department of Natural Resources

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 39.936661, -87.075629

Hickory Parking Lot

TRAIL MAPS:
Shades State Park - Indiana Department of Natural Resources
Pine Hills Nature Preserve - Indiana Department of Natural Resources

HIKE DISTANCE: 9.9 miles

THE HIKE:

From the parking lot we headed towards trails 7 and 8. We needed to avoid 4 and 5 since those have ladders Brodie would not be able to climb.

We'd be seeing many, many, many more steps during this hike.

Not too rugged looking yet.

Descending into the rugged part.

Yes, the creek IS the trail and it was wet and slimy and slippery. Many times I had to sit on a slimy rock and slide down. I was quite a filthy mess when we got through the canyon but it was gorgeous and a lot of fun.

Coming out of Shawnee Canyon.

Trail 8 follows along Sugar Creek for a bit.

Back on Trail 7.

Trail 7 brought us back out to the parking lot where we turned left towards the Hickory Shelter.

Trail 1 is flat and easy and also pretty busy since that is where most people go.

Inspiration Point might only be inspiring in the winter.

Since Prospect Point was being guarded by another dog, I hooked Brodie to the fence and went to take a peak by myself.

Sugar Creek from Prospect Point.

Down into the Devil's Punchbowl.

Coming off Trail 1 we stayed left to Trail 2 but first a short out and back to Lover's Leap.

A little bit of a view of Sugar Creek from Lover's Leap.

We retraced then took Trail 2.

This area was a huge muddy mess and some other hikers had mentioned this trail might not be doable for Brodie so we turned back. We did end up doing it from a different direction later in the hike and it was not near as challenging as Trail 8 so Brodie was fine with it.

Coming off of Trail 2 and heading to Trail 10.

Trail 10 connects to the Pine Hills Nature Preserve in about a mile.

Here is another way to Trail 2 which is not on the map. We would take this coming back after the nature preserve.

The trail is smooth and flat for quite a while until ...

Turkey Backbone

Clifty Creek

Crossing Clifty Creek

On the Devil's Backbone

Looking up to where we had been on top of Devil's Backbone after a tricky scramble down.

Crossing back over Clifty Creek.

On to the Mill Cut/Slide Loop.

After climbing back up all of the steps, crossing Turkey Backbone.

And retracing back to Trail 10.

We turned right on Trail 2 where we had seen the post earlier.

Another gorgeous canyon where the trail is the creek but this one was not as difficult as Trail 8.

Maidenhair Falls

Pearl Ravine

Coming up out of the canyon ...

... on more steps.

Right would have taken us into that mud pit from earlier so we continued looping around on 2 which brought us to a side trail on the right back to Trail 10.